Has anyone ever built their own desk?

[Red Squirrel]

My current desk is falling apart and today I realized I pretty much have to build/buy one asap. The keyboard tray fell off completely. I ran out of places to put L brackets, there's holes everywhere from all the previous times it came off. Now it's totally not ergonomic as the keyboard is on top and it's just too high. Thing always was a POS. You don't screw something upwards into particle board and expect it to be strong... that's how this desk was designed. I kept always having to add L brackets to stop it from sagging down and eventually falling on my knees.

So I'm playing around in Google sketchup. I'm trying to figure out what the best way is to attach the keyboard tray. I don't want to do the same mistake the designers of my last desk made.

I have a few ideas of how to go about it, but sure curious to see if anyone else has built their own, and what they did. The desk will basically be a big table, with some added shelving/cable management stuff. Nothing too fancy. 2x4 construction mostly. Not sure what I will do as the finish, might just stain it.

 

[DesiPower]

Walmart; cheaper, quicker, easier.

 

[Zebo]

Yes and just about everything else joys of being semi retired.. They sell sliders for keyboards. I'd use full extension ballberring slides though with a wood drawer and fold down face.

You could stand on it after you pull KB tray out and it won't break.

 

[FoBoT]

if you mean like this

then yes, otherwise no
i've built a book shelf, dresser and enterainment center, and an aquarium stand, no desks, yet

 

[Red Squirrel]

I think I'm going to go with this design:





I'm just wondering if that will be strong enough or if it will sag over time, more concerned about the keyboard tray as if it sags it will fall out of the rail. Going to use the thickest plywood I can find. I think 3/4 is usually the thickest. So think I should be ok. For the desk itself I might add some extra bracing under it to be safe.

The tray spans 95cm, the whole desk is 230cm. There's two trays, as I'll use the other side for working on PCs/servers etc so it's basically a separate work station.

I just need to figure out if any place here can deliver wood since I don't have a truck. I'll probably start on this like tomorrow if I can manage to get the wood here.

 

[PrinceofWands]

I built most of my furniture, including my desk (which is the under portion of my loft bed). The only downside was front-center sag, but it's pretty minimal. Since you have center support and otherwise short widths I don't think you'll have an issue. Especially not with 3/4" ply...though it will be pretty heavy, so be prepared for that. If you're really worried about it you can Z brace under each desk portion for added support. Personally I'd also use 2x4 for the Z bracing in the back, but then I'm into overcompensation.

 

[Tiamat]

You can always glue together multiple pieces of plywood together stacked in order to laminate them where each layer has its grain rotated w/r to the prior piece. This should greatly prevent warping.

 

[God Mode]

My favorite desk is a 9 foot long picnic table. The brown one with foldable legs they use in cheap conference rooms.

 

[SearchMaster]

My favorite desk is a 9 foot long picnic table. The brown one with foldable legs they use in cheap conference rooms.

Heh - that's what I've had for the last...15 years or so. I built a hutch for it, it doesn't look nice by any stretch but it's very functional, very big, and has served me well. It holds 3 printers, two monitors, networking equipment, a stereo, and still has tons of room for papers, disks, etc.

 

[EagleKeeper]

You do not need 4x4 for the legs.

Even using pine; that sucker is going to be heavy and awkward to move; once set; it will be there for life.

Many lumber stores will cut the pieces for you (some may charge a small fee).
Tie the plywood to the top of the car; the rest can stack in the truck or diagonal in the inside. Assuming that you do not have a econobox

Pre-drill holes and then use good size wood screws and/or L brackets.

If you are worried about the keyboard tray sagging; add a brace underneath the tray

 

[CraKaJaX]

Haven't built a "computer" desk, but I have built a recording desk (19" rack mounts for gear, monitor mounts, speaker stands, etc.) -- All it took was two pieces of plywood, the mounting brackets and whatever tools/nails/screws/glue was required. I ended up staining it as well for a nicer finish. If you have the time and resources, building it is definitely the way to go.

 

[herm0016]

get 2 file cabnets and lay a solid core door across teh top. its my fav. desk. or find a used office furnature place around you and get something there. we purchased a huge cubuical unit for only a few hundred bucks. corner desk and side desks, darwars, keyboard tray and hutch.

