Materials: TORSBY + RIBBA + 1/2" Mirror Hardware
Description: I wanted to outfit my home office with a Glass Whiteboard. After shopping around I was astounded at the cost of these... easily starts off at $500-$700 and goes up from there. Amazing!
Then, walking around Ikea, looking at the TORSBY dining room table on display (it had a white glass top), I realized it was the perfect size. Next, I saw the table was actually priced as two separate items.
1 x TORSBY 53"x33" White Glass Top for $79
1 x RIBBA Picture Ledge for $10
1/2" mirror hardware for $5
Laser Level, ruler, stud finder, and drill
1 hour later
It was the finishing touch to my home office!
~ D. Morris, Maryland
if you don't care about glass, you can buy a huge piece of tileboard at a home improvement store for less than $15
ReplyDeleteYou can also get a sheet of glass and paint the back white or a large framed mirror, which is good for a lot of things.
ReplyDeleteThere are alotbof great ideas on here but many of them can be done aloft cheaper at a hardware store.
ReplyDeleteYes, but HardwareStoreHackers is both meaningless (what would it mean to hack a 2x4?) and not catchy!
ReplyDeletehaters gonna hate. I love your hack!
ReplyDeleteAgree!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteThis is perfect
I hope I didn't come off as a hater, I was pointing out that IkeaHackers is a place for people who love Ikea to hack their things. I might or might not do (or appreciate) a particular hack myself, but to object because it's cheaper to do it at the orange cube is completely beside the entire point!
ReplyDeleteTileboard is ok for a cheap whiteboard, but it is slightly permeable and WILL discolor over time and start looking dingy no matter what you use to clean it.
ReplyDeleteGlass is impermeable and will not discolor. As for buying glass at the hardware store - I don't think you'll have much luck buying that big a piece of tempered glass for under $80 and you'd be a fool to make a whiteboard out of non-tempered glass.
Agreed with Jonathan. We've used the tileboard before, and it doesn't last like you'd hope. Glass should last "forever", assuming you don't break it...
DeleteWhat is it EXACTLY about tempered glass that makes you write the above? I understand that all glass has pores. Tempered glass has less of them sure but, wont it also ghost after a while as well?
DeleteGreat hack!
ReplyDeleteCouldn't it be possible to attach a cheap magnetic plate on the back as well?
ReplyDeleteI love it. Does it work well? Any pictures with some writing on it? I couldn't find just the table top online but maybe my Ikea store will sell me just the top???
ReplyDeleteHere is a picture with writing on the whiteboard
Deletehttp://flic.kr/ps/7JN4v
There are way more things you'll never find separately on the ikea website...
ReplyDeleteBut that's a great idea, and at a good price. I've been looking for the same thing. Those things tend to be stupidly expensive indeed. To bad I already put 2 of those ikea Kludd glass boards on the wall :(
Here is the table on the idea site.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S59892937/
I love it. We are currently using our dining room table which I covered with plexiglass a couple of years ago. Now that my youngest is doing more math, it's been a treasure.
ReplyDeleteI can't seem to find the table top and frame sold separately; I just see the one price for both =(
ReplyDeleteCould you use lightweight Plexiglas instead?
ReplyDeleteI think plexiglas would possibly stain over time? or start to discolor/fade with age. it would probably work for a couple years or so...
DeleteTORSBY tbl top 53 1/8x33 1/2" glass white
ReplyDeletearticle number 90154644
$79
Were you able to find it on the website? It's not coming up for me when I search for it. Thanks!
Deleteno luck finding it as an individual item on their web site. I ended up having to go into the store. I was able to purchase it there without any issue. you'll just want to check online to verify stock levels first.
DeleteI'm sure that if you called Ikea customer service, you could purchase the table top as an individual item.
Preach my Gospel in the pic!
ReplyDeleteLol'd at that too. Nice.
DeleteI saw that too :)
DeleteGreat idea! I have been wanting a few extra white boards (I have a magnetic one at the studio already). I think these come in black as well so with some special markers I could do the câfé board too.
ReplyDeleteIs that Preach My Gospel on the table?
ReplyDeleteIt sure is...
DeleteI just bought something similar from Amazon for my boss, but it cost $160.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058BJALG/ref=oh_o02_s00_i00_details
Thanks for all the comments. Yes that is Preach My Gospel on the table. I was wondering if anyone would notice.
ReplyDeleteHere is another picture with some writing on it.
http://flic.kr/ps/7JN4v
I too had problems finding the tabletop as an individual item on their web site. So I just went to the store and was able to purchase there w/o any issues.
