Ikea LACK Coffee Table Cage Project

[FlowerPixie]

Hello! Bf and I are beginning to gather all the items needed to build the Ikea LACK Coffee Table Cage for Bee (Tables were bought yesterday). I have a plan in mind but I haven't quite figured out what I will be doing about a door as I have never worked with glass but I am willing to try if I can get the right direction. Are there other options anyone can think of? Possibly a hinge door? I believe I would need extra wood though or another table to accomplish that? Once construction begins pics will be posted. Any tips are appreciated. I have watched and seen most of the tutorials online for this specific cage and the other smaller table LACK cage.

[FlowerPixie]

I was also thinking, would it be beneficial to get or make blankets for the bottom of the cage to put the fluff on top of to prevent pee getting into the wood? or would I not need to worry about that?

[cypher]

DIY is not my strong point so I'll leave that to someone else but definitely don't put any kind of blanket in the bottom of the cage. If you need to water proof the wood you can use Plastikote & most substrates are very absorbent so they'll soak up any small amounts of pee.
Blankets could be chewed & cause real problems.

[FlowerPixie]

Thank you @cypher that was exactly what I was wondering! No blankets it is. The finish on the table seems fine to protect it and I will just use hamster safe silicon for filling in any areas where the pee could sink in. ^.^ I have never taken on this type of project so I'm a little nervous but I am trying to cover all my bases before even beginning and i do have the help of my bf, his father, and friends who work with wood if I need it.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

Any Home improvement company (Except Home Depot) sells a plastic coated paneling used in Bathrooms and around sinks which is water proof. It is easily cut to the size of the floor and can be placed on top of the Ikea shelf like a pan which would make it easy to pull out and clean when doing a full clean out. It is non toxic and safe to use with hamsters. You'd need to place a bead of wood glue along the top exposed edge to prevent any moisture from seeping in the wood, and it only comes in White.

Another idea is at Menards. It is a full 4ft X 8 ft sheet of plastic which can be cut with scissors or even better a utility Knife. It can be scored and bent to make a nice liner which again can be removed to do a full clean. I use this stuff for my Guinea Pigs C & C 2 X 4 cage and it has held out way way better then any coroplast board has. It has with stood a 50% bleach water soak and stays white for a very long time even in the potty corners of Two guinea pigs and their pups when they had two litters of 3 pups each.

Mine is duct taped together with rainbow patterned fashion Duct tape but now a days you can get almost every color Duct tape at Walmarts at a very low price so you can connect it with white tape or if you have a color schemed cage with matching color tape. The tape is only applied to the unreachable out side so Hamster could not get near it once placed in the cage .

[Kiki_3173]

Thank you @cypher that was exactly what I was wondering! No blankets it is. The finish on the table seems fine to protect it and I will just use hamster safe silicon for filling in any areas where the pee could sink in. ^.^ I have never taken on this type of project so I'm a little nervous but I am trying to cover all my bases before even beginning and i do have the help of my bf, his father, and friends who work with wood if I need it.

Hi FlowerPixie! :-) Congrats on your decision to build a DIY Lack!! I took this same project on about a year ago. I have build a Lack coffee table hack and a Billy Extension hack. My Lack cage holds my Syrian, Kernel, who is litter trained, so I haven't had any problems with pee sinking in. However, my Chinese hamster that lives in the Billy cage isn't as trained as I'd like. To save the base of the cage I used peel & stick laminate tiles from Home Depot (you can buy them individually) and I put the aquarium silicone around the edges and on the joints where the tiles met.

I'd love to see your project as you work on it and, of course, the finished product:-)

[FlowerPixie]

Thank you @Nancy's Hamsters! I will definitally look into that, anything that will help with cleaning and keeping the cage nice. I like the idea with different colored duck tape as well, now I need a color for Bee hehe.

