help me build a desk please!! newbie woodworker here

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phatj

Golden Member
Mar 21, 2003
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ok i'm trying to build a simple desk... hwoever this is the largest furniture piece i've ever attempted to make with purely 2x4's and a sheet of plywood...

the plan:

a simple sheet of plywood will be the desktop

below the wood will be a set of 2x4's arranged like so: pic

that is a view from the top of what will be directly beneath the plywood... in other words the frame will consist of a long (60") "backbone" 2x4 with 5 2x4's projecting from it...

the legs of the desk will be 2x4's that are attached vertically to the front and back of the end projectile 2x4s...



So my question is.. is this feasable? And what will be the best way to do this? I assume that simply screwing the wood together isn't the best method. Should I purchase some "elbows" or "L-shaped hinges" or whatever u want to call them to attach the projecting 2x4's to the rear 2x4?
 
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Yossarian

Lifer
Dec 26, 2000
18,010
1
81
think triangles. it will be much stronger and more stable if you run a 2x4 from the top of one support to the base of another. btw it's pretty hard to understand what you're doing even with that pic and description.
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
You will need more long 2x4s as support on the bottom. Let me MSPaint you an example of what I would do

EDIt: I'm entirely too tipsy to do so. I suggest using notches in the 2x4s, with lag screws to secure them.
 
H

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
11
81
Um, the way the 2x4s are set up, when you sit down and use the desk you'd be looking parallel to them, right? The reinforcing "joists", anyway. If so, you want the joists going the other way, i.e. parallel with the backbones, not perpendicular to, since the desk is wider than it is deep. I assume. You also want to screw/glue the 2" surface of the joists and backbones to the top, not the 4" surface.

You'll also want something to keep the desk from leaning left/right and to/fro. gotta draw something up...
 
uberman

uberman

Golden Member
Sep 15, 2006
1,942
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Get two 2 drawer metal file cabinets to use as pedestals. Have two 4 by 8 sheets of wood cut to 32 inches wide. One piece of 3/4 inch plywood and the other of 3/4 inch particle board as these are used for the desktop. The plywood goes down first with the particle board on top. Now use your imagination. Add some clamp-on desktop lights on swinging arms and/or add a bookcase.

This makes a large versatile desk and/or worksurface with four large file drawers.
 
M

mchammer

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2000
3,152
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76
Wow that is going to be a large desk. Isn't a sheet of plywood 4x8 feet?

Get some of that plywood they have with one nice side, then you can stain it or use a clear sealer.
 
uberman

uberman

Golden Member
Sep 15, 2006
1,942
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Originally posted by: mchammer
Wow that is going to be a large desk. Isn't a sheet of plywood 4x8 feet?
Click to expand...

Yes, I've built two of these. The worksurface of the desktop is 8 feet by 32 inches. This is plenty of room for computers, printers, dual monitors, etc. I use clamp-on telescoping monitor mounts to make things more ergonomic.

If you want do do the staining thing get birch plywood and stain that. It's a hardwood and makes good bookcases.

 
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phatj

Golden Member
Mar 21, 2003
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good ideas... nice brainstorming... I'm going to buy another 2x4 today to make some triangular supports...

the only thing i'm using plywood for is for the desktop... it's not used anywhere in the frame or legs.

and its actually a sheet of particle board. it has a REALLY smooth side that will be used as the top.
 
uberman

uberman

Golden Member
Sep 15, 2006
1,942
1
81
Jimmy Carter's Habitat for Humanity has locations where you can buy extra building materials very cheaply. I've shopped there before.

I've seen 4 by 8 sheets covered with laminate, wood grain or white, for very cheap. That would make an impressive desktop.
 
C

cker

Member
Dec 19, 2005
175
0
0
I built a desk a few years ago, mostly out of plywood. Birch ply is strong for its weight. My approach was to cut a piece of 3/4" birch ply to the shape I wanted, and then attach a set of reinforcing 1x4's to the 'under' side of the ply. I put these on so that the narrow edge was attached to the ply. Since my desk was a corner desk, I built three 'legs' -- left, right, and back. These were all basically boxes that I used for storage under the desk. I built these so that the tops of the 'legs' fit into the reinforcing 1x4's. The top, in other words fit over the legs and the legs fit into the top. In practice it was very stable like that but initially I reinforced it with lag bolts running through the desktop down through the tops of the leg-boxes.

It's significantly more work than just a table, but it stores LOTS of stuff.
 
Sphexi

Sphexi

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2005
7,280
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Originally posted by: uberman
Get two 2 drawer metal file cabinets to use as pedestals. Have two 4 by 8 sheets of wood cut to 32 inches wide. One piece of 3/4 inch plywood and the other of 3/4 inch particle board as these are used for the desktop. The plywood goes down first with the particle board on top. Now use your imagination. Add some clamp-on desktop lights on swinging arms and/or add a bookcase.

This makes a large versatile desk and/or worksurface with four large file drawers.
Click to expand...

Even better, get a simple sliding closet door, about 30-36", stain and seal it, and voila, desktop.
 
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WildHorse

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2003
5,006
0
0
Both of the pictured have worked well for me.

Once as a student I lucked out & found a great full sheet of "A" sided 3/4" thick plywood for a free top. It was laying on the waste pile at a comemrcial construction site, & fit on car's surfboard racks to carry home.

For the 2nd pictured arrangement, I had a 2nd sheet of plywood srtanding up in the back, to which I bolted some shelves. Saved landlord's wall & my depost. It was nicer because I'm real tall so I could make the desk a lot higher than furniture usually is.

Got about $20 worth of angle braces & 1/4" bolts, washers & nuts at OSH to put it together, so it'd cleanly disassemble for moving. You need a drill for that.

Nice to put satin Varathane on the top if you can afford another $20 for the varathane, a couple of disposable brushes (for 2 coats) & some fine sandpaper (sand lightly between coats).

Get a really comfortable chair & good lamps.

El Cheapo Desk From Mostly Scrap - Alternative 1 with cabinets, Alternative 2 with wood frame
 
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6StringSamurai

Senior member
Apr 10, 2006
658
0
0
here is the one I made, desk
I used 3 1x10x6 pine boards for the top. 2x4s for the bracing and legs. Total cost 40$. Routered edge so it does not cut into the wrists. 6ft wide 30 in deep.
 
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WildHorse

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2003
5,006
0
0
Originally posted by: 6StringSamurai
here is the one I made, desk
I used 3 1x10x6 pine boards for the top. 2x4s for the bracing and legs. Total cost 40$. Routered edge so it does not cut into the wrists. 6ft wide 30 in deep.
Click to expand...


Very nice work!
(wow lumber is cheap where you live!)
 
6

6StringSamurai

Senior member
Apr 10, 2006
658
0
0
Originally posted by: scott
Originally posted by: 6StringSamurai
here is the one I made, desk
I used 3 1x10x6 pine boards for the top. 2x4s for the bracing and legs. Total cost 40$. Routered edge so it does not cut into the wrists. 6ft wide 30 in deep.
Click to expand...


Very nice work!
(wow lumber is cheap where you live!)
Click to expand...

Thanks man, and yes lumber is very cheap, the 2x4's were $2 a piece and the 1x10x6's were $8 if I remember correctly.
 
J

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
51
91
I'm sure you can save a lot of money building a desk yourself but I personally would pay alittle more to have a nicer looking premade desk. I currently have a L shaped metal and glass desk. This thing is solid and will definitely last me a lifetime.
 
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