DIY Bar Cart Customize Ikea Vittsjo Desk

December 04, 2015

DIY Bar Cart Customize Ikea Vittsjo Desk

Easy diy Bar Cart

so you and your guests will be

sipping pretty this holiday season!

Here's what you’ll need:

One Ikea Vittsjo Desk
One piece of board cut approximately 14.25″ w x 39.5″l x at least 1/2″ thick. To be used as the bottom shelf.
(2-3) cans spray paint. We used Valspar Rose Gold but any metallic of your choice will do.
(4) #12 – 24 x 1.5 or 2 inch stainless steel machine screws for bottom shelf - Alternate option
(4) furniture casters and small screws for the bottom of the cart
One O’verlays 4″ x 95″ x 1/4″thick strip.
Clear epoxy (we like to use Loctite)

Ikea Vittzjo

The Desk soon to be Bar Cart:

Assemble the Ikea Vittsjo Desk according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Once complete remove the small screws from the bottom of each leg.

You can use this screw as a width guide when buying the screws to attach the bottom shelf.

The Bottom Shelf:

When choosing the material for the shelf, make sure it’s no thinner than 1/2″ or it will bend with the weight of whatever you put on it. We used a 3/4″ thick Melamine board. Melamine is the same material use for closet shelving. Pine board and MDF are other options.

Cut the board the same size as the bottom of the desk. The goal is to be able to screw the legs to the corners of the board.

Make a template for the drill holes.

With a piece of paper line up the corner of the paper with the corner of the leg bottom.

Draw your drill mark on the board using your template. Line the corner of the template up with the corner of the board and mark.

Use a drill bit that’s big enough for the screw to fit through the board and extend out the other side. Carefully drill the hole so you don’t break the corner, which I did first time around.

Once drilled you can finish the edges of the board.

If you’re using pine or MDF board you should sand any sharp edges and prime the wood for spray painting.

If using Melamine board, you’ll want to finish the edges using an Iron-on Melamine edging. It is easy to do and it looks great.

Follow the product instructions for application.

Design Element:

Our design element is the O’verlays Greek Key 4″ x 95″x 1/4″ strip.

Other strip options are the Harper Thick, Lolita and Grace Thick strips.

Cut the strip into lengths that fit the area you want the O’verlays to cover. We chose to cover the bottom sides and bottom back and the top sides of the cart. That works out to be around 94 inches of strip.

To cut the O’verlays use a sharp xacto knife and a ruler to assure straight lines. Score the cut lines with a ruler and a sharp blade and continue scoring until cut through.

Sand any rough edges.

The Paint:

There are so many fabulous metallic spray paints to choose from. We chose a Rose Gold by Valspar. Rustoleum also makes a great Metallic spray paint that comes in gold, copper and other various metallics.

Before painting, lightly sand the desk and the melamine top and wipe clean.

Tape the wheels of the casters if you’re painting them to match the cart.

Take everything outside or to a well ventilated area prepared for spray painting. Paint according to the manufacture’s instructions.

Let everything dry thoroughly.

Helpful Hint: Be careful not to spray the paint too heavy so you can avoid puddles and drips. When painting the desk, paint the surface that is facing up first then once the paint is dry turn the desk to another section and paint repeating this process until the desk is completely painted. This is the best way to avoid drip marks.

This technique also works for the O’verlays.

Putting the Cart Together:

Turn the table upside down and lay the shelf on the top of the legs lining up the screw holes.

Place a small amount of glue in the top of the screw hole and place the screw into place and secure to the table.

Add a little glue to the top of the screw for extra strength. Do the same with all sides.

With the table still upside down attach the casters to the shelf about and inch or so from the sides at the four corners and secure with small screws.

Attaching the O’verlays:

A clear epoxy will hold best in this project. We like using Loctite clear epoxy. Adhere the O’verlays to the cart and let dry according to the instructions of the adhesive you are using.

Let dry thoroughly.