How to Build Your Own U-Shaped Desk

Making the U-shaped Desktop

• 1

  Measure in 8 inches from one of the 72-inch sides of a sheet of 48-by-72 inch, 3/4-inch plywood and mark a line that runs parallel to the 72-inch side of the plywood.

• 2

  Rip the plywood along the line using a saw, so that the plywood now is sized 40-by-72 inches.

• 3

  Measure in 18 inches from each end of the plywood along the same 72-inch side, then mark a 22-inch line that runs perpendicular to the 72-inch side. Join the ends of the 22-inch lines with a third line that is 36 inches long, and parallel to the 72-inch side.

• 4

  Cut the plywood along the lines you marked using a saw and remove the plywood from the cut-out section. This will leave you with a “U”-shaped desktop that is 72 inches long at the back, with the arms of the “U” 18 inches wide and 22 inches long, and the cut-out space where you sit 36 inches wide.

• 5

  Sand the desktop and varnish or paint it in the desired color. Allow it to dry before assembling the desk.

Assembling the Cabinets

• 6

  Stand two cabinets with 39 inches between them. The cabinets should be approximately 15 inches wide, 30 inches long and 28 inches high.

• 7

  Place a plank of 69-inch 1-by-12 lumber across the two cabinets, flush with the backs of the cabinets. This is a support plank for the desktop. The ends of the support plank should be flush with the outer sides of the two cabinets.

• 8

  Secure the support plank to the top of the cabinet with 1 1/2-inch screws driven through the support plank into the top of the cabinet on 5-inch centers.

• 9

  Center two pieces of 18-inch 1-by-12 lumber on top of each cabinet. These are more support planks for the desktop. Secure them to the top of the cabinets as you did the long support plank.

Attaching the Desktop

• 10

  Paint wood glue onto the tops of the support planks, so that the whole of the top of the support planks are covered in glue to form a large contact area for the desktop.

• 11

  Center the desktop over the cabinets and support planks. There should be 5 inches overlap at the front and back of the cabinets, and 1 1/2-inches overlap at the sides of the cabinets. Place some heavy objects onto the desktop, spaced evenly so that there is downward pressure on the desktop. This will help the desktop bond with the glue on the support planks.

• 12

  Remove the heavy objects after the glue is dry. Secure the desktop from the center of the long support plank that straddles the two cabinets with 1 1/2-inch screws driven through the underside of the support plank into the underside of the desktop on 8-inch centers.