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How to Build a DIY IKEA Monotub: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Build a DIY IKEA Monotub: A Step-by-Step Guide

May 1, 2026

Growing & Cultivation · Evergreen guide · 10 min read

A DIY IKEA monotub is the cheapest reliable cultivation chamber you can build in Europe. One trip to IKEA, one small box of filters, one hole-saw, and you have a working tub for under € 40. This guide breaks the build into ten concrete steps, with clear tables that tell you exactly which hole gets which filter and whether you need an injection port at all.

Scope of this guide. This post covers the build only. You will end with a clean, vented SAMLA box ready to receive substrate. Substrate mixing, spawn, colonisation and fruiting all live in their own posts so each step can be explained properly.

New to tub cultivation? Read our short primer on how a ready-made grow kit works first. A monotub does the same job, only bigger and with more control over fresh air exchange.

Why a DIY IKEA monotub makes sense in Europe

Most published monotub guides come from the United States and reference Sterilite or IRIS USA boxes — unavailable here or absurdly expensive to import. European growers have quietly converged on the IKEA SAMLA: transparent, cheap, stocked across the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain and the UK. The 45 L size happens to land almost exactly on the dimensions that mycology communities have recommended for years.

The SAMLA series is documented on the IKEA Netherlands SAMLA catalogue, and the UK guide on monotub.co.uk confirms the same volume range as the European default. In other words, this is a well-trodden path — just one that rarely gets written up clearly from a European perspective.

The build at a glance

Before we walk through each step, here is the complete DIY IKEA monotub build in one table. If you only read one thing, read this.

#	Step	Time	Tools / parts
1	Pick the right SAMLA size	—	SAMLA 45 L box + lid
2	Gather tools and filters	—	Drill, hole-saw, marker, MMS filters
3	Mark the six holes on the box	5 min	Marker, tape measure
4	Drill the pilot holes	5 min	3 mm drill bit (or PID 982)
5	Cut the main holes with the hole-saw in reverse	10 min	Hole-saw matching your filter size
6	Smooth the rim of each hole	5 min	Craft knife or fine sandpaper
7	Drill the lid vent hole(s)	5 min	18 mm hole-saw or step-bit
8	Clean the box with alcohol	5 min	70 % isopropyl alcohol, cloth
9	Stick the self-adhesive filters in place	5 min	MMS filters matching each hole
10	Snap the lid clip-locks and store	1 min	—

Total active time is under an hour, and the finished DIY IKEA monotub is ready to receive substrate whenever you are.

Step 1 — Pick the right SAMLA size

IKEA sells the SAMLA series in seven volumes. Only some of them work as a monotub. The 45 L is the sweet spot for almost every home grower.

SAMLA volume	Dimensions (l × w × h)	Price with lid (NL)	Use as monotub?
5 L	28 × 19 × 14 cm	€ 2.49	Too small — micro tests only
11 L	39 × 28 × 14 cm	€ 3.49	Shoebox-tek only
22 L	39 × 28 × 28 cm	€ 5.49	Yes — mini monotub
45 L	57 × 39 × 28 cm	€ 8.99	Yes — standard build (recommended)
55 L	78 × 56 × 18 cm	€ 12.99	No — too shallow at 18 cm
65 L	56 × 39 × 42 cm	€ 11.99	Yes — bulk build
130 L	78 × 56 × 43 cm	€ 19.99	Too large for most first builds

The 45 L SAMLA has the right height-to-footprint ratio. Its 28 cm depth gives roughly 10 cm for substrate and a comfortable 15 cm headroom for fruit development. The lid has integrated black clip-locks on the rim, so you do not need to buy separate clips.

Avoid these IKEA boxes. KLÄMTARE (dark grey, opaque), SOCKERBIT (white, opaque), TROFAST (no proper lid), GLIS (too small) and SAMLA 55 L (too shallow at 18 cm). Transparency matters because it lets you watch colonisation through the wall without opening the tub.

Step 2 — Gather tools and filters

This is where most beginners get confused, because the MMS filter range covers four diameters plus an injection port that looks superficially similar. The table below pairs every hole on the box with the exact MMS product that goes into it.

Tools you need

Cordless drill with reverse setting

One hole-saw sized to your chosen side-wall filter (38 mm or 65 mm for a 45 L SAMLA)

One 18 mm hole-saw or step-bit for the lid vent

One small 3 mm pilot bit — the MMS 7.1 mm cobalt drill bit (PID 982) also works as a pilot

Permanent marker

Tape measure

Craft knife or fine sandpaper

70 % isopropyl alcohol and a clean cloth

Disposable face mask (drilling PP produces fumes)

Filters and ports — which one goes where

This is the single most useful table in the post. Memorise this and the rest of the build is obvious.

