How to Build Your Own Work-Space Furniture

Building the Cabinet Desk Supports

• 1

  Set down two 1/2-by-18-by-30-inch boards, which will be the side boards on your working surface, with their long, thin ends touching the surface. Arrange them so they are parallel with one another and about 16 inches apart. Lower another 1/2-by-18-by-30-inch board, which will be the rear board, onto the uppermost surfaces of these two boards so that it spans both of them and they support its weight. Move the side board out slightly until its outside edges line up perfectly with the outside edge of the rear board and the top and bottom ends of all three boards match up cleanly.

• 2

  Use the drill to make holes in the edge of the rear board, spacing them every 8 inches and going through the rear board and into the side boards. Complete the attachment of these boards by drilling 1-inch wood screws into each hole.

• 3

  Set the assembled cabinet on its rear surface and position a 1/2-by-18-by-19-inch board against the top of the three boards to serve as the top board. Arrange the top board so that it is even with the edges of the side and rear board and sticks 1/2 inch out on the side that does not yet have a board attached. Make holes around the three sides of the top board that contact wood boards, spacing the holes every 8 inches and drilling through the top board and into the adjoining boards. Secure the top board with 1-inch screws.

• 4

  Repeat the process for a 1/2-by-18-by-18 1/2-inch board for the bottom board, with the exception that no part of this board will stick out past the other boards as the top board did.

• 5

  Stand the cabinet up on its bottom surface and position a 1/2-by-17-by-18-inch board inside to serve as a shelf. Determine the desired position and mark the location of the shelf on each side board. Use the drill to make two holes right at the level of the markings on each side board. Slide pegs into these newly made holes and drop the shelf board on top of the pegs. Repeat the process for additional shelves.

• 6

  Repeat the previous steps to make an additional cabinet with the same dimensions, particularly with the same height.

Attaching the Desktop

• 7

  Position a 1-by-24-by-60-inch board upside down on the working surface to serve as a desktop. Remove the shelves that have been added to the cabinets.

• 8

  Turn the cabinets upside down and position them parallel to each other on top of the desktop, with their outside edges flush with the outside edges of the desktop and their rear edges 2 inches away from the rear edge of the desktop. Make sure the cabinets are straight and even with each other and the desktop.

• 9

  Drill four holes through the top board of each cabinet and into the desktop, being careful not to poke through the top of the desktop. Attach each cabinet to the desktop using 1-inch wood screws.