@Kiki_3173 Thank you as well that sounds like a good idea! I will be checking out all these options when I go to the hardware store and see which I think will be most realistic for me. On your Lack cage, what did you do for the side walls? Glass? Mesh? That is something I haven't figured out what to do yet or what would work best. I will be doing plexiglass up front I believe, and mesh in the back for ventilation, but haven't decided the sides as I'm not sure how to install the glass on the sides or if the mesh will be a good idea.

[Kiki_3173]

@Kiki_3173 Thank you as well that sounds like a good idea! I will be checking out all these options when I go to the hardware store and see which I think will be most realistic for me. On your Lack cage, what did you do for the side walls? Glass? Mesh? That is something I haven't figured out what to do yet or what would work best. I will be doing plexiglass up front I believe, and mesh in the back for ventilation, but haven't decided the sides as I'm not sure how to install the glass on the sides or if the mesh will be a good idea.

The sides of my Lack are plexiglass. I thought about using glass, but I was afraid of any possibility of it breaking, so I decided on plexiglass instead. It is attached only by silicone on both sides. I made sure it was a tight fit to help keep it in place. On the back, I used part wood with about a 5" section of mesh at the top of the back for ventilation.

[FlowerPixie]

The sides of my Lack are plexiglass. I thought about using glass, but I was afraid of any possibility of it breaking, so I decided on plexiglass instead. It is attached only by silicone on both sides. I made sure it was a tight fit to help keep it in place. On the back, I used part wood with about a 5" section of mesh at the top of the back for ventilation.

That sounds like a good idea overall, I did mean plexiglass as well I wouldn't trust glass with the ham. If I can get the glass cut out snug enough I will probably do the same.

[FlowerPixie]

Hello! As an update I put together my LACK coffee tables today without the shelf on the bottom one so I could workout where I'll be putting it as well as get accurate measurements for when I get the plexiglass. I'm very happy with where it is currently placed and using it as a place to put all of Bubble Bees things. Next step will be a trip to the hardware store for necessary items.

I really like this placement in my room as no direct sunlight can hit the cage but its right next to both window openings so if it's getting hot (as it is summer) I can give him some air. I will be pulling it away from the wall though once it is done so there will be room for the ventilation.

[FlowerPixie]

Hi FlowerPixie! :-) Congrats on your decision to build a DIY Lack!! I took this same project on about a year ago. I have build a Lack coffee table hack and a Billy Extension hack. My Lack cage holds my Syrian, Kernel, who is litter trained, so I haven't had any problems with pee sinking in. However, my Chinese hamster that lives in the Billy cage isn't as trained as I'd like. To save the base of the cage I used peel & stick laminate tiles from Home Depot (you can buy them individually) and I put the aquarium silicone around the edges and on the joints where the tiles met.

I'd love to see your project as you work on it and, of course, the finished product:-)

Do you know where to get the little channels for the sliding plexiglass? or what they are called? I got super lost in home depot yesterday trying to figure out what they were called and if they had them. It was close to closing so I didn't have anyone to ask, will be trying another hardware store soon though.

[Kiki_3173]

Do you know where to get the little channels for the sliding plexiglass? or what they are called? I got super lost in home depot yesterday trying to figure out what they were called and if they had them. It was close to closing so I didn't have anyone to ask, will be trying another hardware store soon though.

I actually had to order it online. I was given a recommendation from another member on HC. Here's the link:

Plastic Track (http://www.amazon.com/Knape-Vogt-8x48-Plastic-Track/dp/B0006FKUCC/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1388881899&sr=8-7&keywords=plastic+sliding+door+track)

[FlowerPixie]

I actually had to order it online. I was given a recommendation from another member on HC. Here's the link:

Plastic Track (http://www.amazon.com/Knape-Vogt-8x48-Plastic-Track/dp/B0006FKUCC/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1388881899&sr=8-7&keywords=plastic+sliding+door+track)

Oh thank you very much! Super helpful.

[Robodwarfs18]

Never actually heard about an IKEA Lack Cage before. Sounds like a good idea. Post some pictures when it's done :D

[Shannonmcn]

Making good progress FlowerPixie!

