DIY guide · Desks
Desks on legs, desks built into alcoves and desks that fold off the wall, at the height that suits you. What to build, how it goes together, and plans made to measure.
IllustrationWhere to start
A weekend
A thick top on a drawer pedestal and a panel leg. Square, solid and done in a weekend.
Two weekends
Drawers on runners, a grommet with a cable tray, and shelves above on the wall.
Two weekends
Wall to wall in an alcove or under a window, scribed to the walls, with shelves and storage around it.
Types of desks
IllustrationA top on a drawer pedestal and a panel leg. Clean, solid and the right first desk.
See the plan
IllustrationBuilt into the recess beside a chimney breast, with shelves above. A study that takes no floor.
See the plan
IllustrationWall to wall for two, with shelves above and drawers under. Room for the whole household's paperwork.
Design yours
IllustrationA cabinet on the wall with a flap that opens into a desk. Made for a hallway or a corner of the bedroom.
Design yours
IllustrationSleep up high and work underneath. The best use of a small room's floor.
Design yours
IllustrationThe desk for making things: a thick top, drawers below and a pegboard above.
Design yoursPlans
Each one becomes a 3D model, a cut list, drilling maps and step-by-step instructions, at the size you need.
Fit it to you
Set your height, sitting or standing. See the desk, chair and screen heights that keep your shoulders down and your back straight.
From average body proportions. Try a few centimetres either way; your plan uses the numbers you give it.
Before you design
720 to 750 mm suits most adults in a standard chair. If you can, sit at a table and measure where your forearms rest level.
600 mm is enough for a laptop. A monitor at arm’s length wants 700 mm or more.
A top that spans more than about 1,200 mm between supports needs a rail under the back edge, or a thicker top.
Decide where the power comes from. A grommet at the back and a tray underneath keep the surface clear.
Joints
A desk gets leaned on, written on and pushed. These four details keep it steady.
Legs fixed at the corners and a rail under the back edge. The rail stops the top racking and sagging.
Brackets or bolts
Full-extension runners for the pedestal, so the back of the bottom drawer is as easy to reach as the front.
Runners and a fitting jig
A hole at the back of the top with a grommet in it, and a tray underneath for the extension lead.
60 mm hole saw
Shelves and fold-down desks hang on a bevelled cleat. Level it once and the weight pulls everything tight to the wall.
Saw set to 45°, spirit level
Materials
| Material | Cost | Stiffness | Edges | Finish | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birch plywood | €€€ | Layered edge: show it off or band it | Oil or lacquer | Tops and pedestals that take knocks | |
| Furniture linoleum on plywood | €€€ | Band the plywood edge in oak | Ready finished | Warm, matte tops that are kind to wrists | |
| Oak | €€€ | Solid wood, no banding needed | Hardwax oil | Tops you will touch every day | |
| MDF | €€€ | Smooth, paints well once sealed | Paint | Painted pedestals and shelves |
Tools
Enough for every first-build plan here.
No saw? Most timber merchants cut sheets to a list. Take the cut list from your plan and pick the panels up ready to drill.
Each one opens up a new kind of build.
Safety
A desk on legs needs no fixing. A built-in top, a fold-down desk or the shelves above carry someone leaning on them, so they fix into something solid.
Something else in mind?
Say it the way you would to a carpenter. Caminu draws it, checks the spans and writes the guide.
Questions
720 to 750 mm suits most adults in a standard chair. If you can, sit at a table and measure where your forearms rest level.
600 mm is enough for a laptop. A monitor at arm’s length wants 700 mm or more.
In 18 mm plywood, about 1,200 mm between supports. Beyond that add a rail under the back edge, a thicker top or a leg in the middle.
A fixed one, yes: the desk height check on this page gives the height for you. For one that moves, buy a motorised frame and make the top.
From the blog
Keep going
Show Caminu your room and describe the piece. You get the 3D model, the cut list and the assembly guide.
