Build a computer desk... what to use for the top?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

My wife has been hounding me for years to replace my computer desk; I bought it in the early 80's, it is cheap stuff, and it is not overly stable.

I decided that perhaps I will build one. My initial question was what should I use for the top?

I found an interesting module design on the American Woodworker blog. Don't think that I am allowed to link to it, but it is called a "modular desk system" and the blog post is from November 17, 2009 and was originally published October 2005 with issue 117.

In the American Woodworker desk, the top uses a plastic laminate with a wood border. Seems that Lee did exactly the same thing

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-Computer-Desk

Should use a laminate? Glass on top of the wood? Just use Waterlox or some other tough finish?

Here is my current computer desk:

MyComputerDeskFrom1982_small.jpg

The large printer on the left is on a table built by a relative of mine long before I was born.... I will fold down a wing and shift it to the left so my new computer desk can be longer. I will also wrap it around to the right a bit so that I will be facing off to the right; in other words, it would fit great in a corner. At least that is what I intend to create.

I have not decided if I will add a partial hutch of sorts or if i will simply add a shelf to the wall.

[John Shuk]

I hate to say this but I wouldn't replace the computer desk. I would buy a laptop and reclaim the space. There is no good reason in my mind to restrict myself to one room anymore to use the computer.
Enjoy what technology has done for us! Take back your home from the computer!
The router and modem can be moved to the corner with the printer. if you have network capability on the printer you can plug it into the router if not you can use a USB to plug in when you need to print.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I hate to say this but I wouldn't replace the computer desk. I would buy a laptop and reclaim the space. There is no good reason in my mind to restrict myself to one room anymore to use the computer.
Enjoy what technology has done for us! Take back your home from the computer!
The router and modem can be moved to the corner with the printer. if you have network capability on the printer you can plug it into the router if not you can use a USB to plug in when you need to print.

For a standard user, perhaps a laptop would suffice. I am not aware of a laptop that is able to contain four hard drives, is just one example of the problem with a laptop for a serious user. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I earn my living with computers and I spend between 6 and 12 hours a day using the computer. Even if I was willing to not use a desktop, I would still need a place to use things like a real keyboard, mouse, and multiple monitors (small monitors are huge productivity killers in my line of work). Hovering over a small laptop on the couch would be too fatiguing to work the hours that I need to get my job done.

I might convince you to dump your table saw because new technology offered a smaller alternative, but you would probably keep and use your workbench even if your saw was smaller.

[Michael W. Clark]

Even if I was willing to not use a desktop, I would still need a place to use things like a real keyboard, mouse, and multiple monitors (small monitors are huge productivity killers in my line of work). Hovering over a small laptop on the couch would be too fatiguing to work the hours that I need to get my job done.

I work from home when I'm not travelling so I feel your pain. I bought a desk but if I had time to do it myself, I would do a large top with 2 two drawer filing cabinets underneath and a keyboard tray. Add wall cabinets with a shelf under them later.

I would use a plywood top and edgebanded. If I was setup in a dedicated room, I might do something a little fancier. My desk is usually covered so I don't see it much.

[Mel Fulks]

You don't need us to design your desk, there are some beautiful laminates and they can look like anything from tortoise shell to any kind of stone .Or use leather ,cloth ,old type linoleum, wood veneer ,sheet metal ,etc. Computer desks seem to be almost as disposable as computers .I would make it decorative and cheap.

[Michael W. Clark]

Andrew
The laminant surface is probably one of the better choices. Get something smooth so it doesn't interfere with writing. Not sure about the cloth top, doesn't seem like it would work well for writing.

Don't let anyone discourage you from building something. Some of the aspects I like about woodworking are the endless possibilities, ability to customize something for my needs, and the joy of using something I made.

Mike

[Andrew Pitonyak]

My first instinct was to use a solid wood surface.... but a friend of mine asked if I was worried about damaging the surface with my sitting and using it all day long. Off hand, a plywood top would allow me to spend less time worrying about wood movement, and I could edge band it with a wood laminate or even solid wood.

Off hand, I have not heard any concerns related to damaging the top, so perhaps a solid wood or even ply would not be a problem. A surface such as Waterlox is pretty tough and I could lay another coat if I needed to revamp it.

