Building a desk

[sparkus88]

Hi my mum has asked me to buid a desk. The 1st pic is a basic drawing of what she wants but I'm concerned about the left side not having enough support to stop it from going out of right angle to the top. I need help with it. The 2nd pic is the idea I had, plus a small front apron not in the picture. Any other suggestions would be very much welcomed. Also because of a lack of clamps I was planning on using a furniture board from b&q for the top, will this be ok I'm worried about excessive movement. Apologies about the quality of pictures and drawings I'm no expert.

Thanks
Mark

 

[sparkus88]

2nd photo

 

[Chems]

I had a desk, the first thing I ever built that was similar in construction to that. Never had any problem with the leg moving as the whole thing was quite weighty and it the end board was attached by dowel to the top and there was a baton on the inside face adding a little support.

But doing it again I'd add a wide top bar across the back high up. You wouldn't even see it unless you were under the desk.

 

[MickCheese]

I agree with Chems. That lower cross brace will be a pain that you will be forever kicking or scraping your shins on.

Mick

 

[AndyT]

A single wide board at the top will be plenty strong enough to keep the left hand side square. An extra board at the bottom would almost certainly be in the way of the power sockets that you want to get to for the PC, lamp, radio etc.

 

[sparkus88]

thanks for the replies. Any opinions on furniture boards from B&Q?

 

[Chems]

I've used them for years, but not from B&Q. They are about 3 times more expensive than they should be. I assume you mean the pine laminated boards. You can buy them for about £22 inc vat for a 2400m x 600mm board.

One of your nearby build centers will stock it:

http://www.buildcenter.co.uk/branches/near/Bristol

And if not they'll order it in from a specialist timber center.

 

[kevin dwyer]

hi, this is for sale in northampton, cost about the price of the laminated board you want for the top. Probably won't have sold as it had 23 mins and no buyers. Other than that restore something, like an old 50's oak desk, do the planet a favour ! kev.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Computer-Desk ... 3f166c20c4

 

[Chems]

hi, this is for sale in northampton, cost about the price of the laminated board you want for the top. Probably won't have sold as it had 23 mins and no buyers. Other than that restore something, like an old 50's oak desk, do the planet a favour ! kev.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Computer-Desk ... 3f166c20c4

What will the cost be once he's gotten it back to Bristol? Is that journey doing the planet a favour?

 

[woodbloke]

I've built two 'puter desks similar to the one(s) shown by the OP, both using laminated pine from sheds like B&Poo. On both of them I've incorporated a couple of rails at the back to add rigidity, but I've done it in such a way (using large cross dowels and long screws) that the whole thing becomes 'knock-down' which is quite a useful feature - Rob

 

[fraser]

Hi
I have seen this done with just the top and drawers on one side-nothing to support the other side. How is this done to make it strong enough? Clearly it was fitted into a corner but is battern fixed to the wall enough to support the top?
Thanks

 

[andersonec]

If you put a shelf 150mm down on the left side, full width, with a backboard in it, or even halfway to the back, to stop stuff disappearing to the back, it would give you extra space plus it would brace up the left 'leg'

Andy

 

[sparkus88]

I thought that but I thought she might keep banging her knees on it. I decided on vertical brace between the left and 'middle' leg. I'm also putting a front apron, with a curved design, on which will help with rigidity.