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Well, I've been reading this forum for a while now to gather info for my new build. I'm more of a lurker then poster, but I thought I would put up a contribution on how to build a custom desk.
My family owns a kitchen remodeling company that I manage. I get countertops at a great price. So, I decided I would use them to build myself a custom desk. Anybody who makes countertops could cut you a countertop almost anyway you want it. Laminate tops will be the cheapest and can be any way you want them. I chose an "L" but you could choose a "U" a normal desk, whatever you want (just like a kitchen).
I stole most of these pics from my friend, who lives in the same condo floorplan, my desk is Identical to his. I just didn't take pics as I was building mine.
I designed my designed my dest to fit in the small office area that is attached to my living area in the condo, here is the living room.
My desk is in the lower left corner. It's dimensions are 78 1/2 by 108 (6 1/2 feet x 9 feet). I chose to have them made 28inches deep, but that makes it almost 40inches deep where my monitor sits in the corner. My monitor is in the middle of the "L" and the other monitor is my plasma located directly in front of the couch on the wall above the fireplace.
Here are is how to make the desk. First, you're going to have to order the top. It will take a few weeks to get the top in from a countertop place. The order the top already laminated, they just cut in to the dimensions you want. Expect to pay between $8.00ft-20.00ft. Thats a linear foot. My countertop was 15ft for about $15ft, plus the cost to have them cut it, etc. It came to about $300. Make sure you tell them you want a "deck only" countertop. That means there is no wallsplash. I didn't want one. You may. You can choose any color, there are LOTS of laminate colors/patterns. I went with a fake cherry wood. It looks real and is very, very durable (just like a kitchen top).
Once you get the top, you will need brackets. I built the brackets from 3/4" birch 24" squares (sold at lowes). I cut them in 1/2 (I measured in a little first, to make it not a complete triangle. I then screwed 1" by 4"s into the top and bottom. Here is the result.
He painted his black. I painted mine white. I screwed mine directly into the studs. However, I've decide to take them down and screw 1/2 plywood into the wall under my desk (the whole length of my desk). I'm going to paint the plywood the color of my walls, and then screw the brackets into that. That way, I can put the brackets into wherever I want and they won't hinder my movement where I sit. My friend did it after these pictures, it looks (and works) great. Plus, the desk is VERY sturdy. I believe you could walk on it.
Here is a pick of the brackets mounted. Notice we cut wholes to run wires through so they won't lay on the ground.
Now to put the tops on them. Here are the tops waiting to be put on. The L came in 2 pieces, and will have to be bolted together with bolts that most countertop places include with there tops. You just lug them together while trying to get them to line up the best you can.
In this pic you can see the cut outs under the top to mount lugs. If you're not sure how to put it together, ask the guys at the place how to do it. In kitchens they put caulk in between the 2 pieces to make it look perfect. I did not because I take my desk off on occasion.
Tops mounted:
I drilled holes in mine with a hole saw and put in wire grommets every few feet. Works great.
Here is mine:
I'm remodeling my place so it's a little messed up right now. I had to put in a grommet for the wires that run to my plasma. Next to it is my gyration antenna for my keyboard/mouse on my coffee table. The mess/wires/dust on the floor has to be cleaned up. Don't mind the old kenwood ghetto AV unit, I live in a condo and can't really turn my sound up.
I will post more pictures once I put my desk back up. I am putting new floors in right now. Sorry for the spelling/grammer. I've had a few beers.
Any questions, post em' up.
-Blake
My family owns a kitchen remodeling company that I manage. I get countertops at a great price. So, I decided I would use them to build myself a custom desk. Anybody who makes countertops could cut you a countertop almost anyway you want it. Laminate tops will be the cheapest and can be any way you want them. I chose an "L" but you could choose a "U" a normal desk, whatever you want (just like a kitchen).
I stole most of these pics from my friend, who lives in the same condo floorplan, my desk is Identical to his. I just didn't take pics as I was building mine.
I designed my designed my dest to fit in the small office area that is attached to my living area in the condo, here is the living room.
My desk is in the lower left corner. It's dimensions are 78 1/2 by 108 (6 1/2 feet x 9 feet). I chose to have them made 28inches deep, but that makes it almost 40inches deep where my monitor sits in the corner. My monitor is in the middle of the "L" and the other monitor is my plasma located directly in front of the couch on the wall above the fireplace.
Here are is how to make the desk. First, you're going to have to order the top. It will take a few weeks to get the top in from a countertop place. The order the top already laminated, they just cut in to the dimensions you want. Expect to pay between $8.00ft-20.00ft. Thats a linear foot. My countertop was 15ft for about $15ft, plus the cost to have them cut it, etc. It came to about $300. Make sure you tell them you want a "deck only" countertop. That means there is no wallsplash. I didn't want one. You may. You can choose any color, there are LOTS of laminate colors/patterns. I went with a fake cherry wood. It looks real and is very, very durable (just like a kitchen top).
Once you get the top, you will need brackets. I built the brackets from 3/4" birch 24" squares (sold at lowes). I cut them in 1/2 (I measured in a little first, to make it not a complete triangle. I then screwed 1" by 4"s into the top and bottom. Here is the result.
He painted his black. I painted mine white. I screwed mine directly into the studs. However, I've decide to take them down and screw 1/2 plywood into the wall under my desk (the whole length of my desk). I'm going to paint the plywood the color of my walls, and then screw the brackets into that. That way, I can put the brackets into wherever I want and they won't hinder my movement where I sit. My friend did it after these pictures, it looks (and works) great. Plus, the desk is VERY sturdy. I believe you could walk on it.
Here is a pick of the brackets mounted. Notice we cut wholes to run wires through so they won't lay on the ground.
Now to put the tops on them. Here are the tops waiting to be put on. The L came in 2 pieces, and will have to be bolted together with bolts that most countertop places include with there tops. You just lug them together while trying to get them to line up the best you can.
In this pic you can see the cut outs under the top to mount lugs. If you're not sure how to put it together, ask the guys at the place how to do it. In kitchens they put caulk in between the 2 pieces to make it look perfect. I did not because I take my desk off on occasion.
Tops mounted:
I drilled holes in mine with a hole saw and put in wire grommets every few feet. Works great.
Here is mine:
I'm remodeling my place so it's a little messed up right now. I had to put in a grommet for the wires that run to my plasma. Next to it is my gyration antenna for my keyboard/mouse on my coffee table. The mess/wires/dust on the floor has to be cleaned up. Don't mind the old kenwood ghetto AV unit, I live in a condo and can't really turn my sound up.
I will post more pictures once I put my desk back up. I am putting new floors in right now. Sorry for the spelling/grammer. I've had a few beers.
Any questions, post em' up.
-Blake
