How to Make a Desk and Media Stand

Building the Desk

• 1

  Measure the space where you plan to place your desk to determine the desk's dimensions. Measure along the wall for the desk's length and out from the wall for the width. Measure up from the floor to find the ideal height for the desk.

• 2

  Cut a sheet of 3/4-inch plywood to the length and width dimensions using a table saw. This sheet of plywood serves as your desktop. Cut four equal-length pieces of 4-by-4-inch hardwood to the desired height of the desk, minus 3/4 inch to serve as the legs for your desk.

• 3

  Lay the desktop flat on the ground upside down. Cut four pieces of 2-by-4-inch hardwood to construct the support frame for the desk. Cut two pieces of hardwood to the length of the desk, minus 2 inches, and two pieces to the width of the desk, minus 6 inches. When assembled, the edges of the frame should be about 1 inch from the edges of the desk all the way around.

• 4

  Apply a bead of wood glue to one of the narrow sides of both of the longer pieces of 2-by-4-inch hardwood. Position these on the underside of the desk. Place these pieces parallel with the longer sides of the desktop about 1 inch from the edge on either side. Secure the boards in place by toe-nailing 2-inch wood screws through the boards into the underside of the desktop every 4 to 6 inches.

• 5

  Apply a bead of wood glue to one narrow edge of each of the shorter 2-by-4-inch boards. Sandwich them between the ends of the two you just installed, aligning the outside edges. Secure the boards in place by toe-nailing 2-inch wood screws through the boards into the underside of the desktop every 4 to 6 inches. For added security, drive 3-inch wood screws through the outside of the longer boards into the thickness of the shorter boards.

• 6

  Stand the four legs (4-by-4-inch) upright in each of the corners inside the rectangular frame you just installed. The edges of the legs should be flush with the inside edges of the frame. Secure the legs in place by toe-nailing 3-inch wood screws through the legs into the underside of the desk and into the rectangular frame. Drive wood screws through the 2-by-4-inch boards into the wooden legs as well for added support.

• 7

  Flip the desk over to stand it on its legs. Use your measuring tape to determine the ideal height and depth for the media storage rack to be installed on the desktop. If you plan to store DVDs, the shelves of the rack need to be at least 8 inches tall and 6 inches deep. For CDs, the shelves should be at least 6 inches tall and 6 inches deep.

Building and Attaching the Media Storage Rack

• 8

  Cut two sheets of 1/2-inch plywood to the length and depth dimensions of your media storage rack for the top and bottom panels. Cut two more sheets of 1/2-inch plywood to the desired height and depth for the side panels. Cut an additional piece of 1/2-inch plywood using the length and height measurements to serve as the back panel for your media storage rack.

• 9

  Set the two side panels upright on the longest narrow edge, parallel to each other. Place the top and bottom panels at either end of the side panels, aligning the outside edges to complete a rectangular shape. Drive nails from a nail gun through the top and bottom panels into the side panels to secure the frame.

• 10

  Place the back panel flat on top of the rectangular frame you just assembled. Secure it in place by driving nails from a nail gun through the back panel into the thickness of the top, bottom and side panels all the way around the frame.

• 11

  Measure and mark the position for any shelves you want inside the media storage rack. Cut sheets of 1/2-inch plywood to size using the length and depth measurements of the frame. Slide the shelves into place and secure them by driving nails from the nail gun through the side and back panels into the thickness of the shelves.

• 12

  Set the media storage rack on top of the desktop, aligning its edges with the back and sides of the desktop. Attach the storage rack by driving 1-inch wood screws through the bottom of the storage rack into the desktop. By using screws rather than the nail gun, you will be able to remove the storage rack if you choose.

• 13

  Fill any nail or screw holes with wood filler and allow it to dry completely. Sand it smooth with fine-grain sandpaper.

• 14

  Paint or stain the desk and media storage rack as you desire. After you have finished, cover the entire surface of the desk with a coat of clear varnish or polyurethane to make it more durable and water resistant.