Level: Easy, but need a few tools Cost: Free to $30 Time: 1 ½ hour
I often find myself tumbling down the Pinterest rabbit hole, dreaming up my perfect home office, and pinning ideas that would fill a mansion. Then I look up from my computer screen only to be reminded that my 1,200 square foot home is already at full capacity - between my boyfriend's Nike obsession and my daughter's 7 foot stuffed bear, there is hardly any room left for me! I may not have an entire extra bedroom to transform into the light and airy home office of my dreams, but I do have an under-utilized corner that I decided to turn into my little sanctuary of productivity by building a desk specifically for this space.
The issue that many of us face when trying to work from home, is that we do not have a designated workspace/office, so we end up commandeering the kitchen table, or worse, the coffee table and sofa. While this may be suitable as a short-term solution, it ultimately will result in lower productivity and lots of back pain. Luckily for me, we have quite a bit of scrap wood from previous projects, so I pulled out the pieces that I needed to give myself a little corner of serenity. It may only be large enough to fit my computer and my coffee mug, but it affords me the opportunity to step away from the daily chaos long enough to accomplish needed tasks for my business...and my back definitely thanks me!
A few things before we dive in…
I have included wood measurements for those who don’t have scrap wood, but if you do, remember, you can tweak the measurements to fit your space and your scrap.
To build this standing desk I used my favorite tool, the Kreg Pocket Hole Jig. This Kreg jig allows you to easily create pocket holes, which helps you to hide screws by drilling them in at an angle through the middle of a piece of wood. But don’t worry if you don’t have one, you can still build this standing desk by using the modifications at the bottom of steps 1, 2, 4, and 6.
**If you are not quite ready to invest $100+ on the pocket hole system above, but are still itching to test out how awesome it is, click here for another option that would be sufficient to get you started.
Need a quick tutorial on making pocket holes? Check out
SUPPLY LIST
Scrap wood OR (2) 1”x4”x8’, (2) 1”x2”x8’, (1) 1”x6”x6’
Miter saw
Sander & sandpaper
1 ¼ inch screws
Drill
Clamp
Wood glue
Optional:
Kreg jig to make pocket holes
Pilot hole bit
Stain/paint
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Measure & Make Your Cuts.
Just for frame of reference, I am 5’4” and these dimensions bring my overall desk height to a perfect 40 ¾”. Make the following cuts…
For the desktop:
1”x8”x6’ cut into (2) 25” pieces
For the desk legs:
1”x4”x8’ cut into (4) 40” pieces
For the desk supports:
(2) 1”x2”x8’ cut into (3) 22” pieces & (4) 12.5” pieces
No Pocket Hole Modification: In addition to the cuts above, you need two extra 1”x2”x12.5” leg support pieces.
Step 2: Assemble Your Desktop.
Using your Kreg jig, make pocket holes along one side of one of your desktop boards. Add a line of wood glue along the edge of the board where you just drilled the pocket holes. Place both desktop boards side by side, clamp together, and drill a 1 ¼” screw into each pocket hole.
Tip: Do not worry if your table top is not perfectly flush and smooth. You can easily sand it down.
No Pocket Hole Modification: Simply glue the two desktop boards together along the long edge, clamp in place, and let dry.
Step 3: Sand.
I prefer to do the sanding before assembling the whole desk because it’s easier to sand a flat surface than try to get into corners with a sander. I did a quick, rough sanding on the desk legs and support pieces, and took a bit more time to sand the top of the desk really well. I used 60 grit sandpaper for this project.
Step 4: Assemble Desk Legs.
Using your Kreg jig, drill 2 pocket holes into one end of each of your four desk legs (this is now the top of each leg). Lay out two of the desk legs, with the tops on the same end (obvi!) and the pocket holes facing up.
Place two 12.5” support pieces on top of your desk legs. One will be 4” from the top, and the other should be 36” from the top. Be sure to adjust your desk legs so that the support pieces are flush with the outer edge of the legs. Screw in place using 1 ¼” screws.
Repeat to make your second set of legs.
Tip: To prevent wood from splitting, and to help guide the screw into the wood, make a pilot hole using a drill bit slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw you are using.
No Pocket Hole Modification: Add your two extra 12.5” support pieces flush with the top of each set of desk legs.
Step 5: Assemble Desk Base.
Create the base of the desk by adding three 22” support pieces along the back, to connect your desk legs to each other. Place your three remaining support pieces 4”, 20”, and 36” from the top. Screw in place using 1 ¼” screws.
Step 6: Assemble Your Desk.
Lay desktop upside down and position the desk base on top of it, with the pocket holes facing down. Screw 1 ¼” screws into each desk leg pocket hole.
Tip: Make sure that the support pieces on the back of your base do not come out further than the back edge of your desktop.
No Pocket Hole Modification: Drill 1 ¼” screws through the top leg support, into the bottom of the desktop.
Step 7: Stain or Paint.
Now that your desk is fully assembled, choose your stain or paint color and have fun making it your own.
Step 8: Clean Up Your Workspace and Tools.
You might be wondering why I always add a clean-up step in my instructions... This step is really more of a personal reminder. I'm hoping I am not the only one who leaves a trail of supplies in their wake after doing a project, so maybe it can serve as a good reminder for you as well.
Step 9: Spruce Up Your New “Office”.
Beautify your new workspace with your DIY Industrial Vibe Vase and a piece of art that makes you smile. If you are digging the art piece on my wall, click here for a free downloadable version to use yourself.
Extra Tip: You can easily create a shelf by placing a 13 ¼” x 20 ½” piece of plywood on top of the highest row of support pieces, and tacking it in place using a few finishing nails.
Comments