Free Desk Plans

This step by step diy article is about free desk plans. If you want to build a nice desk for your bedroom with a classy design, we recommend you to pay attention to the instructions described in the article. Although there are many designs you could choose from, in this article we will show you all you have to know about making a simple desk out of common materials. If you have worked with lumber before, the carpentry techniques should be familiar to you.

Buy quality lumber, made for building lumber, if you want to get a durable bed. Nevertheless, you could save some money if you purchase lumber with knots, which could even enhance the look of project, giving it a rustic appearance. Select the slats with great attention, checking if they are in a good condition (the lumber has to be straight and without chips, dents or cracks).

Always aligned the components before locking them together with screws. In addition, we recommend you to pre-drill the lumber, otherwise the wood might easily split. Add glue to the joints, if you want to enhance their bond. Smooth the cut edges with fine grit sandpaper and remove the residues using a vacuum cleaner. Make sure you take a look over the related plans to get an idea about what you can build for your home. See all my Premium Plans in the Shop.

Made from this plan

Building a wood desk

Building a desk

Materials

A – 4 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 28 3/4” long LEGS
B – 2 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 43″ long, 1 piece – 40″ long, 2 pieces of 1×2 lumber – 19 3/4″ long FRONT TRIMS
C – 2 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 16″ long, 1 piece – 13″ long, 2 pieces of 1×2 lumber – 19 3/4″ long 2xSIDE TRIMS
D – 1 piece of 3/4″ plywood – 24 3/4” x 43″ long, 2 pieces – 16″ x 24 3/4″ long PANELS
E – 1 piece of 3/4″ plywood – 24″x48″ long, 1 piece of 2×3 lumber – 43″ long TOP

1 piece of 2×2 lumber – 10 ft
2 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 8 ft
1 piece of 1×2 lumber – 8 ft
1 piece of 2×3 lumber – 4 ft
1 piece of 3/4″ plywood
2 1/2″ screws
1 1/4″ screws
glue, stain
wood filler

Tools

Safety gloves, glasses
Miter saw, jigsaw
Chalk line, tape measure, spirit level, carpentry pencil
Drill machinery and drill bits

Tips

Pre-drill holes in the wooden components, before driving in the screws
Smooth the exposed edges, by using a router with a 1/4” bit

Time

One day

Building the side panels

The first step of the woodworking project is to build the side panels for the wood desk. As you can easily notice in the diagram, we recommend you to use a piece of 3/4″ plywood for the main panel. Afterwards, build the trims out of 1×3 and 1×2 lumber. Drill pocket holes at both ends of all ends of the trims and lock them together with 1 1/4″ galvanized screws.

Make sure the corners are square and leave no gaps between the trims. Lay the trims over the plywood piece and make sure the edges are flush, before inserting the finishing nails. Add glue to enhance the bond of the components.

Building the front panel

Continue the woodworking project by assembling the front face of the desk. In order to get a professional result, start by cutting the components to the right dimensions. Afterwards, assemble the panel in the same manner described above. Smooth the cut edges with fine-grit sandpaper and remove the residues with a damp cloth.

Assembling the desk

Continue the woodworking project by assembling the frame of the wooden desk. Build the legs out of 2×2 lumber. making sure you smooth the ends with fine-grit sandpaper. Align the edges with great care and insert 1 1/4″ screws through the cleats into the legs. Leave no gaps between the components and add glue to the joints. Make sure the corners are square before inserting the screws. Ask a friend to help you while inserting the screws.

Fitting the desk top support

In order to reinforce the structure, we recommend you to install a 2×3 support to the back of the desk. Drill pocket hole at both ends of the support and secure it to the sides by using 2 1/2″ screws and waterproof glue. Make sure the corners are square before inserting the screws. Plumb the sides with a spirit level and check if the support is horizontal.

Attaching the desk top

Building the tabletop is a straight-forward process, as you need to use a 24″x48″ piece of plywood or MDF. Lay the component on a level surface and center the structure of the desk. Drill pocket holes through the cleats and through the support. Then, insert 1 1/4″ screws through the supports into the table top. Add glue to reinforce the rigidity of the structure. remove the excess with a damp cloth.

Free Desk Plans

Last but not least, you need to take care of the final touches. Therefore, you need fill all the holes with a good filler and let the compound to dry out properly, before sanding the wooden surface with 120-grit sandpaper.

Thank you for reading our article about free desk plans and we recommend you to check out the rest of our home improvement projects. Don’t forget to LIKE and SHARE this projects to your friends, using the social media widgets, if you’ve found it useful.

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