DIY BOHO END TABLE FROM IKEA SNIDAD BASKETS (NO POWER TOOLS!)

I’m in the middle of a room makeover and needed an end table in a very specific size. Couldn’t find one anywhere. So I did what any reasonable person would do: I stacked two IKEA baskets on top of each other and glued a wood round on top.

This is a lazy girl (boy, they, whoever) DIY. You don’t need a single power tool. Just glue, clamps, zip ties, and a little patience. Here’s how it went.

• 2 IKEA SNIDAD baskets (they’re like $15 each)
• 1 pine round, 24 inches diameter (hardware store, about $14)
• Wood glue (I used Gorilla Wood Glue)
• Clamps
• Zip ties
• Pliers and scissors
• Sandpaper (220 grit)
• Wood stain and sealer (water-based, keep it consistent)
• Damp rag
• Hot glue gun (optional, for camouflage)
• The little rattan pieces you cut off the handles (save these)

First, pull off the little plastic feet on the bottom of each basket. They just pop off — save them if you want, but you’ll probably throw them away in a fit of rage in two years. Underneath are tiny screws, but you don’t need to worry about them.

Next, remove the handles. They’re held on with rattan ties, so just snip those with scissors. Then pull the nails out from underneath with pliers. That little rattan piece you cut off? Keep it. You’ll use it to hide the zip ties later.

The pine rounds absorb stain super unevenly because pine is soft and thirsty. So you have to prep them.

1. Sand with 220 grit to smooth the grain. Wipe with a damp cloth.
2. Seal with a water-based polyurethane (I used Varathane Ultimate). Apply a thin coat, let it dry — it dries fast. This fills the grain so the stain sits on top evenly instead of soaking in blotchy.
3. Sand again after the first seal coat. Water-based poly raises the grain, so sanding knocks that back down. Wipe clean.
4. Repeat seal + sand one more time. Then you’re ready for stain.

I used a Bayer water-based stain in a warm tone. Apply with a stain pad or a cloth. Let it dry. That’s it.

Now make the pedestal base.

1. Line up the two baskets so the weave pattern matches — loop to loop, not offset. Center them as best you can.
2. Run a bead of wood glue around the rim of the bottom basket. Stack the second basket on top.
3. Clamp the baskets together on opposite sides. Use wood blocks under the clamps so you don’t dent the rattan.
4. Run zip ties through the loops around the perimeter and tighten them on the inside so the tails are hidden. Add one in the middle if the baskets don’t sit flush.

Let the glue dry for at least 30 minutes (Gorilla Wood Glue says 30 minutes, but I left it longer).

You can see the zip ties through the gaps. That’s where the rattan pieces you saved come in.

Cut a small piece of rattan. Run a line of hot glue over the zip tie, press the rattan over it, hold until set. Now it looks like part of the basket weave. Pure deception.

Run wood glue around the top rim of the upper basket. Place the pine round on top. Clamp it down — use wood blocks to protect the pine. Add some heavy books or a paint can on top for extra weight.

Let it cure overnight if you can.

This thing is solid. Looks like a legit designer end table, not two baskets glued together. It’s the perfect size for my space and cost way less than anything I could buy. Plus, zero power tools. Zero.

If you can’t find the furniture you want, just build it yourself. Be a psychopath. Make your dreams happen.