The other thing I was originally looking to do was purchase some Stand Off mounting hardware which would hold the glass about an inch off the wall. But that hardware was turning out to be very expensive (~$200 for a set of 4). The alternative was the mirror mounting hardware from the local hardware store for $6.
I wish I would have thought about putting something magnetic on the back. That would have been a great idea.
~D. Morris
We have seen small, expensive, glass white boards (brightly coloured back painted glass) and we thought, we should be able to do that and but I never thought of starting with something from IKEA. Thanks for the idea. Possibly BILLSTA Glass desk top $19.00 would work...
ReplyDeleteYou can buy whiteboard paint, actually.
ReplyDeleteOur company buys a ton of glass whiteboards!! We buy from www.clarusglassboards.com They make a great product and the thing I love the most, is that it never stains or ghosts!!
ReplyDeleteBut just painting a board with whiteboard paint wouldn't look as good....
ReplyDeleteBut couldn't you just paint the wall with said whiteboard paint?
Deleteyes, you could... I've used the whiteboard paint from Lowe's in other projects. works pretty good. however, it does stain over time and wear out, plus needs repainting over time, regardless of what their packaging says. And, the design is key in complementing the rest of the office.
DeleteAwesome! You should have posted more pics and closeups!
ReplyDeleteCould it work with LED lightning behind? Or would it light uneven? If I found some good looking stainless steel hardware can I drill on tempered glass???
If you used the stand-off mounting hardware, then you probably could put LED lighting behind it. Great idea. The stand-off hardware is pretty expensive though...
DeleteWas just reading about somebody putting leds around a mirror, here's the build:
Deletehttp://imgur.com/a/Q1dvx
Also, if the white "frosting" on the backside lets too much light from the leds through, so they show up as discrete points, instead of an even band of illumination around the edge, all you'd have to do would be to spray paint the back black. Yep, right over the white. it'll still look white from the front, but will not allow light through.
Deleteps; Drilling tempered glass is a really BAD idea. My understanding is you need to de-temper the glass first, then re-temper after drilling. probably ought to google it...
Is the glass white all the way thru, or is it clear with a white backing?
ReplyDeleteNo, it has the white coating on one side (the back, similar to the coating of a mirror). similar to frosted glass as well. the coating is normally applied to just one side, so that the other is just the normal glass.
Deletedont you get shadows of what you write on the whiteboard because the clear glass has some decent thickness to it?
DeleteThanks for the quick reply Dan.
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated!
I created an awesome wipeboard out of my whole wall with wipeboard paint and it only costed $40... here is the link and it's much less expensive than this: http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_1990000000355493P?sid=KDx01192011x000001&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=27-91059589-2
ReplyDeleteIt works perfectly!
Could we see some pics? I am trying to decide which is the most effective, and less costly for my study room( LOL the kitchen)
DeleteInstead of LEDs, you could paint the back w/ UV-sensitive paint (it is white paint but you can get different "reacting" colors) and then throw up a black light. My understanding is that with this process you would get a more even spread to the glow than with LEDs, and I think it might be cheaper. (This is assuming the glass stood away from the wall -- but maybe you could edgelight this somehow?) I saw this done on Color Splash (HGTV) with frosted plexiglass for a bar. Great hack!
ReplyDeleteAnyone have URLs for where to buy the mirror hanging hardware or recommendations?
ReplyDeleteYes please I am having a really hard time finding a 1/2'' kit. Everyone seems to carry 1/4'' and below Thanks!
DeleteI have a question about using 1/2" hardware. I just bought the table top and the thickness is actually .30 inches. As such, it doesn't seem that it will sit in 1/2" hardware very securely. It appears like there will be too much play and room for movement. How did you address this? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time finding 1/2" hardware as well. I finally just bought some 1/4" hardware and it seemed to work. I really like the look of this as most whiteboards have a really cheap plastic border. We have whiteboard paint at our office, but it seems to discolor pretty quickly so I prefer this.
ReplyDeleteI think this is beautiful! I really dislike my commercial whiteboard because of the ghost images and can't afford a true glass one but I never considered this. Thanks for sharing - it looks really high end! You've made me think of how best to replace my awful one.
ReplyDeleteDo you think it could be magnetic, if I paint magnetic wall paint on the back of it? I'd love to use this in my classroom, but really need it to be magnetic...
ReplyDeleteIf you go to the IKEA link for the table, click on the Product Information tab, scroll down to the Package measurement and weight section and then click on the link that says, "Show dimensions, weights, and article numbers" you can get the number of each and every piece of a product. Take the correct number and put it in the Search bar. You will now have the price and stock of only the piece you want.
