Materials: Trofast (x3), Wood Shelf, 2.5" Hex Screws
Description: My Adjustable Height Lego Play Table and Storage Unit combines the Lego storage ideas you may have seen on Pinterest using the Ikea Trofast storage systems, with an adjustable shelf that serves as a surface for building. We covered one side of the shelf with green Lego baseplates, and left the other smooth for the option of building without baseplates.
To make it:
Step One: Get Your Supplies
3 Trofast Frames. I am sure if you are a carpenter or are married to one, there is a cheaper way to go about this, but for me, purchasing 3 frames was the simplest way to go. You will also need a shelf. I used 1/2" lumber, cut to 11 and 3/4" deep and 40" wide. Obviously, your shelf will need to fit your space. I have found that 40" is very sturdy, and at this thickness it could perhaps be a bit longer but I wouldn't go crazy with the length or it may start to bow in the middle. You also need to purchase twelve 2.5" long Hex Socket Head Screws. These will replace 12 of the shorter screws included with the units.
Step Two: Assemble Your Units
Follow Ikea's famously simple directions, with this modification: before attaching the inner wall (the wall that will ultimately face inward toward your shelf) of your shelving unit, place another wall (taken from your third unit you purchased in Step One) on top of it, with the grooves aligned but facing outwards, like you see in the picture. Now, attach both walls to the frame simultaneously using the 2.5" Hex Screws you purchased in Step One. You will use these instead of the screws included with the Trofast, to accommodate for the additional width introduced by attaching two walls instead of just one.
Step Three: Measure Carefully and Install
You will be latching your units to the wall, so it is essentially to measure carefully so that your units are precisely the same distance apart from each other as your shelf is wide. Please use the latches included with the units to latch them to the wall. They are surprisingly stable when standing on their own, but don't let that fool you into thinking you don't need latches...your kids will definitely climb on them at some point!
Step Four: Organize that Sucker!
Insert your pre-cut shelf into the grooves, and enjoy your awesome play surface! We waited a good six weeks while green baseplates were on back-order, and just played with the shelf like this. In fact, the back-ordered baseplates are what delayed this post so long! But of course we wanted baseplates, so when we finally got them, I glued them on with E-6000 adhesive, making sure to space them with LEGOs.
I used my Silhouette to make labels for Trofast bins. I chose to organize my son's Legos by themes, and it has worked extremely well. He has no problem finding anything or putting things away. Gone are the days of Lego explosions all over the place!
See more of the Trofast LEGO table and storage.
~ Michelle, United States