 

[Saint Nick]

Haven't built a "computer" desk, but I have built a recording desk (19" rack mounts for gear, monitor mounts, speaker stands, etc.) -- All it took was two pieces of plywood, the mounting brackets and whatever tools/nails/screws/glue was required. I ended up staining it as well for a nicer finish. If you have the time and resources, building it is definitely the way to go.

Came in here to post this... Did the same thing a couple years ago and love my desk. Need more space for rack mounted gear though

Mine is an entire 4x8 sheet supported by treated 4x4s. Pretty solid and tons of space.

 

[Wyndru]

I've built counter style desks before (basically a counter top attached to a wall with holes for the cables to drop through). They are great for work areas, lots of leg room and surface area.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I built my desk.

I used a vertical 1x4 underneath the back edge to minimize sagging, and another midway down the back to keep the legs in place. The "legs" are actually just three 32x18x1" panels.

It's a 6 foot desk, 2' deep - underneath, one side is slightly wider than the other. I used a pair of drawer sliders to mount my (36") keyboard shelf, which has my piano on it. My knees go underneath that. The keyboard just sits on top of the desk. The right hand section is like 34" and has a couple shelves for my CPU, printer, NAS, etc.

Rustoleum black enamel paint is pretty much everything-proof.

I assembled it with lots and lots of L-brackets and #8 1/2" screws. It wobbles a little bit if you jerk it from side to side, but I've stood on it without a problem. There's over 100 pounds of equipment just on the right hand shelves. (HP Laserjet 3700 ftw.)

 

[CraKaJaX]

Came in here to post this... Did the same thing a couple years ago and love my desk. Need more space for rack mounted gear though

Mine is an entire 4x8 sheet supported by treated 4x4s. Pretty solid and tons of space.

I got plenty of space for my gear... I have two racks from the desk to the floor (one on the left, one on the right) that act as the legs of the desk... and I have additional racks on top that the speaker mounts are on. I'll have to post some pictures for you. I definitely love it. The best part is it comes apart with a couple of screws and can be moved pretty easily. It's also very solid as you said.


Soooooo, what kinda gear do you have?! (Not to change the subject...)

 

[mvbighead]

This thread sux without pictars.

 

[ConwayJim]

I think I'm going to go with this design:

kind of a tangent, just wondering if there is a program that I could use to mock up projects like this, that are easy to use?

I know autocad is the main program of choice, but i'm looking for a dumb-downed version for just hobby use...

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

I had wanted to. But plans to do so fell apart. Cost much more than I expected as well.

 

[Saint Nick]

I got plenty of space for my gear... I have two racks from the desk to the floor (one on the left, one on the right) that act as the legs of the desk... and I have additional racks on top that the speaker mounts are on. I'll have to post some pictures for you. I definitely love it. The best part is it comes apart with a couple of screws and can be moved pretty easily. It's also very solid as you said.


Soooooo, what kinda gear do you have?! (Not to change the subject...)

I am thinking you designed your desk a lot better than I did, hah. I have enough space for four 1U pieces, and those are on the "top" of the desk, built into where my monitors sit. I need to do what you're doing -- build a rack from the floor to the desk.

I only have two Firepods and a Really Nice Pre... I spent most of my recent dollars on microphones. My next upgrades are hopefully a stereo or multichannel tube preamp (the RNP is a solid state, but sounds super clean). There are also some reverb units I'm interested in, as well as some EQs and comps. I've done everything in the box for years and I really need to start branching out into the outboard gear realm to start expanding my knowledge and experience. Thought about the ART Gold pre and swapping the tubes...supposedly that pretty decent for the moeny.

Sorry for the derail You should PM me some photos (or post them in the thread). I'll do the same if I remember tonight

 

[waggy]

I built one in high school shop class. it cost a lot but it lasted 15 years and i sold it for about what i paid for the materials. it was a great basic oak desk.

then i got a old counter top and file cabinets. it was huge and did the job just fine.

 

[ElFenix]

I think I'm going to go with this design:

my shins would be so bruised from that. and i agree with EK, that's far overbuilt.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Humm, still doesn't look like a 10k desk.

 

[zinfamous]

Yes.

This is my desk

 

[Gooberlx2]

kind of a tangent, just wondering if there is a program that I could use to mock up projects like this, that are easy to use?

I know autocad is the main program of choice, but i'm looking for a dumb-downed version for just hobby use...

http://sketchup.google.com/