Ikea Rast Hack

Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Ikea Rast 3-Drawer Chest has to be the most versatile piece of furniture in all of DIY kingdom. The Ikea Rast has been transformed into anything and everything you can think of. Just search "Ikea Rast Hack" on Pinterest and you'll see exactly what I mean.
For my version of the Ikea Rast Hack I decided to upholster the chest with a heavy-duty linen fabric. I've seen upholstered furniture a lot lately and am loving the soft look it brings to a room.
I completed my project by following the simple steps in a DIY video from Martha Stewart called, "Linen-Wrapped Table How-To" instructed by Christophe Pourny.
Step 1: Starch and iron your linen so it's crisp and has no wrinkles.
Step 2: Apply Minwax Gloss Polycrylic Protective Finish to the side of the wood you want to upholster with a paint brush. While still wet, place the linen over the wood board.
Step 3: Iron dry over the linen fabric on the wood board, this permanently adheres the fabric to the Ikea Rast.
Step 4: Cut the corners of linen at 45-degree angle; fold and crease fabric to make the corners even. Apply poly-acrylic finish to edges; iron to keep it in place and trim excess corner fabric with the razor blade. (This was the hardest step for me, watching the Martha Stewart video a few extra times really helped!)
Step 5: Apply topcoat of poly-acrylic finish to the entire Ikea Rast. This is optional but it will protect your fabric from spills or stains with a clear shiny coat. I did not do this step because I like the texture feeling of the linen.
Step 6: Add hardware of your choice. I bought my ring pulls from Lee Valley Tools and my nail heads from a local fabric store.

 What's your favorite Ikea hack? Have you tried any yourself?

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33 comments

  1. DemandaNovember 29, 2012 at 11:23 AM

    This is absolutely AMAZING, Kelly!! I love it - you are so creative :)

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  2. LeahDecember 2, 2012 at 7:58 AM

    great job! it looks expensive!

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  3. KariDecember 3, 2012 at 12:05 PM

    This is my favorite rast hack, I'm doing it! Good job.

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  4. la petite fashionistaDecember 3, 2012 at 11:55 PM

    A seriously gorgeous ikea hack! You are so talented:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. BostonistaDecember 4, 2012 at 9:13 PM

    oh my god that is AMAZING! I am completely uncrafty and it is a skill I'm so jealous of. Even if I follow the directions step by step it never turns out right :(

    Thanks for visiting my blog! Love yours!

    xo
    Kara
    www.thebostonista.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. NeetaDecember 6, 2012 at 4:19 PM

    I found your blog on USA today (twitter account). I have to say I'm impressed! Love the creativity!!

    Maybe you can stop by my blog and give me some pointers?

    http://sparkofglamour.blogspot.com
    =)

    ReplyDelete
  7. bwashDecember 13, 2012 at 11:04 PM

    I would LOVE to know where you got the linen from!

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  8. SHERRY HARTDecember 14, 2012 at 7:11 AM

    For real.....so amazing! One of my favorite rast hacks!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dina @ Honey + FitzDecember 14, 2012 at 7:44 AM

    Stopping in from Little Green Notebook. This is GORGEOUS! Maybe my favorite Rast hack ever. I too would love to know where you got the linen.

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  10. Ben @ The House of ListsDecember 14, 2012 at 9:57 AM

    Also found via LGN. This is awesome! I did two hacks of the RAST but if my wife sees this it might have to be three.

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  11. AnonymousDecember 14, 2012 at 10:54 AM

    Awesome!! How many yards of linen did this take??

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  12. sarah m. dorseyDecember 14, 2012 at 10:55 AM

    Stunning! Definitely want to try this!

    Sarah | http://sarahmdorseydesigns.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousDecember 14, 2012 at 12:06 PM

    I would also like to know more about the fabric: where you got it and how much you used. A great transformation!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nicole @ libertybellesDecember 14, 2012 at 2:39 PM

    love this! I'm considering doing this this weekend (can't decide if I want to stain and paint my RAST or do this!) - how much fabric did you purchase? thanks!

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  15. MeganDecember 14, 2012 at 10:12 PM

    Totally awesome!!! You really rocked it!

