How to Make a Desk Bigger

Measure the size of the desktop that you want to use. If you want to add additional storage or filing, consider positioning a file cabinet to one or both sides of your desk and making your desktop large enough to span across the desk and cabinets. A file cabinet is typically just under the height of a standard desktop.

Cut your cabinet grade plywood to the size you want. Most home improvement stores will cut the wood for you at no charge. Use a lesser grade of wood if you intend to paint the top.

Place your cabinet and desk next to each other. Remove any top drawers. If your file cabinet is not the same height as your desktop, cut and add small wood blocks that are the right height. Drill through your file cabinet top and wood blocks. Set your drill so that it will only drill through 1/2 the thickness of your new wood top. Drill pilot holes into the underside of the plywood at the screw locations.

Screw through the file cabinet, blocks and halfway into the underside of the new top. Screw at least four screws per file cabinet. Screw through the old desktop halfway into the underside of the new top. Screw at least four screws per desktop. Use six or eight for additional security.

Sand your desktop with an orbital sander. Sand using sandpaper with a medium to fine sandpaper grit. Stain your desktop with a wood stain, brush and rag. Wipe off any excess and allow the stain to dry. Finish by spraying on a finish spray coat designed to work with your stain product. Apply several coats for a nice finish. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat.