Desk Idea

[sgunnery87]

To go with my new build that I am wanting to do I am toying with the idea of build my own desk to suit my build.

My current desk is a metal desk picked up from a 2nd hand store for £20 it is 2 and half feet in width and 2 and half feet in height with a pull out keyboard on it I have my current pc on it with my xbox 360 and a 24" LCD TV

I want to do a build keeping roughly the same dimensions (my new case is a lot bigger than my current one) I have been looking at 18mm thick plywood for the desktop and the bottom to hold my new build and xbox I can find a 8 x 4 foot piece of that online for about £20 the legs or side panels are were I am struggling I was looking a timber at 3.6m in length and was going to cut them each the same size glue them to the desktop peice and then use screws I would like a keyboard tray but don't know what to look for to do that is it runners and possibly wheels attached to the bottom of the desk for mobility.

Any ideas am I going down the right route does anyone have any recommendations??

 

[alienware]

You need to use MDF unless you want to fork out for Brazilian birch ply, which at last check is about £60.

Any other plywood will be rough and you will end up with splinters. It also looks cack too (apart from the birch).

 

[hmmblah]

You need to use MDF unless you want to fork out for Brazilian birch ply, which at last check is about £60.

Any other plywood will be rough and you will end up with splinters. It also looks cack too (apart from the birch).

Huh? Don't agree at all. There are all sorts of plywoods out there. With my desk project I used 3/4" oak veneered plywood. Looks pretty damn good IMO. Not sure what you mean about splinters unless you are talking OSB and not plywood.

To the OP, you will need some kind of support underneath the top otherwise with plywood, particle board, mdf, etc you will get warping.

Here's my project. Was going to actually finish this week, but the heat and humidity are too high to apply the final coats of poly.

http://forum.overclock3d.net/index.php?/topic/35066-new-desk/

 

[alienware]

You live in America, where fine wood is in abundance

For £20 over here you usually get some pressure treated ply for external use.

 

[hmmblah]

You live in America, where fine wood is in abundance

For £20 over here you usually get some pressure treated ply for external use.

I figured Europe would at least have a selection, you have some beautiful country and plenty of area to grow trees. Good wood isn't cheap here by any stretch of the imagination. The oak plywood I bought for the desk was $50 per 8' x 4' sheet. Needed 3 of them. If I would have used solid oak it would easily have been double. When it's all said and done I'll have about $300 into the build, plus my time. For $300 though, the best prebuilt desk you can get would be made of cheap MDF and would fall apart within a few years.

 

[alienware]

Everything is a con here dude. I mean sheeeet I remember going into Lowes in Ohio and being blown away by the selection tbh. We're just not big wood users if I'm honest. Houses are all brick so we don't bring in as much as you guys do.

 

[sgunnery87]

I figured Europe would at least have a selection, you have some beautiful country and plenty of area to grow trees. Good wood isn't cheap here by any stretch of the imagination. The oak plywood I bought for the desk was $50 per 8' x 4' sheet. Needed 3 of them. If I would have used solid oak it would easily have been double. When it's all said and done I'll have about $300 into the build, plus my time. For $300 though, the best prebuilt desk you can get would be made of cheap MDF and would fall apart within a few years.

I took a look at your design for you desk very well done

I was looking at a hardware store here in the UK found some plywood in 8 x 4 sheets at 3/4 inch (18mm) thick it looks like it will do the job

After speaking to my girlfriend I have decided to put the desk design on hold though as I will make do with what I have due to current space in my house will look more into when we move.