The lumber we used to build our desktop
As you may know by now, this whole “turning a bedroom into an office” project idea started when we decided to resolve the lack of desk space in what was then our home “office”.
We started painting the room. Then we went ahead and used an old desk from craigslist to build our new desk. And finally, we moved on to the last part of the project, building a wood desktop.
This was not your typical desktop, though, but one that is long enough for a double desk, so both of us can work at the same time. It is 11 ft. and 6 inches long to be exact, and on this post, we show you how we did it.
HOW TO BUILD A SOLID WOOD DESKTOP USING FRAMING LUMBER
As we usually do when working on most projects, the first thing we did was getting all the necessary tools and supplies we needed to build the desktop. Because we are always working on home projects, we already had most of them. The complete list includes:
- Screwdrivers, hand tools and personal protective equipment (always useful)
- Framing Lumber (we used (2) 2”x 10”x 12’s and (1) 2” x 8”x 12’)
- 1 Large trigger and 2 small trigger clamps
- 2 pieces of 2”x 4” (preferably as wide as the desktop you are building)
- Stands (or anything you can use to support the lumber while you work on it)
- Mini Jig Hole Kit & Pencil
- Drill & drill accessories
- 2inch Wood Screws
- Table Saw (optional)
- Epoxy Resin (optional)
- Sander (optional)
- Sand paper (different grits)
- Wood Stain
- Paintbrush
- Cleaning Rags
STEP 1: CUT THE LUMBER TO THE CORRECT DESKTOP LENGTH
The first thing we did before we could even start putting the desktop together was using the table saw to cut the (2) 2x10s and the 2×8 to the correct (11’ 6”) length. They all were 12’ long, so we ended up cutting about 6 inches from each one of them.
You may not even have to deal with this step if you have them cut at the store. I would worry, though, about the three pieces being the exact same length if they do it for you.
STEP 2: POSITION THE LUMBER ON THE STANDS OR WORK SURFACE
Once we brought the lumber home, we set up a work area in the garage. We used a couple of wooden stands we have (they cannot be seen in the photos) to set the lumber so we could work on the desktop.
At this point, we also decided what sides of the lumber were going to use for the desktop. We chose the sides with the least amount of cracks or scratches on them.
As I’m sure you can see, the boards were not perfectly straight. Not even close, actually, so that’s why the next step is a very important one.
STEP 3: CLAMP THE LUMBER BOARDS TO KEEP THEM AS STRAIGHT AND AS CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AS POSSIBLE
Clamping the lumber boards together will help you make sure that the desktop is as straight as possible.
To do this, we used the long clamp from one side of the desktop to the other one to keep the boards as close to each other as possible. We also used the 2x4s and the small clamps to try to keep them as flat as we could.
Using the clamps to hold the lumber pieces as close to each other and straight as possible
STEP 4: DRILL HOLES USING THE MINI JIG, THEN SCREW THE BOARDS TO EACH OTHER
With the clamps on and tight, we then used the mini jig to drill the holes we would then use to screw the three boards together. We would drill two or three holes, set the screws and then move the clamps and the 2x4s to the next position. Basically, we repeated steps 3 and 4 several times until we covered the whole length of the desktop.
Screwing the boards to each other
The process of clamping, drilling and screwing the lumber boards to each other
STEP 5 (OPTIONAL): USE THE EPOXY RESIN TO FILL UP WOOD CRACKS AND SEAMS
This step is not absolutely necessary.
Please read the following before proceeding:
Even though the epoxy resin is stainable, it ended up being a bit lighter than the rest of the wood. We were looking for some kind of distressed finish, though, so this actually helped us achieve it. However, if you would like a more uniform finish you may want to complete this step after staining, or not at all.
If you decide to do it after staining, you would have to re-stain the desktop after sanding. Doing this would make the desktop darker, we didn’t want that. It is a matter of personal preference I guess.
Anyway, we did want our desktop to be as smooth as possible. We also didn’t want dust to start accumulating in the seams. So, right after we finished screwing all the boards to each other, we went ahead and filled up all the wood cracks and seams with epoxy resin.
The epoxy resin we used to fill up all the cracks and seams
Filling up all cracks and seams with epoxy resin
We let it dry for about 72 hours before moving on to the next step.
