Hidden Sofa Storage

We all have unused space behind our sofas so in this instructable we're going to show you how you can make use of that otherwise wasted space.

We also have a full step by step video available here:

Tools Used:

• Handsaw
• Drill
• Sandpaper
• Paint Brush

Materials Used:

• 18mm MDF
• Pine (For the shelf)
• USB Hub
• Castors
• Paint
• Screws
• Wood Glue
• Wood Filler

Before we start cutting anything we need to first figure out how big to make our sofa storage unit.

The main measurements you'll need are the length of your sofa, how high the back of the sofa is from the floor and how far away you have your sofa from the wall. It's worth measuring the top and bottom in case your sofa tapers like ours does.

The angled back on our sofa means the sides to the unit will be angled too.

Once you have the dimensions for your sofa storage unit figured out then it's time to cut the MDF pieces. We used 18mm for our unit but you could also use plywood too if you like.

I first cut a base piece (Purple) which in our case measured L120cm x W25cm. I used a handsaw to cut all of the MDF pieces but a powered saw would be a lot quicker.

I then cut 2 triangle side pieces (Red). These match the taper of our sofa. In our case, they measured L75cm x 8cm (top), 25cm (bottom).

The top piece (Green) was cut to 8cm wide and 120cm long. This matched the length of the base piece (Purple).

The last piece to cut at this stage was the middle triangle piece (Blue) this almost matches the side triangles (Red) but it's cut 3.6cm shorter to allow for the top and base MDF pieces.

With all the MDF pieces cut it's time to assemble them. We used wood glue and screws to assemble the storage unit.

First, drill pilot holes to help prevent splitting. Drilling some countersinks will help to hide the screw heads later too.

Add some wood glue to the edges and secure with screws through the holes you just drilled. The 2 outer triangled (Red) are attached at either end of the base (Purple) and top (Green) pieces.

The middle triangle (Blue) gets attached in between the base (Purple) and top (Green) pieces at a point that best suits your needs. We place our middle piece 40cm away from the left side.

The basic frame is completely now but there are a couple more pieces we added to create extra storage. We added 2 10cm wide pieces to fit between the middle triangle and the side of the unit. These will create a small tray for us to store dog toys in. You could keep all sorts here though.

We aren't 100% sure on what to store in the other opening yet. We might add a rail to hang blankets on at some point but we're still undecided. You can of course make modifications to best suit your storage needs.

Once the wood glue was dry we filled the voids with wood filler and then sanded it all smooth. After dusting down the storage unit it was time for paint.

We used grey furniture paint but you could go with any colour you like. Self-adhesive vinyl could work really well on this or perhaps even some wallpaper too. Let your creativity run wild.

For a top-shelf, we used solid pine. Once it has some stain applied it should add a nice contrast against the grey paint.

We cut the shelf to length, roughly 3cm longer than the unit itself to allow for some overhang.

How about adding a USB charging hub too? The one we opted for is actually designed for use in cars but it will be ideal for this use case too. We first drilled a 35mm hole halfway through the shelf. This is wide enough to accept the USB hub and its securing nut. We then drilled a 30mm hole all the way through. This hole is just big enough for the USB hub to fit through and sit flush on the surface. We also needed to drill a hole through the top MDF piece (Green) to allow for the wires to pass through later.

With the hole sorted and the shelf sanded smooth we applied some wax stain to add colour and bring out the grain. The wax will help to protect the wood too.

With the wax stain dry, we secured the USB hub in place. The wires were then passed through the hole in the top of the unit and the shelf was attached to the MDF with screws. No glue this time just in case we need to remove it later.

The unit is almost done. The last thing to add is 4 castors to help it slide in and out from behind the sofa. These are attached to the base (Purple) with 4 screws each.

This is the unit complete. It simply slides behind the sofa which makes use of the otherwise wasted space.

We are going to store dog toys in the little side tray and possibly hang blankets in the other section. Another good use of the side tray would be to store a small vacuum cleaner.

The shelf allows for a plant or lamp to be sat behind the sofa and of course, the USB hub is in an ideal position to charge your phone while you're on the sofa.

We really hope you like this project and we'd love to hear if you give it a go for yourself too.