Build an L-shaped desk

[Repeat3]

Hello,

And congratulations to all of you who maintain this board - a fantastic service to novices like me!

I'm looking to try to build a desk to fit in the corner of my room, at a decent height from the floor and depth from the wall to allow me to sit comfortably. It will be freestanding too, and as cheap as possible to finish. I've always been too scared/lacking knowledge to even begin, but seeing a similar project online makes it look so straightforward:

http://www.mikeslone.org/2003/12/31/0001

This model is a bit big for my requirements but the construction makes sense to me, but I don't recognise the same materials in any UK store websites. And where to find legs?

Can anyone give me some thoughts about this and suggestions about where to find the materials in the UK?

Cheers!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Ikea: best place for cheap legs, b&q do legs too, more pricey though

 

[Scrit]

I have to agree with Freddy. My home office has an L-shaped desk and all the "chassis" parts were purchased from IKEA, including the less than wonderful CPU bracket (but I won't talk about that here). The material for the top could be melamine-faced chipboard (MFC) or melamine-faced MDF (MF-MDF) in 18mm with ironed-on edgebanding, or you could use veneered chipboard or veneered MDF with ironed-on pre-glued. In the UK birch plywood is going to cost a bomb and require a lot of work to finish it. The main limitation is that the biggest sheet you'll be able to handle will be 8 x 4ft - and how you get that home is the biggest headache of all. I've found the IKEA chassis to give good support to 18mm sheet material (i.e they don't bow much even with a 20in monitor, laser prionter, scanner, books, etc on top). The main thing to do a neat job is to cut the edges with a meaty router running against a smooth template rather than to try doing the job with a jigsaw.

For sheet materials and matching edge banding try a timber & sheet materials or plywood supplier such as Timbmet (whio we have round here and who have a branch in Glasgow as well)

Scrit

 

[big-all]

heeeelllooo Repeat3 and welcome


heres my thruppense worth in another thread

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=501765#501765

once you know the height and depth you want you start looking for small cabinets and chest of dawers you could use for support

with legs its not just a case of screwing to the top you need a supporting framework

 

[Scrit]

BA my desk is built on a trio of I-shaped end "legs" with a backbone and crossmembers. This is the same base that IKEA use on their own range of business desks but mine are non-standard sizes

Scrit

 

[big-all]

sorry scrit comments whernt aimed at you

just didnt know if Repeat3 would realise what was involved

although it looks like visit to ikea may be good as i have never been there

 

[Repeat3]

Thanks very much guys, I appreciate your advice.

Scrit - can you say how much your desk cost to build?

 

[Scrit]

although it looks like visit to ikea may be good as i have never been there

You'll hate it - I do every time I'm forced to go........

But the meatballs are OK - if you like Swedish meatballs, that is

 

[big-all]

although it looks like visit to ikea may be good as i have never been there

You'll hate it - I do every time I'm forced to go........

But the meatballs are OK - if you like Swedish meatballs, that is

hate as in you want to spend to much money
or hate because its frustraiting/to busy/not in stock !!!!!!

and i do love [the clinical little ones you get in a tin ]meatballs
assuming they are the larger variety i will have a feast