STEP 6: GIVE THE NEW DESKTOP A SMOOTHER FINISH WITH SOME SANDING
As I said in the previous step, we wanted our new desktop to be as smooth as possible, to achieve this smoothness, I sanded like never before. I started with 60 grit, then 120, then 220 and finally 400. As you may imagine, it is very smooth.
Sanding the desktop after filling up all cracks and seams with epoxy resin
STEP 7: USE YOUR FAVORITE STAIN TO FINISH THE NEW DESKTOP
To finish the desktop, Carla was in charge of staining it.
She brushed on a coat of stain with a paintbrush, then waited a few minutes to wipe it off with a rag.
Staining the new wood desktop
A couple of hours later, she repeated the process, for a total of two coats of stain. We let it dry for a couple of days before completing the installation.
The 11 ft, 6 inches desktop we built for our home office desk right before installation
STEP 8: COMPLETE THE NEW DESKTOP INSTALLATION
This is a step Carla was not looking forward to. We had to carry this heavy piece from the garage to the office. Due to its length, it was a bit of a pain. But about ten minutes later, we were done and ready to secure the new desktop in its final position.
The new DIY home office desk ready for us to start using it
STEP 9 (OR IS IT 4.5?): DRILL HOLES TO RUN POWER CORDS OR OTHER CABLES
This is something we should have done between steps 4 and 5. However, it wasn’t until we had already installed the new desktop that we realized that we didn’t drill any holes to run cables, etc. Oh well, we went ahead and drilled three of them (left, center and right side of the desktop).
Drilling holes for power cords
Right after drilling the holes, we were ready to start enjoying our new desk!
Our home office desk and solid wood desktop
A different angle of our new home office
Readers, what do you think of our new home office and desk?
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Hi. I just completed this same job, thank you! My question is, do I have to apply anything on top of the stain? Like some sort of polyurethane or sealer?
Hello, Steve,
Thanks for your comment and for reading our blog.
I’m glad our post was useful! We didn’t apply anything to it, but you certainly can!
Can you share some pictures?
Have a great day!
Hi Tony,
It looks like you clamped the boards together before drilling the holes with the jig. If so, it would seem that you’d be unable to clamp down the jig to prevent it from moving. At what step in the process did you drill the jig holes, before clamping the boards together, or after? Any details you can provide would be most appreciated as your project has inspired me to try my hand at making a desk the same way!
Hello, Steve,
Thanks for your comment and for reading our blog.
I clamped the boards, drilled the holes with the jig, put the screws in, and moved the clamps. I repeated the process until I had covered the whole length of the desktop. This was the only way I could think of to make sure that the desktop was as flat & leveled as possible.
You are right that doing it this way makes it difficult to clamp down the jig to drill the holes, so I didn’t. I just held it in place with one hand while I drilled the holes slowly. Once I got the hole going, I could go a little bit faster and deeper with the drill, no issues. You could definitely drill the holes first, but you’d still have to move the clamps the whole length of the boards to make sure that they are flat/leveled when putting the screws in.
We’re happy to hear our project inspired you to build a similar desk, let us know how it goes!
Hello Tony,
Just did something based on your idea, and here are some lessons learned:
Fir will warp less than pine. Go with fir.
Stain before applying resin for an uniform look (you mentioned that). Stain before joining boards.
Consider using 1-1/2 inch cable grommets hole covers for the desk, rather that just a hole for cables
Highlight the use of one 2″x4″ on each side of the desk when joining, and use screws on farther than 6″ from each other to join the boards
If you are going for full-epoxy, then it will take a lot – likely three quarts. Get a respirator too if you can afford it.
A couple of 2″x4″ can be used underneath the desk if you want extra rigidity.
Thank you for your post, it was a great way to have a custom-sized desk!
Pablo
Hello, Pablo,
Thank you for sharing your experience!
We are glad our post was helpful! We know there’s always room for improvement, so we welcome your suggestions/lessons learned.
Can you share a picture of your desk? (You can email it to me at tony@cheapesthouseontheblock.com).
Have a great day!
I am considering doing this but would like it to be seamless between the joint of the boards. Did the epoxy make it seamless?
Hello, Howard,
Thanks for your comment and for reading our blog.