ReplyDeleteLove that people have completely missed the point and are suggesting whiteboard paint! The OP didn't want the cheapest whiteboard possible, he wanted a cheap GLASS whiteboard that complemented his decor and style! And this is an IKEA hack site, so whiteboard painting doesn't really fit the bill. I think this is a brilliant idea. Stylish and a good price.
ReplyDeleteEVEN IF he paid full price, $199 in canada, for the whole damn table and only used the glass top, it looks AMAZING! if he can afford it why should anyone care? honestly, whiteboard paint is cheap and looks like it. give him a break. this isn't the "how to get the cheapest possible home decor" site is it? why do people crawl out of the woodwork with nasty comments just because someone spends what they can afford to get the look they want? lighten up! good grief!
ReplyDeleteIn the event you visit the IKEA link for any table, click on the Product Info tab, scroll down to the actual Package measurement as well as weight section and click on the link that states, "Show size, weight load, as well as post numbers" you can obtain the number of each and every piece of a product. Take the correct quantity and put it in the Lookup standard. You might will have the price as well as stock connected with only the piece you want.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate that individuals have got totally skipped the purpose and are recommending white board color! The particular OP did not really want the lowest priced white board feasible, he desired an inexpensive GLASS white board which accompanied his design and elegance! Which is definitely an IKEA crack website, therefore white board artwork does not actually suit you perfectly. I believe it is a great concept. Stylish and a great cost.
ReplyDeleteIn the event you visit the IKEA link for any table, click on the Product Info tab, scroll down to the actual Package measurement as well as weight section and click on the link that states, "Show size, weight load, as well as post numbers" you can obtain the number of each and every piece of a product. Take the correct quantity and put it in the Lookup standard. You might will have the price as well as stock connected with only the piece you want.
ReplyDeleteIused the 70" glass top in the kids study, it looks pretty good. Some of you were asking about the hardware to use, here is one that worked very well:
ReplyDeleteCRL Nickel Plated Adjustable Mirror Clip set for 3/8 in (10 mm) Straight Edge Glass. It is available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KZRFWQ/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00
This looks very neat. I am worried about mounting such a thing on the drywall. If we used anchors, can this be done safely without mounting on the studs (I've had trouble finding the studs in the past).
ReplyDeleteAlso, would like to know how much does the tabletop (Torsby 53x33) weigh - to start planning the installation. Thanks again.
ReplyDeletegreat idea; solution I needed. Like anything we hang on the wall needs to be well done. Plenty of hardware in the market for that. NICE
ReplyDeleteTileboard doesn't work nearly as well for a wipe-off surface as glass. Nice work.
ReplyDeleteI've upcycled some used sliding glass doors as wipe-off boards.
UK Based: Worked for me. Malmo glass top - white. Plus mirror fixings - type B fom B&Q. Total cost - £14.95. Great idea - thanks!
ReplyDeleteNice PMG
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of trying to get a similar effect by hacking this item:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00242527/
Ikea Lyrestad Dining Table, with tempered glass top, £28 GB.
Any comments / thoughts? Do you guys think it would work?
Also, I definitely want to back-light this baby... thinking I would spray-paint the whole table-top white on the back, then mount it a rectangular wooden frame to the wall, 1/2 inch thick, and use the void to insert some LED strip lights. Do you guyss think that would work?
Comments / feedback warmly welcomed.
Great hack. Anyone have experience with applying magnetic paint on the back of the glass? Will it be strong enough through the thickness of glass? Any recommendations/thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI don't know how well it would work under glass, but I have used the magnetic primer on a wall under a chalkboard. Frankly, I wouldn't recommend it. I used extra coats and the magnets still barely cling to it. Glass is a lot thicker than the coats of chalkboard paint I put over mine.
DeleteGreat idea, but wouldn't it have been both easier and cheaper to buy the Ikea Kludd Wipe Board instead ($20 each?)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10114874/
Love this idea. Looking for a really big glassboard for my home office and professional ones are between $300-$600. Ran down to my local Maryland IKEA, picked up just the tabletop, and hung it with the picture hanger underneath. Works well. Little bit of "drop shadow" is no problem. Erases much easier than the whiteboard I have on the adjacent wall. All in all, great idea!
ReplyDeleteI loved this idea - just made a HUGE glass whiteboard using two 70" Torsby tabletops horizontally mounted on top of each other. Almost 36 sq ft of glass whiteboard. Hung just fine with four 3/8" mirror clips (2 bottom, 2 top), into studs with 2.5" screws.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS!!! Totally Amazing!!!