Home Office

Built-In Office Desk and Shelves

Okay, we don't have a lot of space or time to chit chat so l vote that we get to work. You have looked at the store bought kit type computer desks and shelves. They simply don't interest you. If you have a few tools like a circular saw, a screw gun, a drill and a few bits, some squeeze clamps, and a small miter box you can build some very slick office platforms/desks and some incredibly strong wall shelving. What's more, it will actually look good!

The Materials

The primary material I like to use is 3/4 inch thick A/C grade fir plywood. The A means one side is clear veneer and the C means the backside has knots. If you can obtain and afford A/B plywood get it. Once the plywood is urethaned it develops a beautiful reddish brown tint. You can stain it if you like, but I prefer the natural look. The only other wood you will need are a few 2 x 2's and some thin 1/4 inch thick by 3/4 inch wide solid wood clear molding.

You will also need some hardware. Four inch long 1/4 inch lag bolts and three inch, two inch and inch and one quarter inch long drywall screws are also required.

Dimensions

The desktop or work surface needs to be a minimum of 30 inches deep to comfortably hold a computer and monitor. You can make it 32 or 34 inches deep, but never exceed 34 inches. The deeper the work surface the harder it is to access shelves above the work surface.

The top of the work surface should be 30 inches off the finished floor. This is standard desk height. This is too high for computer keyboards though. You need to make a lower platform that is 27 inches off the floor for the keyboard.

The back edge of the work surface is supported by simply screwing the 2 x 2's to the wall. Always stop the 2 x 2's at least 3 inches from the planned ends of the desk top. This allows you enough room to sneak in an end support bracket. You don't want the bracket to be flush with the end of the work surface. Whenever surfaces are flush, your craftsmanship must be perfect. Overhangs disguise small flaws in your cutting or fitting of the pieces.

Cutting

If you use a circular saw to cut the plywood, position the wood so the best side faces down to the ground. Since the saw blade rotates up through the wood when cutting, this reduces or eliminates splintering on the good side. If you have access to a table saw, then cut it good side facing the sky since those blades rotate down into the wood.

To cut long straight lines use clamps to hold a straightedge in place. All you have to do is to figure out the offset of the circular saw plate so the saw cuts where you want it to cut. Take a scrap piece of wood, draw a line on it, clamp the straightedge to the line and then make a quick cut. Remove the clamp and measure from the cut back to the line. This tells you how much to add or subtract to a measurement so you place the clamped straightedge at the correct location. Get it?

Assembly

You already know that the 2 x 2's support the back edge. The top of the 2 x 2 should be 29 and 1/4 inches off the floor so that the top finishes out at 30 inches. Cut the top and set it on the 2 x 2. Be sure to have several 29 and 1/4 inch pieces of scrap lumber that you can use to temporarily support the front edge of the top. Use 1 and 1/4 inch drywall screws to screw down through the top into the 2 x 2. You can countersink them if you like and fill them with wood putty. I prefer to leave them exposed. Once stuff is put on the work surface, they disappear beneath books, cables, etc.

End Brackets

The ends of the desk are supported by simple triangular pieces of scrap plywood. See Home Office Desk Plans for a detail of this. You attach these to the wall by screwing 2 x 2 pieces of wood to the side that will touch the wall and the side that fits under the top. You screw through this blocking into the plywood so that you see no screw heads in the end brackets. Use the 2 inch drywall screws for this. I like to space the screws about every 12 inches. These brackets then must be positioned over a wall stud or solid blocking behind the wall. The most critical attachment is the top of the bracket. Drill a hole about 2 inches down from the top of the 2 x 2 and insert the 1/4 inch lag bolt. Drive this bolt into the 2 x 2 and the wall stud and crank it down tightly with a wrench. This bolt will keep the bracket from rotating towards the floor when the work surface is loaded with weight. You can use 3 inch drywall screws to attach the lower parts of the bracket to the wall.

Finishing Tips

After the desk is built, finish exposed plywood edges with the wood molding. I glue it and nail it. Use small 3 penny finish nails or brads to hold it in place. It is critical to glue this strip. Nails alone will not work as the strip will come loose as you slide things across the desk.

If you are in a rush to finish the wood, use water based urethane. You can apply four coats in just one day!

Companion Articles:  Maximize Small Home Office Space, Home Office Desk Plans

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