Using three Kallax shelves to build a staircase - possible?

[johnny112]

Recently bought a house for the first time and have, in a couple of months, messed up both this and that by trying to build and fix things

I have (with help) built a loft bed in a small room and would actually like something like what the creator of this thread put together for their loft a few years ago: https://www.byggahus.se/forum/threads/bygga-loftsaeng.297533/

But now I'm wondering if one could take a shortcut by attaching three Kallax shelves to the wall and using them as stairs, like this:



Of course, you need to reinforce the wall attachment, but could it work?

Here are the measurements for the Kallax:

 

[Kane]

Weird link, it's about glass doors when I click on it.

 

[johnny112]

Weird link, it's about glass doors when I click on it.

Don't know what happened there - but I've fixed the link now! Thanks for pointing it out!

 

[Johan Gunverth]

Kallax shelves are masonite shells with cardboard filling. Not suitable as stairs unless you want to damage one body part or another. 😉

 

[johnny112]

Some body parts you don't want to injure! But is the frame really made of masonite with corrugated cardboard? Pity! Need a good and simple solution!

 

[Kane]

But is the frame really made of masonite with corrugated cardboard?

Trimmed a Bestå wall cabinet, see picture in this thread.
https://www.byggahus.se/forum/threads/kapa-bredden-pa-en-ikea-vitrindoerr.436753/#post-4691482

 

[johnny112]

Yes, there was a lot of air there! Need to think of something else...

Surely one should be able to build shelves out of plywood that can support a person?

 

[MultiMan]

Apart from the fact that there are incredible amounts of plywood of various kinds and thicknesses, much of the load-bearing capacity lies in the actual construction. You should make a proper design of what you have in mind so we can give tips and advice on whether it will reasonably work or not.

 

[Unikt namn]

There are few Ikea furniture pieces today made of any solid wood.
Most are unfortunately paper furniture.

Have you considered a regular wooden ladder up to the bed?
You can still have flimsy Kalax shelves under the bed for storage.

 

[kniv]

Kallax shelves might hold a 6-year-old, but hardly much more, and not in the long run. Also, I don't think it will look particularly nice.

 

[johnny112]

Thank you for all the feedback! As often, shortcuts seem to lead astray, so I'll drop that idea. I would have liked to buy a ladder, but they feel so undeservedly expensive!

However, I do have a 170x45-regel left + some solid pine floorboards. Maybe they can be used to build a staircase? Does that seem reasonable?

 

[MultiMan]

A staircase takes up much more space than a ladder, but if that doesn't matter, then go ahead and start building.

 

[JohnyS]

I did exactly like in the link, cut down a large Kallax shelf into a staircase. Just make sure that all "steps" have support underneath and aren't just resting on dowels or similar. I used pine shelving where I couldn't get the shelf's shelves to have proper support and at the top to extend the "staircase" a bit from the wall + a cozy corner for evening reading. Worked excellently, magically enough I can't find any pictures 😢 Ah, wife ftw!

 

[kniv]

Thanks for all the feedback! As often, shortcuts seem to lead astray, so I'll drop that idea. I'd like to buy a ladder, but they feel so unworthily expensive!

However, I do have a 170x45 beam left + some solid pine floorboards. Is it possible to use them to build a staircase? Does that seem reasonable?

Seems more like you are generally looking for a quick budget solution given the proposed solutions.

 

[JohnyS]

Small update: Placed an OSB board behind to prevent the house of cards effect.