Writing Desk Plans

This step by step diy woodworking project is about writing desk plans. If you want to learn more about building a diy desk, we recommend you to pay attention to the instructions described in the article. There are so many desk plans and designs to choose from, so make sure you take a close look over the rest of the related woodworking projects that are featured on our website.

Before starting the actual construction project, we recommend you to plan everything, as to save money and to keep the costs under control. Adjust the size and the design of the desk to suit your needs. In addition, we recommend you to invest in high-quality materials, such as pine, redwood or cedar, as they have a nice finish and are highly durable, especially in a humid environment.

If you don’t have a rich expertise in woodworking field, you should ask a friend to give you a hand with the project. There are many things that you could go wrong, so make sure you plan everything and invest in quality materials. Select the lumber with attention, making sure the components are perfectly straight and in a very good condition. Use a carpentry square to check if the corners are right-angled. See all my Premium Plans in the Shop.

Made from this plan

Building a writing desk

Materials

A – 2 pieces of 1×16 lumber – 25 1/2″ long, 3 pieces – 20 1/2″ long FRAME
B – 4 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 4″ long, 2 piece – 19″ long, 2 pieces – 12 1/4″ long BASE
C – 2 piece of 1/4″ lumber – 22″x25 1/2″ long BACK
D – 1 pieces of 1×16 lumber – 20 1/2″ long, 1 piece – 17 1/2″ long PARTITIONS
E – 1 piece of 1/4 plywood – 39″x48 1/2″ long LEGS
F – 1 piece of 3/4″ plywood – 24″x48″ long TABLETOP

2 pieces of 1×16 lumber – ft
1 piece of 2×2 lumber – 6 ft
1 piece of 3/4″ plywood – 2’x4′
1 piece of 1/4″ plywood – 4’x8′
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

Apply several coats of wood stain to the wooden components
Fill the holes with wood filler and smooth the surface

Time

One Day

Building a writing desk

Building the storage unit

The first step of the woodworking project is to build the frame of the desk. As you can easily notice in the plans, we recommend you to build the components out of 1×16 lumber. Cut the component sat the right size and drill pocket holes at both ends of the horizontal components. Align the components with attention, make sure the corners are right-angled and add waterproof glue to the joints.

Building the partitions

The next step of the woodworking project is to build the partitions for the writing desk. Mark the cut lines on the pieces of lumber and make the notches using a circular saw and a chisel. Clean the recess with sandpaper and remove the residues before locking them together.

Fitting the partitions

Drill pocket holes at both ends of the partitions. Lock the components together and fit them into place, as described in the diagram. Secure the components to the frame by using 1 1/4″ screws.

Attaching the base to the shelves

The next step of the woodworking project is to attach the base to the storage unit. Drill pocket holes at both ends of the horizontal components and insert 2 1/2″ screws into the legs. Afterwards, drill pilot holes through the frame of the base and insert 2″ screws into the frame of the storage unit. Check if the corners are square and add glue to the joints.

Attaching the back to the desk

Attach a piece of 1/4″ plywood to the back of the storage unit, as described in the image. Make sure you align the piece of plywood at both ends and secure it to the frame by using 1 1/4″ screws. Add waterproof glue to the joints and remove the excess.

Building the legs for the desk

One of the last steps of the project is to build the legs for the writing desk. Cut the components out of 2×2 lumber and lock them together using 2 1/2″ screws and glue. Make sure the corners are square and leave no gaps between the components.

Attaching the tabletop

Center the components over the tabletop, as described in the image. Drill pilot holes through the top of the storage unit and through the legs, before inserting the screws into the tabletop. Add glue to the joints and make sure the components are perfectly plumb.

Writing desk plans

Last but not least, we recommend you to take care of the finishing touches. Fill the holes with wood filler and let it to dry out for several hours. Afterwards, smooth the wooden surface with fine-grit sandpaper and vacuum the residues.

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