Ironing board cart for your sewing room
Today, I decided to create more organization to my sewing room by making this ironing board cart Ikea hack that I have planned for years. It was very easy and didn’t take long. What I did was to permanently fasten an Ikea Jäll ironing board to the top of the Råskog cart. This made a small and easily movable ironing cart with a space for my ironing paraphernalia that I can keep next to my sewing desk. Here are the instructions for you to make something similar. (This post has not been sponsored by Ikea. Neither do I take any responsibility if you manage to screw this up. Just beware!)
What you need
- Ikea Råskog cart
- Ikea Jäll ironing board
- A plank of wood of approximately 5 cm x 60 cm x 9,5 cm (2″ x 24″ x 4″)
- 8 wood screws
- A screwdriver
- A saw
- Optional: 2 Ikea Sunnersta jars
- Optional: Fabric, wadding and a sewing kit plus double-sided tape for the pincushion
Make it!
Saw two planks that are 28,7 cm long. Mine are 9,2 cm high which is close to being the minimum height for these pieces of wood so that they reach the ironing board bottom grid. The width of the planks is not so important. As long as you can still sink some screws in through the narrow side, you’ll be fine.
Select wood screws with countersunk heads to keep the heads of the screws poking through your ironing board.
Turn the cart upside down with the planks still in the right position. Screw the planks to the bottom grid, both with two screws.
Then strip the ironing board from its cover and detach the legs. Screw the ironing board to the pieces of wood:
It almost feels like these two products are made for each other!
Now, the cover of the original ironing board is a bit thin. So, I decided to add a bit extra felt to prevent the grid marks on my fabric:
This is completely optional. The ironing board has worked for me even without the extra padding. I just happened to have suitable material hanging around.
Put the cover back on and admire your new ironing cart!
Dressing it up
As I plan to use this ironing board mainly to iron seams that I have sewed, I decided to add a small pincushion to the side of the cart. I am sure none of you needs any extra instructions on how to make a pincushion! To keep the back of the pincushion flat, I added a piece of cardboard and fastened it to the cart with some double-sided tape.
I filled the cart with all my ironing tools: there is room for the iron, the press cloths, a bottle of water to fill the iron, a can of spray starch, a spray can of water, a tailor’s clapper and a tailor’s ham and sausages (I added an s-hook to the side of the cart for the longer one.). Just keep in mind that the temperature and the moisture levels may rise near the top compartment so this is not a place to store things like sewing patterns or magazines!
The Ikea Sunnersta jars hang to the side of the cart. I used them to store bias-tape-makers, seam tape, scissors and other such small things I often use when I press things.
I hope you liked this little Ikea hack of mine. Do share it with your sewing friends, too! Thank you for reading and come back soon. More sewing storage ideas are coming soon! In the meantime, happy sewing!
Katja
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57 Comments
Debbie
Omg thank you for sharing this, I’m so going to steal this idea x
kk
Have it for free. No need to steal! And thanks!
Kathy
Genius… But I’m 5’8″… The height would prob drive me crazy. Great idea…. Though I would prob put a hinge on the iron board 👍👌
kk
Thanks! I did consider the hinge but it was a bit too difficult to do and the stuff at the top compartment wouldn’t necessary go with all the heat and moisture.
quantumbetty
This is brilliant! I may be making one for myself! ☺
kk
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!
Mimi
Thank you so much for this great idea! I love the fact its mobile, can store things and useful ironing trolley! I use hinge so the first tray is usable. I can’t post pic to share to you as there is no post pics. But I truly want to thank you
Norma
This is fantastic! I have a small living area and use my tabletop ironing board slot. Looking forward to making this useful and fun project.
kk
Thanks! I think most of the sewists have some sort of organization problem. It’s a hobby which very easily leads to clutter. I’m so happy if this little invention will help somebody.
Georgie
Thank you for sharing this. It inspired me to use my grandmothers antique ironing board but it is full size, so I used 2 of the exact carts to accommodate the extra long size. I also flipped the top basket of the rolling cart up side down and reattached the same way using the bolts provided. This made the entire ironing board about 3 inches higher. I also used metal zip ties to run through the bottom of the top basket and through the back side of the ironing board to attach instead of wood and screws. Worked perfectly! Great inspiration, Ty.
Kim
I am planning a redo of my sewing studio and this is just what I need. Brilliant idea.
Bonnie Lee
Perfect for my small space!
Susan MacGregor
Fantastic! Fabulous! Wow! Need I say anything else?
kk
Thank you!
Marge Rintoul
This will be so helpful….thank you!
kk
Thanks!
Joyful
Fantastic idea! I have both of those products (ironing board from IKEA and the cart from Home Depot).
kk
Thanks! Now you just need to put your new ironing station together!
Pam
Thank you for the great idea.
kk
Thanks!
