Advice on a computer desk build

[billpe]

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice on building a computer desk. I'd like to make my own desk, which is purpose built to fit into my home office. No draws or anything fancy but it just needs to be something I build myself and function as a desk and not look terrible.

I've done a few searches, some research on designs and materials and still feel a little lost on how to proceed and I'm hoping someone here could give me some advice.

First off, I'm not an absolute beginner with wood working but have never done a project like this before. I've restored and renovated my own house (with help!) including restoring all the wooden floors and stair case but none of that involve actually making something with wood or MDF other than new floor boards (obviously not from MDF! ). I do have tools and a desire to learn though and enough money to spend on this to make a few mistakes but not money to burn, or I'd pay someone to do this for me!

Here is what I need and some other details:
I'd like the desk to fit into one side of a small room, with all three edges flush against the walls. 2 of the walls are concrete/supporting. 1 of the walls (a side wall) is plasterboard. In one corner there is a plywood/baton box which covers some central heating pipes up.
The space for this roughly 2400mm x 1200m. I'd like it all desk!
Its a desk so I need the centre to be clear to put my legs under.
It needs to be strong enough to take the weight of a pair of 7KG monitors, held on an single, centrally mounted stand, which attaches to the desk by way of a clamp. This causes some concern with MDF because I'm not sure the thickest 25mm MFD (I can find to buy) won't eventually break under that load.
It would be good if it wasn't permanently attached to the walls/floor.
There is a radiator (turned off) which sits on the wall which is where the back of the desk would be and the desk just needs go round it. .

I was tempted to buy a wooden kitchen work surface but even the cheapest ones are £300+ andonly 970mm deep. I'd like at least 1110mm depth. I still have the quandry on how to support the whole thing given one of the side walls won't support any weight and there is a radiator in the way. I don't want to remove the radiator even thought its turned off.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[woodbloke]

I'm looking for some advice on building a computer desk. I'd like to make my own desk, which is purpose built to fit into my home office. No draws or anything fancy but it just needs to be something I build myself ....

No replies thus far which is surprising. Have a look here for help :mrgreen: :-" - Rob

 

[marcros]

how about edge joining 2 pieces of worktop. Ikea do, or certainly used to do some solid wood strip worktops whch were reasonable in price.

The only problem I see with something so deep is that you may well not use the back half of it. you could incorporate a cutout section, thus reducing the depth to a more usable space, particularly with a swivelling chair. It would probably look better for it too.

From your description, do you have 2 walls forming a corner, which are both solid, but the third wall, forming the other corner is non supporting?

 

[billpe]

how about edge joining 2 pieces of worktop. Ikea do, or certainly used to do some solid wood strip worktops whch were reasonable in price.

The only problem I see with something so deep is that you may well not use the back half of it. you could incorporate a cutout section, thus reducing the depth to a more usable space, particularly with a swivelling chair. It would probably look better for it too.

From your description, do you have 2 walls forming a corner, which are both solid, but the third wall, forming the other corner is non supporting?

Looks like Ikea are doing 240x60.6 Beech work tops for £60. Two of those might work nicely. I can cut the one that sits at the back down as 121.2cm is a little deep (depth is needed with 2x 24" screens on arms! )

The next question would be, what would be the best way to join them and support them? A frame underneath with legs? This was the bit I was having some confusion over!

You're correct about the walls. The area I wish to put the desk into is two walls forming a corner, to get a mental image, facing the way the desk is intended, the wall on the right is concrete, the wall in front is concrete, the wall to the left is a sort of plasterboard/wood slat construction (the house is from 1932) and cannot take any weight.

 

[pip1954]

wow that's some desk do you realy need 1200 deep you will hardly be able to reach the back ,
if you use work tops you could even cut one in half length wise and use the other front edge as a shelf ,also you say the other wall is plaster board there should be battens or timbers up right in it so you can fix to these should be something like 400mm spacing.
to join work top you could put a piece 6mm mdf or the like screwed under the length.
pip

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Over thinking things IMO.

Just a simple leg/frame system will do. My monitors are 22" and a 23" and there not that big to need that space. I have the two monitors plus an A3 Tablet infront of them and there is plenty room with a 700mm top. Mine are not on arms granted.

All you need do is make up sections of two legs to support the MDF top every 6-800mm then use some L brackets to connect the top to the walls to stop it moving. Where the arms for the screens make a column with 4 legs to sit under and help take the load. 25mm MDF is rated for higher to take far more then 14kg per square meter. I would use 18mm myself.

My desk. The legs im talking about are them closest to the camera. I also made a load of these the same way to support a run of 5m of 18mm ply which now has tons of weight on it and is very stable. On the feet you can drive nails in and cut off to a very short point, this grips the carpet so they don't slip, if wooden floor use an L bracket, cut a section of the foot out to hind the bracket if you don't want to see it.