Upcycle IKEA HEKTAR boxes into a play stove

The boxes in which our new lamps were packaged immediately called out “stove” to us.

Upcycle IKEA HEKTAR boxes into a play stove

The stove is easy to make but you need to be a die-hard hobbyist. There will be sawing, sanding, painting, pasting and cutting involved!

The inside of the stove.

1. Cover the inside of the box with black cardboard.
2. Create a raised bottom by cutting off a 23x37cm piece of cardboard.
3. Rill and fold the two sides (width) on both end 7 cm down.

The inside of the play stove

4. Glue the raised bottom into the box.
5.Cut two rectangles of cardboard 23×12 cm. Paint them black.

Inside the play stove

6. Fold them in half (lengthwise) and place them in the box on both sides, resting on the raised floor.

The oven rack

1. Saw two pieces of a 9x9mm slat in a miter tray, 23cm long and two pieces 13.5 cm and glue them together in a rectangle.

The oven rack

The oven rack

2. Glue 15 wooden sticks of 15cm on top of the rectangle and paint the rack silver

The oven rack

The outside of the stove

1. Attach four silver-painted milk carton caps with a bolt and nut on the front of the box.

The outside of the stove

2. Cut out two doors hinged by a stick in two wooden 9x9mm blocks. We glued three doors together for strength.

The outside of the stove

The outside of the stove

The outside of the stove

The outside of the stove

10. Stick a window cut out of a transparent printer sheet in between the doors.

The outside of the stove

11. Saw a door handle of 16cm and 2 cubes of 9mm from the 9x9mm slat, paint it silver and stick it on the door.

The outside of the stove

12. Cover the back of the box with white cardboard.
13. Cut four legs 1cm high from the 27x27mm wooden slat, paint them black and stick them under the stove.

The outside of the stove

The outside of the stove

The top of the stove

1. Cut a piece of cardboard 23x23cm.
2. Saw from the 20x9mm slat 4 strips of 23cm in the miter tray.

The top of the stove

The top of the stove

3. Cut straight 1 piece off the 9x9mm slat of 19cm and 2 pieces of 9cm.

The top of the stove

The top of the stove

4. Saw off 16 cubes of 9mm from the 9x9mm slat as well.

The top of the stove

Paint it all black.

The top of the stove

The top of the stove

5. Stick the first 4 pieces of wood in a square onto the cardboard of 23x23cm.
6. Paste the three slats in the square in a cross, now you have 4 squares.
7. Glue 4 cubes per square on the 23x23cm piece of cardboard.

The top of the stove

8. Cut out of cardboard 4 circles in three sizes, paint them silver.

The top of the stove

9. Cut the same 4 circles out of adhesive crafting rubber and stick them on the cardboard circles.

The top of the stove

You can make food from the leftover scraps of cardboard.

Upcycle IKEA HEKTAR boxes into a play stove

Draw the food on the cardboard, cut it out and paint it.

Play food from IKEA HEKTAR boxes

Play food from IKEA HEKTAR boxes

Play food from IKEA HEKTAR boxes

Material used:

  • 2 Hektar boxes (Leave one intact for the stove itself, the other is used for the parts)
  • glue
  • paint, black and silver
  • wooden slat 9x9mm
  • wooden slat 9x20mm
  • wooden slat 27x27mm
  • wooden sticks
  • sheet of adhesive craft rubber
  • 4 caps of a milk carton
  • two magnetic strips
  • a transparent printer sheet
  • a black marker

Upcycle IKEA HEKTAR boxes into a play stove

~ Tony Klijnoot