MMS product	Diameter	Goes in	Function
PID 1094 — Lid Filter	18 mm	Lid (one small hole)	Passive air vent — lets gas exchange happen while the lid stays sealed
PID 1095 — Monotub Filter	38 mm	Side walls (six holes on 45 L)	Fresh Air Exchange (FAE) — main airflow once mushrooms start fruiting
PID 1096 — Monotub Filter	65 mm	Side walls (six holes on 45 L)	Fresh Air Exchange (FAE) — larger version, recommended for the 45 L
PID 1097 — Monotub Filter	90 mm	Side walls (65 L or 130 L bulk only)	Maximum FAE for bulk builds
PID 1093 — Injection Port	18 mm	Lid (optional second hole)	Spore injection — self-healing rubber for syringe inoculation; only relevant for advanced spore-to-substrate workflows

For a 45 L DIY IKEA monotub, the standard kit is therefore 6× PID 1096 (65 mm side filters) + 1× PID 1094 (18 mm lid filter). Total filter cost: roughly € 25 to € 30.

Do you need an injection port?

Short answer: no — not for a standard monotub build.

An injection port (PID 1093) is a self-healing rubber disc that lets you push a syringe through the lid and inject spores or liquid culture without opening the box. It is designed for spawn jars and spawn bags — where you inject sterile grain with sterile spore solution and let it colonise before mixing into substrate.

A monotub is different. By the time you fill a monotub, your spawn is already colonised. You just open the lid, mix the spawn into the substrate, close the lid, and walk away. No injection happens at the monotub stage.

When you might still want one: if you plan a "spore-to-tub" workflow (advanced — injecting a multi-spore syringe directly into a sterilised bulk substrate inside the monotub). For 95 % of growers, skip the port and save € 4–5.

Step 3 — Mark the six holes on the box

The drill pattern for a 45 L SAMLA

The aim is balanced fresh air exchange without creating drafts. For a 45 L SAMLA, the standard pattern is six holes total:

Short sides (39 cm) — 1 hole each, high. Drill about 2 cm down from the top edge. These vent CO₂ upward.
Long sides (57 cm) — 2 holes each, at substrate height. Drill 9 to 11 cm up from the bottom (just above where your 10 cm substrate layer will sit).
Lid — 1 small 18 mm hole, centred. For the PID 1094 passive vent.

Mark every centre point with permanent marker before you touch the drill. Double-check spacing — symmetrical holes look professional and vent evenly.

Hole pattern by SAMLA size

SAMLA	Side-wall holes	Side filter size	Lid holes
22 L	4 (1 per short side + 1 per long side)	38 mm (PID 1095)	1 × 18 mm (PID 1094)
45 L (standard)	6 (1 per short side + 2 per long side)	65 mm (PID 1096)	1 × 18 mm (PID 1094)
65 L	6 to 8 (1–2 per short side + 2 per long side)	65 mm or 90 mm (PID 1096 / 1097)	1 × 18 mm (PID 1094)
130 L	8 (2 per short side + 2 per long side)	90 mm (PID 1097)	1 × 18 mm (PID 1094)

Step 4 — Drill the pilot holes

Why pilot first?

A pilot hole stops the hole-saw from wandering and lets heat escape, which prevents the polypropylene wall from cracking. Polypropylene is unforgiving — it cracks in long lines if the bit grabs.

Use a small 3 mm drill bit (or the 7.1 mm PID 982 cobalt bit).
Drill straight through at each marked centre point.
Go slow — low rpm, light pressure. If you smell strong fumes, you are going too fast.

Step 5 — Cut the main holes with the hole-saw in reverse

The single most important technique

Set your drill to reverse rotation and let the hole-saw cut by friction rather than by chip removal. The plastic melts slightly along the cut line instead of cracking, and the edge comes out smoother than a forward cut.

Low rpm, light pressure — let the bit do the work.
One hole at a time. Pause between holes so the bit cools.
If you see white stress lines radiating from the cut, stop and slow down further.

This single trick — running the hole-saw in reverse — is what separates a clean DIY IKEA monotub from a cracked one. The Wildspore PP vs PE safety guide explains the material science if you want the long version.

Ventilate and mask up. Drilling melts a thin film of PP at the cut edge. The fumes are not friendly to breathe. Open a window, run a fan, and wear a simple disposable face mask. The whole job takes ten minutes.

Step 6 — Smooth the rim of each hole

Why this matters for filter adhesion

The self-adhesive filters in the next step need a flat surface to seal properly. Any burr or rough edge creates a gap, and a gap means contamination risk.