User (I'm 80% sure) DanniDorito has a good video on making her ikea hacks and using the u channels for glass too if you haven't seen it.
http://youth.be/JDx3EHIgNto

[FlowerPixie]

Making good progress FlowerPixie!

User (I'm 80% sure) DanniDorito has a good video on making her ikea hacks and using the u channels for glass too if you haven't seen it.
http://youth.be/JDx3EHIgNto

The link did not work, I searched DanniDorito and nothing came up D: let me know if you find the link. I ordered the tracks for the glass yesterday, so hopefully they'll be here within the week and I can finish up this project!

[FlowerPixie]

Never actually heard about an IKEA Lack Cage before. Sounds like a good idea. Post some pictures when it's done :D

Will do! @Kiki_3173 made a Lack cage and posted about the process in this thread! http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/diy-do-yourself-hamster-projects/47939-ikea-lack-coffee-table-diy-im-finally-finished.html I'm hoping mine turns out just as nice.

[FlowerPixie]

I actually had to order it online. I was given a recommendation from another member on HC. Here's the link:

Plastic Track (http://www.amazon.com/Knape-Vogt-8x48-Plastic-Track/dp/B0006FKUCC/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1388881899&sr=8-7&keywords=plastic+sliding+door+track)

I ordered the track yesterday, so hopefully it will be here fast. I can't wait to be able to get this done and move Bee to his new cage! :)

[Kiki_3173]

Just wanted to mention...I'm thinking about taking the back of mine off and cutting a larger portion to mesh for ventilation, so you might want to cut more while your in the building process already. I originally cut a 4 inch high ventilation area, but the cage sits close to a wall, so I think I'll end up cutting at least anothe 2 inches off since it's the only ventilation in the cage. Just something to think about...

[Shannonmcn]

The link did not work, I searched DanniDorito and nothing came up D: let me know if you find the link. I ordered the tracks for the glass yesterday, so hopefully they'll be here within the week and I can finish up this project!

Sorry, dunno how I messed up a copy paste! https://youtu.be/JDx3EHIgNto

[FlowerPixie]

Just wanted to mention...I'm thinking about taking the back of mine off and cutting a larger portion to mesh for ventilation, so you might want to cut more while your in the building process already. I originally cut a 4 inch high ventilation area, but the cage sits close to a wall, so I think I'll end up cutting at least anothe 2 inches off since it's the only ventilation in the cage. Just something to think about...

Good idea thank you! I haven't cut my mesh yet so I'll keep that in mind when I do.

[FlowerPixie]

Sorry, dunno how I messed up a copy paste! https://youtu.be/JDx3EHIgNto

Oh yes that's a great video too! Have it saved for reference. I also found one of the dannidorrito ones. https://youtu.be/BJdo3FvPeBc

[Kiki_3173]

In light of recent "chewing" events, I wanted to pass this on since you are in the planning/building stage. Kernel has never been a chewer of the Lack cage, he usually just chews on his applewood sticks, alligator chew, etc. However, in the last few weeks, he's come to ignore the purposeful chews and decided that the corners of the Lack cage are more interesting.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s208/Kiki_3173/IKEA%20Lack%20Coffee%20Table%20Hack/image_zpsx1knw8gk.jpg (http://s153.photobucket.com/user/Kiki_3173/media/IKEA%20Lack%20Coffee%20Table%20Hack/image_zpsx1knw8gk.jpg.html)

I currently have all 4 corners blocked by something in his cage, but it has to be big. Just placing a chew toy in front of it hasn't worked...he just carries those out of the way and commences chewing the corner.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s208/Kiki_3173/IKEA%20Lack%20Coffee%20Table%20Hack/image_zpsqdxhnmzb.jpg (http://s153.photobucket.com/user/Kiki_3173/media/IKEA%20Lack%20Coffee%20Table%20Hack/image_zpsqdxhnmzb.jpg.html)

So, I am on my way to Home Depot today to see what I can find to block these corners. I'll let you know if I find anything!