New fast-and-cheap office desk

[Jason White]

I need to build an L-shaped office desk (because I can't find what I'm looking for in a store), but don't have much time to spend building something too elaborate.

Has anybody ever made a desk using an off-the-shelf solid-core door slab from a home center? I think they're MDF with luan skins. Heavy buggers, so I imagine they would make for a pretty nice desk top.

Any suggestions or know where I could find some plans for such a thing?

Jason

[David DeCristoforo]

One of those and two "two drawer" file cabinets.... instant desk. No "building" required!

[David G Baker]

Jason,
I agree with David. If you shop you can get the 2 drawer file cabinets under $50 each. The file cabinets are better than most desk drawers in my opinion but just not as pretty.

[Bryan Parlor]

I need to build an L-shaped office desk (because I can't find what I'm looking for in a store), but don't have much time to spend building something too elaborate.

Has anybody ever made a desk using an off-the-shelf solid-core door slab from a home center? I think they're MDF with luan skins. Heavy buggers, so I imagine they would make for a pretty nice desk top.

Any suggestions or know where I could find some plans for such a thing?

Jason

I would use a hollow core interior door and cut it down to size.

The interior doors are available in smaller widths and can be bought as seconds for less than $10.

To cut it put tape on the cut line to minimise splintering. When its cut insert an piece off 1x in the open end and glue it in. You could do a mitered corner for the L shape or just butt them.

The picture shows a cut down door in our bedroom - it sits on a stereo stand and the other end rests on a 1x1 screwed to the wall.

Bryan

[John W. Willis]

What David and David said, I love mine and everybody that sees it wants one.

[Rob Diz]

One of those and two "two drawer" file cabinets.... instant desk. No "building" required!

I made mine "in a hurry" in 1988. My Dad helped me finish the door with a nice coat of shellac.

I'm still using that desk - the simplicity and the raw utility cannot be overstated. Frankly, by the time you buy a sheet of BORG plywood, some glides, and some feet for your base cabinets, (that's before your oops paint in a color you can stand) you have already spent about what an inexpensive set of two drawer metal cabinets will cost you. All of the joy - none of the cost.