My DIY Desk
The desk I’ve been promising to post since mid summer when I built it.
Basically two 10″ deep by 4′ wide by 2″ thick cedar slabs make up the surface, stained dark brown and glazed with epoxy resin in such a way that it follows the wood’s natural texture, creating a reflection surface like that of a deck outside in the rain. Since it’s not a writing desk (really, it just holds two monitors, a Wacom pen and the occasional glass of cider) it didn’t have to be very deep nor smooth and since everything I found on the market was quite massive, I opted for the DIY method.
Shown above are the flanges and the 1″ galvanized steel piping I used. Of course this is overkill hardware but the store I was at didn’t have the grey iron I originally wanted, so I paid slightly more and simply sprayed it all matte black with my ever present rattle can (I spray almost everything I can matte black).
It’s a cantilever design so the left side is completely open and free for my legs when getting up (my chair is on carpet and while it rotates, it doesn’t move) and the right side is where my computer sits (acting as armrest and mousepad) and where the wall is (the desk itself situated in the middle of the room front-back and against the wall on my right). So it’s a nice solution, just sort of floating there to stand screens upon since I don’t need much else.
Seems stable enough, even with the cantilever design. The two supports from the back forward actually go past the half way point, so the moment arm isn’t as bad as you might think from looking at it. Of course, the steel itself is fairly weighty on that side and I have no problems placing things on the floating edge. My heavy monitor sits pretty much directly over the middle leg sweeping back, so the forces are reasonably dealt with there.
The full parts list, if you want to make your own (although honestly one could definitely design it better): 2x 2′ threaded 1″ pipe (assume all pipe is this from now on), 3x 1′ pipe, 1x 4′ pipe, 2x T connectors, 3x 45 angle connectors, 3x flanges (and maybe an extra brace for the cantilevered side for extra support. Ideally, bowtie dovetail the wood together – I just used a fourth flange empty) and 3x threaded connector pieces to go between the 45 and flanges. Screws to fit (4x per flange, maybe 2 more for that brace).
Since there is the sharp edge of threaded steel pipe as legs you might want to look at those sticky foam feet for use on hardwood or whatever. I’m on carpet so it’s not too big a deal.
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