I found some plans that look pretty nice that have a laminate surface on top of MDF for the top. The laminate in their example is a dark burgundy and the wood edge banding around the top is Mahogany, and it looks pretty nice. Oh, the side panels are a lace wood veneer on MDF. Off hand, MDF seems pretty heavy and I might prefer furniture grade hardwood plywood, even if it would not look as nice as some of the fancy veneers that I could use. The veneers sure are pretty (http://wood-veneer.com)

Thanks for the comments.

[Tom Fischer]

My computer desk is a mish-mash of store bought stuff and stuff cobbled together from the wood pile (black cherry and birch). But it is all lumber, no lams.
The parts that get used a lot look like they get used a lot, but that's life. If the stuff doesn't go in the dumpster in the next thirty years, people will know I was here.
And I don't listen to my wife about it. It's part of my man-cave.
Try to get a pic later.

[Larry Frank]

I went through the same questions when I built my computer desk. I ended up making out of a good looking laminate top with hardwood around the edges. The top corner has a small 45° bevel cut on it.

I am very happy with it and glad that I did not make it a solid wood top.

[Jay Rasmussen]

I used Oak for the top and pedestals. This photo is from 2001 right after completion. The desk still looks great and works well for me.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Looks very nice....

[Sam Murdoch]

I'm repeating myself here, but MDF with a solid wood edge makes a perfectly great desk top. Finish with poly or Waterlox or paint. An mdf top will stand up to years of abuse. 3/4" thick on some 3/4" rips of ply left over from building the desk base. Cheap, smooth for writing, and looks good too. With a clear coat it finishes to look the shade of corkboard which is a nice compliment to woods from walnut to pine to mahogany to oak, etc.

[Rich Engelhardt]

IMHO - what to use for the top all boils down to what you use the top for.
Mine is mostly a collection point for junk. I have a pull out tray for the wireless keyboard and wireless mouse.

My laptop sits on the top right in front of me and the 2nd monitor is located off to the right.
(nice thing about a laptop is that they come with a 2nd video & it's close enough to the 2nd monitor for the cord to reach - I hated being limited where I could locate the desktop machine based only on how far I could stretch the video cable(s))
The really nice thing about a laptop is how quiet they are...
USB drives solved most of the storage issues along with an old WinXP machine I have in the other room, cabled into the wireless router and shared out over the LAN.

But - I understand 100% - a laptop isn't for everyone.
They are getting closer and closer to desktop units though w/each generation.
But - the final cost of outfitting a laptop vs a desktop is still a whole lot more $$.

Anywho - back to the issue @ hand - the top..
It goes back to what I said above about what you actually use it for.
Do you use it for a writing surface or anything like a work/assembly surface?
If not, then a nice wood top would be what I'd like.
LOL!
Maybe it would encourage me to keep all the crap off of it if I had something nice to look at.

[Steve Meliza]

But - I understand 100% - a laptop isn't for everyone.
They are getting closer and closer to desktop units though w/each generation.
But - the final cost of outfitting a laptop vs a desktop is still a whole lot more $$.

My wife has a laptop that does everything she needs, but it isn't enough machine for me as I do more than use Facebook and email. To build a desktop computer with performance similar to any given laptop would be cheaper, but the whole point of the desktop is performance so they actually can be more expensive. They're not really getting closer every generation, it's more that the performance of laptops is getting better so more and more people are able to switch over to them. If you don't believe me on either of these I'll let you compare the i7-990x in my desktop to any laptop CPU.

If you're going for quick and cheap use oak ply as shown by Tom Clark in Practical Shop Cabinets (he shows a desk as well). If you're going to nice and have a big budget why not go solid? If it were me I'd rather keep using the desk you have now than use MDF or laminate, but that's just me liking wood over plastic and sawdust.

[Matt Meiser]

You still use onboard storage?
(just kidding)

I wouldn't use plywood, I'd use laminate or solid wood. Plywood won't be nearly as repairable when you start to wear the area in front of where you sit as there's a good chance of sanding through the veneer.

Or you could do something alternate like stone, synthetic stone, or even glass. If you wanted a modern look, there's some really cool glass countertops that can be underlit.