Desk width

[Steven Bolton]

I want to build an L shaped desk for my home office. I am wondering if there is an ideal width? 24 inches? I want to have drawers under the desk and those would use the 21 inch Blum undermount slides.

Room is done in pine. Use pine for edging on the desk and formica on the top? Is pine too soft?

Thanks for any advice.

Steve Bolton

[Jamie Buxton]

The ideal depth depends somewhat upon how you use a desk. If you put a flatscreen monitor on it, and put a keyboard tray in front of it, you may not need much more than 15". If you spread out big sheets of paper, you may want 36" depth. Me, I put the keyboard and a flatscreen on it, and that takes about 24".

You can get Tandems in other lengths than the one you mentioned. You can also get similar slides from other manufacturers in a greater variety of lengths than Tandems. For instance, Knape Vogt has ten lengths between 9" and 22".

Pine is soft enough that if you write with a ball-point pen on a sheet of paper on top of the desk, you'll leave an impression. If you don't mind rustic, that works. Hardwoods or formica will be tougher.

[Frank Drew]

Steve,

Yellow pine is harder than white pine and has some grain interest. What kind of pine is the room done in? For edging, just about anything would do but white pine will show dings more than most other woods.


Don't neglect to formica both surfaces of the desk (to help prevent warping).

[Prashun Patel]

If you're going to formica it, then why not just make it 3/4" plywood or mdf? I'd make it double-thick to 1 1/2". It'll be more stable than solid stock. The only reason to use a 'showier' piece of wood or ply is if you want to leave it open and clearcoated.

[Steven Bolton]

The room is done in knotty pine, locally grown in Northern Minnesota.

Thanks for input.

Steve Bolton

[Steven Bolton]

Wow, I need to formica both sides?

Sb

[Jim Becker]

My Ikea Effectiv modular desk system is 30" deep and I find that to be about right for being able to spread out and work.

On the laminate thing, it's generally a good idea to do both sides, but you don't need to do the expensive laminate on the bottom...get "backer" laminate for the other side. You don't need this for kitchen counters, but for a desk system where a good portion of the top is effectively "unsupported", the backer keeps it more stable and flat.

[Luis Oliveira]

I built my on L shape desk and I made it 24" deep. I am using a flat panel monitor. I can include a picture of it if you like... I made my out of pecan and pecan plywood (cabinet grade).

[Charlie Plesums]

I agree that 24 inches is adequate with a flat screen and keyboard tray.

There are common depths, but not "standards" or requirements...

Student desk - 24 inches deep
Office desk - 30 inches deep
Old fashioned partner desk (one person on each side) 36 inches deep
Executive desk (with knee space for visitor) 36 inches deep

Note that if you add a keyboard tray, you have added about 6 inches useful depth, so the "student" desk with keyboard starts to look like a 30 inch office desk

[Steven Bolton]

Luis I would really like a photo.

Thanks

Steve Bolton

[Karl Brogger]

If you're messy like me and your desk becomes a dumping ground for misc crap I say go for the 36", or at least 30". My top is a maple butcher block that is 30" X 84" and there still isn't always enough room. but I'm messy.

[Frank Drew]

Steve,

Even man made sheet goods like plywood or MDF need to be treated a bit like wood -- anything you do to one side (finish, formica, veneer, etc.) should be done to the other, to balance both the moisture uptake and "pull" on the material.

[Glenn Clabo]

From a Formica Tech Brief...

For critical applications requiring a well-balanced assembly (doors, etc.), the same laminate or skin should be applied on both sides. Less critical applications may only
require a cabinet liner or phenolic backer. Small components and mechanically
restrained panels (countertops, etc.), on the other hand, may not need balancing sheets.