DIY Fold Down Desk

Tools and Materials

• To build you desk, you will need a few tools and materials. First, make sure you have a piece of plywood that is ½- or ¾-inch thick. This piece will need to be cut so it is 2 feet wide by 4 feet long. Usually, you can get this cut at a lumber yard, or, if you have a saw, you can cut it yourself. You will also need a 1-by-2 piece of wood, which is 2 to 3 feet long, two 28-inch 1-by-2 pieces of wood that will act as legs for your desk, a drill, four hinges, a hook and eye and screws.

Attaching the Legs

• Start by attaching the 28-inch legs to the surface of the desk. The legs will be attached to the corners of your plywood with the hinges. Using a screwdriver attachment for the drill, attach one half of the hinge to the plywood. The other half will be attached to the side of the leg pieces so that the top of the legs are flush with the plywood when the desk is down and the sides of the legs are flush with the plywood when the desk is up. Make sure the corners of the top of the legs are even with the corners of the plywood.

Attaching the Desk to the Wall

• Find one of the studs in the wall using a stud finder. By anchoring the desk to the wall, you will make it more stable and give it better support. Screw the piece of 1-by-2 to the wall, making sure you are screwing into the wall studs. Next, screw the other two hinges into the top of the 1-by-2 anchor. With the hinges open, place your desk top next to the wall anchor and screw the hinges into the desktop. This should let your desk swing up to the wall. Finally, attach the hook where the desk will meet the wall and attach the eye to the desk to hook the desk to the wall when not in use.