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  16. Angela SpannDecember 16, 2012 at 9:22 AM

    via LGN! i am super impressed, great job! xo

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  17. tessa @twoinspiredesignDecember 16, 2012 at 1:22 PM

    Saw this on littlegreennotebook...love it!! You've given me inspiration for my daughter's big girl room. thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  18. RoxyDecember 17, 2012 at 10:50 PM

    loved seeing you on LGN! crafty, kelly :) love it!

    ReplyDelete
  19. KellyDecember 18, 2012 at 9:15 AM

    Hi everyone,
    Thanks so much for the sweet comments! I really enjoyed doing this Rast hack and aside from waiting on the hardware to come in the mail it took me about 1 week to complete; I worked on it for 1-2 hours per night. The fabric was from Hancock Fabrics and I used 2.5 yards. It was in the remnant pile and there was no brand on the label. The woman who helped me at the fabric store described it as a "heavy-duty" linen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousMarch 7, 2013 at 4:57 PM

      That helps...that was my next question :-)

      Delete
  20. couturietteDecember 23, 2012 at 4:19 AM

    This is absolutely amazing. Unbelievable how the dresser has been transformed.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'm Busy ProcrastinatingDecember 28, 2012 at 8:38 PM

    Saw your project on LGN. I have a Draper-style dresser made of laminate that I've been wanting to cover in either fabric, wallpaper or contact paper. Hadn't heard of using Polycrilic as the glue-like substance. I'll have to check out that Martha video.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Adventures in DressmakingJanuary 31, 2013 at 10:47 AM

    This is fantastic!! I did a DIY update on a Rast dresser, too, dark brown sides, white drawers, gold handles. I looove those ring pulls, though! Mine's here: http://www.adventuresindressmaking.com/2012/10/weve-painted-lot-of-furniture-lately.html

    ReplyDelete
  23. Saeed ZiaFebruary 16, 2013 at 9:46 AM

    Jobs at your Home, Internet Online Jobs like data entry, copy pasting, Form Filling, Facebook Sharing Jobs, Clicking Jobs, Web Surfing, Google Jobs and Much More Earning Systems Online
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    ReplyDelete
  24. ZoeFebruary 28, 2013 at 1:52 PM

    Wow, I wish I saw this hack before I just merely painted mine! Amazing job!!!

    xo
    Zoe

    ReplyDelete
  25. AnonymousMarch 7, 2013 at 4:55 PM

    Hi Kelly,

    I am ordering the RAST, stay tuned for my results :-) Thanks for posting this, following you on Pinterst!

    Kesha

    ReplyDelete
  26. AnonymousApril 6, 2013 at 12:25 AM

    I have my Rasts and supplies, and am buying the fabric tomorrow. So excited! I have a detail question for you... I don't see the bolts that you'd normally see on each side of the Rast. They're covered in linen in your photos, so I'm wondering how you did that. I see that you wrapped the top and drawers first. But did you assemble the unwrapped sides to the wrapped top and bottom, and then put the fabric on the sides afterward?

    ReplyDelete
  27. ShannonMay 15, 2013 at 1:00 PM

    I was wondering how the linen is holding up. Do you open the drawers much, is the material staying put?

    ReplyDelete
  28. KatieSeptember 10, 2013 at 12:11 PM

    What size pulls did you get? I love love love these--great job!

    ReplyDelete
  29. JacquelineMarch 26, 2014 at 11:56 AM

    I know these dressers from Ikea, I want to do something similar with paint. Which high gloss paints and matte paints would you recommend? Thanks a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  30. IrynaMay 31, 2014 at 1:52 AM

    This hack inspired me to try it myself! http://www.redbarberry.com/ikea-rast-hack-upholster-and-stain/

    ReplyDelete
  31. ELIA MARTINEZAugust 8, 2014 at 4:39 AM

    It´s amazing!!! Loved your work!!

    I also did my Ikea Rast hack...but definitively not as cool as yours :))

    http://re-making.blogspot.com.es/2014/08/rast-hackwith-nail-trims.html

    ReplyDelete
  32. nimra arainJuly 27, 2016 at 10:28 PM

    I was so excited to do this project, i got all the stuff and then i spend so much time but it didnt came out good. So i strip the entire fabric and now going to paint it. The issue i was having was the poly acalyric was for some reason not sticking right and then seeping through the fabric due to which there were spots on it. Im so dissappointed ������

    ReplyDelete

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