The epoxy makes it “seamless” because you do not have the gap between the boards. However, because it is clear, the “gaps” or joints can still be seen. If you are looking for a truly seamless desktop, I would recommend using some plywood. Although, I would think it may be hard to find anything longer than 8ft if you go that route.
Let us know how the project goes!
Where did you get the file cabinets?
Hello, Anthony,
Thanks for your comment and for reading our blog.
In the previous post, we showed the old desk we bought and used for the office.
Click here to check it out!
Are you working on a similar project?
I made something similar to this. But it has warped. How would you keep this from happening? I think I may need to make another one.
Thanks
Hello, Aryka,
Thanks for your comment and for reading our blog.
I’m sorry to hear your desktop has warped.
Did you get the best boards you could find at the store? We checked all three of them carefully, they were not perfectly straight, but they were the best we could find.
Also, did you screw them together every 6 inches or so like we did? The epoxy in the seams also helps keep them together. Ours is also screwed to the desk and to the wall (in a couple of places).
Finally, how humid is it where you live and inside your house? High humidity will make the boards warp and twist.
Hi
Thanks for the reply. I didn’t screw them together but I added several pieces of wood spaced evenly to secure them together. I did not use an epoxy but I did seal it. It was in my garage for about 3 days drying before I moved it to my office. I have it sitting on 3 metal file cabinets, I was thinking of securing it with bolts but wasn’t sure if that would work?
You’re welcome, Aryka,
I believe that if you somehow can secure it (bolt it as you say) to the file cabinets, that should help keep it straight. I’m trying to imagine your set up. If you used three boards as we did, You will need to put a bolt on each one of them to keep all three tight and prevent warping.
Pictures would be helpful.
Let us know how it goes!
Where did you get the bases?
Hello, Sasha,
Thanks for your comment and for reading our blog.
We answer your question in our previous post.
Are you building something similar? Let us know how it goes!
Are the pocket holes on the under side of the desktop? As in you flipped the desk over after screwing all 3 pieces together?
I’m just thinking the 2×4’s keep side A flat, wouldn’t side B not be as flat?
Hello Cari,
Thanks for your comment and for reading our blog.
To answer your questions, yes, the pocket holes are on the underside of the desktop, they cannot be seen unless you get your head down there.
As far as the 2x4s, I understand your concern, but we used two of them. One on top, (which you can clearly see in the pictures) and one on the bottom (which is visible but not very obvious), both sides are equally flat.
Are you working on a similar project?
Hi Tony,
Yes, my 14 yr old has been wanting a desk in his room, and I’m toying around with the idea of building a simple one. My main concern is how to make sure the top of the desk is flat for writing and his computer.
Thanks!
That’s great, Cari,
I would say that if you do it the same way we did it, you should not have any problems with it not being flat. We use our computers and write on our desk all the time.
Let us know how it goes!
Tony.
When applying the epoxy, before staining, did you only fill the cracks first, then stain? Then afterward epoxy the entire desktop? I’m trying to recreate your table top look on one I’m building.
Hello, John,
Thanks for your comment and for reading our blog.
We applied the epoxy to fill the gaps, cracks, etc., and then stained it. We did not apply the epoxy to the entire desktop.
The problem with the way we did it is that once you apply the epoxy, the stain will not penetrate the wood in those areas (that’s why some areas of the desktop are darker than others – rustic look), not sure if this is what you are trying to recreate?
If you want the rustic look but still want to epoxy the whole desktop (this would make it more durable), you can always apply another coat of epoxy after staining.
If you want a uniform finish, then I would stain it first, and then apply the epoxy.
Let us know how it goes!
So does the epoxy fill in the seams so it is basically a smooth/flat surface, like a solid piece of wood?
Hello Kevin, that is absolutely right. We didn’t want to have open seams for dust and other stuff to start accumulating in between the boards.
Thanks for the reply! So, if I’m trying to save money by using planks instead of solid wood, I guess this would be a good way to get as flat a surface as possible since I will be using as a desktop and writing sometimes?
Hello, Kevin, what kind of planks are you using? Framing lumber is not too expensive. They do require more work (sanding) for the desktop as they are sometimes rough, not very smooth, etc.
That wood sure looks great! Nice job!
Thanks, Dave.
We definitely like how it turned out, we’re glad to hear you like it as well!