building a desk

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chipy

Golden Member
Feb 17, 2003
1,469
2
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anyone ever built a desk from scratch? i don't mean buying one and assembling it yourself, but actually getting the materials from Lowes/HD and building it?

i'm contemplating building one but have never done this or anything close to it. Wood shop was many many years ago when i was in middle school.

my friend said she used MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard). do you guys have any experience building desks or furniture? how about using MDF? if so, any tips/pointers will be greatly appreciated! thanks!

UPDATE: I went to Lowes today and they had pine but only in 2x4 type size. is it unusual to try to somehow get a few of these together to come up with the desktop? or do you suggest going to a lumber place to find a bigger piece of pine?

i saw MDF as well and looks nice but it feels really heavy compared to the pine. if i can get the right size piece of pine wood i'll go with that. i also saw some really nice stains/polyurathane examples... not sure when i can build this desk but i'm really psyched up about it!
 
TridenT

TridenT

Lifer
Sep 4, 2006
16,800
45
91
Do you have the tools? That's the real question...

No, I have never. I don't own the tools to do such.
 
S Freud

S Freud

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2005
4,755
1
81
Originally posted by: Howard
Flat piece of something, filing cabinets or milk crates underneath
Click to expand...

This was my desk when I first moved until I found a suitable one to replace it.
 
MagnusTheBrewer

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
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Yes, I have built desks. You need to decide what you're primary use is, where it will be installed and, how much money do you want to spend. Once you have these decisions made, we can move on to tools, materials and, finishes.
 
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imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
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Four legs, cross bracing and a frame to support whatever surface you choose should be all you need.

You could probably use cardboard as a surface if you reinforce it on the botom enough to prevent major bending.
 
S

SampSon

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2006
7,160
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I usually build my computer desks.

I always use pieces of formica counter top that is placed on either concrete blocks or a frame constructed of 2x4s.
The 2x4 wood frames work well when you want to build a workspace that isn't just a straight up rectangle shape.
The concrete blocks work well for ease of construction and potential for easy extra storage in the blocks.
 
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chipy

Golden Member
Feb 17, 2003
1,469
2
81
Originally posted by: Howard
Flat piece of something, filing cabinets or milk crates underneath
Click to expand...

this may work but i'm looking to use some type of wood product since i'd like to get into woodworking. thanks.
 
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chipy

Golden Member
Feb 17, 2003
1,469
2
81
Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
Do you have the tools? That's the real question...

No, I have never. I don't own the tools to do such.
Click to expand...

i have a dremel. i can buy other tools... having said that i want to keep the desk simple and elegant so hopefully i won't need any specialized wood working tools... just some general ones. thanks.
 
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chipy

Golden Member
Feb 17, 2003
1,469
2
81
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Yes, I have built desks. You need to decide what you're primary use is, where it will be installed and, how much money do you want to spend. Once you have these decisions made, we can move on to tools, materials and, finishes.
Click to expand...

thanks Magnus - my primary use will be for my laptop, speakers, external storage, and work/paperwork. i'd like to use some type of wood product as the main material... nothing expensive since this will be my first build. i'd like to stain and clearcoat it.
 
C

chipy

Golden Member
Feb 17, 2003
1,469
2
81
Originally posted by: Imp
Four legs, cross bracing and a frame to support whatever surface you choose should be all you need.

You could probably use cardboard as a surface if you reinforce it on the botom enough to prevent major bending.
Click to expand...

cross-bracing... does that go vertically? i.e. maybe two beams crossed at the back of the desk?
 
MagnusTheBrewer

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
126
Originally posted by: chipy
Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Yes, I have built desks. You need to decide what you're primary use is, where it will be installed and, how much money do you want to spend. Once you have these decisions made, we can move on to tools, materials and, finishes.
Click to expand...

thanks Magnus - my primary use will be for my laptop, speakers, external storage, and work/paperwork. i'd like to use some type of wood product as the main material... nothing expensive since this will be my first build. i'd like to stain and clearcoat it.
Click to expand...

So, how much money are you wanting to spend? Since you are new to wood working, I might suggest starting with two wood, two drawer, file cabinets that you like and then putting a desktop atop them with the same stain, molding or, edge profile as on the file cabinets.
 
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TheoPetro

Banned
Nov 30, 2004
3,499
1
0
I built mine about 4 years ago and it still looks as good as the day I finished it.

