The number of people working from home has shot up by 9.4% in the pandemic, according to ONS figures, and while many have returned to the office, plenty will be looking forward to a future spent working at least partly from their home HQ.
If that sounds like you, then a good desk is a must for your workspace, but instead of paying thousands for one, have you ever considered building your own? Here’s how.
Step one: measure the room
You need to know what kind of space you are working with, so start out by measuring the area you intend the desk to fit in. Also be sure to measure how tall you want the desk to be so you can comfortably and ergonomically work with your legs beneath it, and measure the doorway so you can be sure the desk can be easily move inside and out of the room without needing to be disassembled.
Step two: gather your tools and materials
If you want to create a great finish for your desk, you will need to invest in quality wood, and either buy or rent quality tools. A circular saw is a must, as this will allow you to cut your materials quickly and effectively. A workbench is also important too, alongside a belt sander, power drill, and electric screwdriver.
A set of pincers can help if you need to remove any misplaced nails from the wood without damaging the material, and you’ll need to pick a range of screws and nails best suited to your chosen material and design. Paint or wood stain is also a must-have – think how you want your desk to fit in with your overall décor before you choose.
Step three: design your desk
How much space will your desk require? Are you going to just be writing on it – either using paper or a small laptop – or do you need space for a second monitor, widescreen, or desktop? Do you need filing storage or a space to stack books?
Make a list of all the things you need, then design the desk, utilising the measurements from earlier, as well as the dimensions of your chosen materials. Mark the size of components, measurements, and fixings on this plan – it’ll make it much easier to create later on.
Step four: build your desk
Start out by cutting the wood (boards, legs, and any other features) to the right dimensions, then sand all pieces thoroughly with rough and fine paper so they are smooth and ready to be painted or stained. Stain or paint, then let them thoroughly dry – you may want to apply multiple coats for a finer finish.
Next, either glue, nail, or screw the boards together. It’s a good idea to affix the legs using wood screws as this will give them extra stability, and using multiple fixings per piece of wood will make the structure much more hard-wearing.
And there you have it. All you need to do now is move your homemade desk to your office, and get working!
You can also check some awesome desk at Turismo Racing.