Run a craft knife around the inside and outside rim of each hole.
Alternatively, fold fine sandpaper around your fingertip and sand the edge smooth.
Wipe each hole clean with a dry cloth — no plastic shavings should remain.

Step 7 — Drill the lid vent hole

One small hole, centred

The lid gets a single 18 mm hole for the PID 1094 lid filter. This is the passive vent that keeps gas exchange happening even when the lid is fully clipped down.

Mark the centre of the lid.
Pilot with a 3 mm bit first.
Cut the 18 mm hole with a hole-saw or step-bit, again in reverse.
Smooth the rim.

If you decided you also want an injection port (PID 1093), drill a second 18 mm hole on the lid about 10 cm from the first. Otherwise — and for most growers this is the right call — one lid hole is enough.

Step 8 — Clean the box with alcohol

Prep the surface for the adhesive filters

Wash the inside of the SAMLA with warm water and unscented dish soap.
Rinse thoroughly. Do not use bleach — it weakens polypropylene over time.
Wipe the outside of the box around every hole with 70 % isopropyl alcohol.
Let everything air dry on a clean towel.

A dust-free, oil-free surface is essential. The adhesive on the MMS filters is strong, but it cannot bond through grease or marker residue.

Step 9 — Stick the self-adhesive filters in place

Six side filters + one lid filter

Peel the backing from one PID 1096 (65 mm) filter.
Centre it over a side-wall hole on the outside of the box.
Press down firmly from the centre outwards so no air pockets remain under the adhesive ring.
Repeat for all six side-wall holes.
Stick the PID 1094 (18 mm) filter centred over the lid hole — also on the outside.

If you also drilled an injection port hole, peel the PID 1093 backing and press the port into place now. The self-healing rubber faces upward.

Filter placement recap

Position	Hole size	MMS product	Quantity (45 L)
Long side wall (top row)	65 mm	PID 1096	4
Short side wall (high)	65 mm	PID 1096	2
Lid (centre)	18 mm	PID 1094	1
Lid (optional, 10 cm from filter)	18 mm	PID 1093 (port)	0 or 1

Step 10 — Snap the lid clip-locks and store

Finishing the DIY IKEA monotub

Place the lid on top of the box.
Snap the four integrated black clip-locks on the rim corners down.
The box is sealed except for the filtered openings — exactly what you want.
Store somewhere dust-free until substrate day.

Some builders tape over the filters during storage with painter's tape to keep dust out of the membrane. This is optional but useful if the tub sits unused for more than a week.

One final note on safety. Keep the finished tub out of reach of children and pets, and store it well away from heat sources. SAMLA is rated for cool, dry storage — not for direct sun, oven heat or radiator warmth. Polypropylene deforms permanently when it overheats, and a warped tub will never seal properly again.

What comes next

Your DIY IKEA monotub is now ready. Before you ever fill it, our guide on how to sterilise your cultivation materials covers what to clean and how. It also pays to know what contamination looks like before you open a populated tub the first time — the build is straightforward, but cultivation hygiene is where most beginners lose tubs unnecessarily.

The substrate inside the tub eventually colonises with what mycelium actually is, and that mycelium needs the airflow your six filters provide. For broader advice once the tub is in use, our extra tips for tub-based cultivation are a useful next read.

The cost of a finished DIY IKEA monotub

A 45 L SAMLA with its integrated clip-lock lid costs around € 8.99 from IKEA. A complete filter set — six PID 1096 side filters plus one PID 1094 lid filter — adds roughly € 25 to € 30. Therefore your finished DIY IKEA monotub lands between € 34 and € 40, against € 55 to € 80 for the cheapest pre-drilled European kits we have seen (and those still require you to buy filters separately).

For first-time builders the savings are not the only argument. Building your own teaches you exactly where the air moves, why the filters sit where they sit, and what each component does. As a result, when something goes wrong later, you already understand the system you are troubleshooting.

Ready to build your own? Grab the 45 L SAMLA at IKEA, then add the drill bit, the six 65 mm side filters and the 18 mm lid filter below. Skip the injection port unless you specifically need it.

Build kit — everything you need for the tub itself

This guide covers the construction of a DIY cultivation chamber only. It does not provide medical, legal or therapeutic advice. You are responsible for understanding the rules that apply where you live, for handling tools and materials safely, and for the choices you make once the tub is finished. Drilling generates dust and fumes — ventilate the work area, wear a mask, and keep children and pets out of reach while you build.

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How to Build a DIY IKEA Monotub: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why a DIY IKEA monotub makes sense in Europe

The build at a glance

Step 1 — Pick the right SAMLA size