Please dont use MDF. If youre going to build a desk do it out of a solid wood. It doesnt have to be expensive. I used Pine for mine and its been just fine. Take weight & size into consideration when building it. I almost couldnt get mine up to my room because it was just wide enough to go through my doorway.

The top of mine was a solid piece of Pine with some trim molding that I attached around the edge (Drill pilot holes and use finish nails + wood filler to attach it or it will end up looking like shit). Let me know if you need any help w/ the design or if you have any questions.
 
J

JasonCoder

Golden Member
Feb 23, 2005
1,893
1
81
Originally posted by: chipy
Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
Do you have the tools? That's the real question...

No, I have never. I don't own the tools to do such.
Click to expand...

i have a dremel. i can buy other tools... having said that i want to keep the desk simple and elegant so hopefully i won't need any specialized wood working tools... just some general ones. thanks.
Click to expand...

Without a pretty wide assortment of tools, and when I say tools I mean power tools, your project isn't going anywhere. Somewhere out there is a master carpenter reading this thinking he could build a desk with a dremel. This does not sound like you (or me).

Read Scott's post several times... lots of wisdom in it. Also, here is a plan I was maybe going to modify one day. 0roo has a damn fine link as well.
 
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LordMorpheus

Diamond Member
Aug 14, 2002
6,871
1
0
I did, all you need is a drill (I had the hardware store pre-cut the lumber for me, so I could fit it in my car - I designed the desk to be made out of peices that would fit in my trunk, worked out pretty good).

I'll try to dig up a picture.
(light on the woodworking, heavy on the utility)
edit:
Desk 1
Desk 2

Pretty simple. Frame out of 2x4 (with the one in front on it's side so as not to destroy knee room), with 4x4s for the legs.

The top was just some pretty nice finished solid seeming composit board I liked at the hardware store.

The desk was built tall because when I built it my chair was a lab chair (office chair but it's shortest setting was still pretty tall). I was going to shorten it, but when I moved into my dorm the room had a non-standard desk (the on in the corner, used for book storage because it was rickity as hell and falling apart) that had that sweet keyboard/mouse tray you see, so I swapped it to my desk and it was the perfect height to work on from the dorm chair after that, and super adjustable.

Pretty solid. I think I spend 30-50 dollars in lumber and hardware, and only a couple hours to finish and assemble. It has made a couple moves with me but won't be making the next one.

I'm planning on building a nice desk when I move into my place in Ithaca next fall.

The primary reason I built and didn't buy was that I needed the real estate for all those monitors and those big speakers. I don't use the CRTs anymore, though.
 
Fayd

Fayd

Diamond Member
Jun 28, 2001
7,970
2
76
www.manwhoring.com
Originally posted by: chipy
anyone ever built a desk from scratch? i don't mean buying one and assembling it yourself, but actually getting the materials from Lowes/HD and building it?

i'm contemplating building one but have never done this or anything close to it. Wood shop was many many years ago when i was in middle school.

my friend said she used MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard). do you guys have any experience building desks or furniture? how about using MDF? if so, any tips/pointers will be greatly appreciated! thanks!
Click to expand...

a desk? no. other pieces of furniture? yes. a desk extension, and a chess table/game cabinet.
 
mugs

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
I read that as "deck", and then I saw MDF, and I was :confused:

Yes, I've built a desk. A few desks. I use plywood, it's stronger than MDF, and it looks nicer. You can get plywood that is sanded and is suitable for painting, or you can get a hardwood veneer plywood that is suitable for staining. You can get a couple of different mouldings to cover the edge of the plywood so it doesn't look like plywood. For the base I've used legs from Ikea ($5 apiece), and I've also built a base out of plywood.

I had really limited space constraints at my old house, so I built this: http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/mugs/office_setup.jpg

I actually had little hooks under the desk for cable management, but I hadn't arranged everything at the time I took that picture
 
Gothgar

Gothgar

Lifer
Sep 1, 2004
13,429
1
0
I was thinking about doing this... never built furniture before, but I am up a step from the OP

I have tons of tools :p
 
Squisher

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
My dream desk, wouldn't be a desk. I'd like to mount a monitor, keyboard, and mouse onto a swing arm over a Lazyboy recliner. Add in a beer refrigerator and a urinal and I'd take root.
 
olds

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,124
778
126
I don't think I'd recommend a desk as a first wood working project. Too many ways to fuck up the drawers.
 
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