Wendy
This is awesome! And I happen to have one of those carts around that I didn’t know what I was going to do with. Only thing I would do differently is to add some strong magnets to the back of the pincushion instead of double sided tape. I’m often moving my pins around the room and using when I’m not ironing. That way I’ll be able to take them with me.
kk
Your brain works very similarly to mine! I tried with a magnetic strip but that wasn’t strong enough! If I had had better magnets I would have done the same!
klaugen
Wow! That’s a great idea!
kk
Thanks!
roberta maxfield
thank you for your idea – I have made one, but turned the top basket over and bolted the ironing board direct to the metal of the upside down shelf. I have also added extra padding and made a new cover. I’ve also added an extension lead, so I can iron anywhere. but you are right, these two pieces were made for each other and it is so great to have it ready to use. very clever! 🙂
kk
Cool! Actually your idea is better than mine, since it removes the need for the wood. I wish I had thought about it!
roberta
But you had the idea! Thank you
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Sarah
Great DIY idea! Planning to try it myself. Just wondering though–will the cart move around a lot when ironing? I am quite vigorous when it comes to ironing down wrinkles.
kk
Well, I have a rug underneath so it doesn’t move that much. Of course, you could perhaps change the wheels for ones with a locking mechanism? Besides, I still use my big ironing board for bigger ironing work.
sara mccracken
thank you. great idea for the sewing room when the ironing board is always in the way. not sure if I will miss my extra large ironing table but going to give this a try. I the top was turned over I wonder if electrical ties would survive the heat… no risk of rusting
kk
Thank you for the comment! I don’t know what kind of ties you’re planning to use but I used deck screws that are meant for outdoots and thus do not rust. But good point, rust wouldn’t be a good thing here!
roberta
I used covered screws that I had from something else and put them in the corners out of the way, but most screws nowadays are not known for rusting easily. But a good point.
Sharon Grant
So clever. Actually one of the best IKEA hacks I think I have seen 🙂
Leanne Long
I notice a spray bottle hanging on the iron end of the cart – did you use something specific for hanging that bottle?
kk
No, the ironing board comes with a hook for hanging it on the wall. I just used it to hang the spray bottle.
Delphine
Fantastic combo! Do you use this standing up or sitting down? I’m worried its too tall for one and too short for the other?
kk
I use it standing up. It’s just a bit too high to use when sitting down, even if you can press a seam or two like that. The whole thing is 80 cm high in case you want to try testing if the height works for you.
MissC
This idea is so brilliant! I found it on Ikea Hackers and loved it so much that I made one for myself immediately. Fabulous blog as well. I just subscribed. Thank you!!
Liisa
Thank you so much for this idea!
I had both items at home and just needed to find the wood. I’m really glad with the result, it was annoying to take out the big ironing board everytime so thank you! 🙂
kk
Did you read the comments? You can turn the top basket upside down and then you don’t need the wood anymore!
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SewRuthieStyle
Very clever. I have an iron with a separate tank so can’t see how I could use it with this which is a shame as its fab.
Anne Littlebird
This is brilliant! Thank you! I already had the cart and the ironing board. This saves me getting out the big ironing board every time.
Hazel
I stumbled across your hack months ago and made my own, and made a new cover for the ironing board so it matches my living space (I sadly don’t have a dedicated sewing room). I have hardwood floors and it does move a lot, and I can’t find locking wheels that fit the cart. I’m hoping to go to ikea to see if they have anything else that fits, I don’t actually need it to be on wheels since I never move it. I love it otherwise, it’s just right for most pressing I do while sewing, and pressing gems and such before I get dressed for work! It’s nice not to have to get out my big ironing board, since it gets in the way. Thanks for the great hack!
Carrie
What if you just take the wheels off? It looks like the cart would be stable enough without them, and likely not too heavy to move easily. I have not made this yet (But definitely will be!!) so don’t know for sure if that will work.
Karen
I just bought the cart and it is a little different. The two poles on each side extend an inch above the top basket. So, the ironing board isn’t on a flat surface. Anyone else have this problem and solved it?
Georgie
Hi, I just turned the top basket upside down to use the flat surface of the bottom of the basket to attach to the ironing board. Hope that helps.
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Jan L Johnson
This is genus, thank you so much!!!
kk
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found it useful!
Sandra Bullis Jude
I modified your idea–made a removeable ironing board from scrap wood that fits in the top bin of my cart. Thanks for the inspiration!
kk
You’re welcome!
Kay
Great idea, will order the ironing board today! I have always put a layer of foil between the layers of padding to push the heat back up toward the fabric This helps dry the fabric. I use this on my large ironing board also.
Nadege-Filencage - FRANCE
Thank you for this great idea.
I’m french, sorry for my english. Bye
Jacqueline
What a grrreat idea! Thanks!! Got these 2 items from Ikea, today 🙂 I also have slight ‘hack’ to your awesome hack… turn the top tray upsidedown then attach the ironing board directly onto the “bottom” (now the top) of the top bin w/appropriate bolts, washers & nuts – this way you don’t need the wood. Thanks again for the great idea, this is going to fit PERFECTLY in my sewing nook!
Kim L Todd
I did the exact same thing with a treadle sewing machine base and I love it! it’s very sturdy and fits the décor of my sewing room well!