This is the first of a two-part tutorial: Miniature boxes for IKEA Kallax (part 2 being the Kallax bookcase itself). If you are an IKEA fan, this is a must-make!
The Kallax is definitely one of my favorites of IKEA products. It’s simple and versatile. I currently have 5 units of it and Expedit (the older model) throughout the house. Naturally I have to make a miniature version of the bookcase.
Here you’ll find the templates and instructions to make miniature IKEA Kallax boxes that will fit neatly inside the cube bookcase.
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Materials and Tools for Miniature Boxes
The measurements of these miniature boxes are based on using a 1/16″ (~1.5mm) material. I normally use 1/16″ basswood. You can also use balsa wood or backing board/matboard of the same thickness.
Material options:
- 1/16″ basswood (my favorite brand is MidWest)
- 1/16″ balsa wood
- 4-ply backing board or matboard (usually used for framing)
Tools to make this project 100000% easier:
I highly recommend Cricut Maker if you use basswood. Not only it does the cutting for you, it also cuts more accurately than a human can with a craft knife. With this machine, all of your cuts will be straight, and in the right measurements.
If it’s not an option for you, a good craft knife that I would use is X-acto light-duty box cutter, plus a non-slip metal ruler to help you get straight cuts.
Templates for Miniature Boxes
I’ve made two types of templates for this project, and each one in 1:12 and 1:16 scale.
- PDF printable template/measurement guide
- use this for manual cutting or when resizing each SVG shape in Cricut’s Design Space
- SVG cut file
- download from resource library
Importing and Resizing SVG file into Design Space
For more details on importing SVG files into Cricut Design Space and resizing each shape properly, go to this post.
How to Assemble the Miniature Boxes
The assembly of the boxes is relatively straightforward.
Glue the sides to the bottom piece, making sure all edges are squared.
Then glue the front…
… and back.
Repeat to make as many boxes as you need. I made 16 of these boxes to go into my 4×4 Kallax cube.
Now head on to part 2: Miniature IKEA Kallax Bookcase!
Link to the “bookcase” is broken.
Oops! Thanks for letting me know! It is now fixed.