How to Build a Home Office Desk

When you work at home, you always need a spot to yourself. You may have an entire room to serve as your office, but more than likely you are sharing the space with at least one other family member. Give your part of that space a really personal touch with your own homemade home office desk. Follow these instructions to make a simple yet very functional office desk for your computer, a light, a cup of coffee and the morning paper.

½-inch oak, cherry or any decorative plywood 12 feet of matching 1-by-4 wood 10 feet of standard grade pine, 1-by-2 Circular saw Plywood and carbide-tipped blade Power sander with 100 grit belt Box of 1 1/2-inch self-threading screws Level Jigsaw Wood glue Tape measure Safety goggles Drill

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a 1-foot high by 2-foot long triangle out of your plywood. Be sure to use the plywood blade on your saw for this step. You may wish to wear safety goggles for this step.
- 2
  Sand the edges on the plywood triangles smooth. You can do this by hand, but it will be hard and very time consuming. It is more efficient to use the power sander and 100 grit belt. You may wish to wear safety goggles for this step also.
- 3
  Cut four of your 1-by-4s to 28 inches. Use the carbide-tipped blade.
- 4
  Make your legs. Glue and screw one triangle to each 1-by-4, making sure the point of the triangle is directly in the middle of the board. These boards are the legs of the table. A drill will help you get the screws into the wood more easily. Use at least two screws in each board to hold everything steady.
- 5
  Attach the other 1-by-4s to the legs at about 14 inches up from the floor by gluing and screwing. Level out the boards first. This must be as precise as possible.
- 6
  Create your upper desk frame. The legs will be freestanding now, so make an upper frame by taking the 1-by-2 pieces of pine and cutting one to 28 inches and the other two to 22 inches.
- 7
  Attach the sides of the frame to the inside top sides of the legs by gluing and screwing. Make sure the measurements are exactly equal on both sides of the legs.
- 8
  Attach the rear 1-by-2 to the two frame boards by gluing and screwing. This will help provide stability to your desk.
- 9
  Cut your top piece of decorative plywood at 30 inches wide and 24 inches deep, making sure you use the plywood blade. Depending upon how large of a table space you need, these measurements can be varied by as much as six inches on either side.
- 10
  Top off the desk. Lay down a bead of glue all around the frame and lay the table top on gently. Using your tape measure, make sure that the overhang on each side is exactly the same while the glue is still wet to allow for adjustments. Run a moist rag along each joint to wipe away any glue drippings. Allow to dry over night.
- 11
  Finish off the desk. You may finish this desk with stain, or leave it natural, that choice is yours. With no screw holes on the top, it will have a well finished and very professional look, and any decorative plywood that you have chosen, will make this desk a lovely accent wherever it resides.

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