Hardwood kitchen worktop - suitable as office desk?

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I'm refitting a small room as home office. I want to have a full-width (wall-to-wall) desk under a window along the short wall. Span is 2700mm. Supports along edges and back wall would be screwed into studs.

I'm looking at using a 27mm x 720mm length of hardwood kitchen worktop - beech, with 40mm staves. Would this be a suitable surface for an office desk? Am I likely to need additional support - eg cantilever from the back wall? I'd like minimal interference with legroom under the desk, so would rather not put "legs" mid-span. Any better way of support? Or any material better to use (laminated chipboard, for example?) If so, where do I buy from?

Finally, do these hardwood worktops take varnish well - I'd rather use varnish than oil.

Thanks for help.
 
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I built my office desk from a new 3M x 600mm x 40mm beech block effect laminated kitchen worktop. Its mounted at 800mm to allow for the under desk keyboard table & still be able to get your knees under it. The desk is 1.9M wide, supported by timber brackets on the opposing side walls with a centre support leg at the back, also made from beech laminate off cut but it’s unsupported at the front; the back leg gives it all the support it needs. Using some telescopic slider brackets I “acquired”, I also made up a 900mm wide under desk keyboard table which accommodates keyboard, mouse mat, zip drive, wireless unit + & all sorts of other junk. I also fitted a 50mm up stand along the back & mounted it 100mm off the wall to allow all cables to access over the back - PC box, printers fax etc. with a 22” widescreen LCD screen mounted on the wall. I’ve been using it 2 years now & it’s perfect, leaves the top of the desk completely clutter free for whatever you’re doing.
 
Check first that you are happy with the depth of the worktop.

You may be ok for, say, using a laptop but if you want a keyboard monitor printer and working papers around you may find, as I did, that the double edged island worktop at 900mm is better. Mine is only laminate not wood and was rounded on both sides so I cut a strip off the back and used it as an upstand to hide cables behind.
 
My desk is made from floorboards ;) but of course (also works as extra large sample boards).
 
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Cheers Haitch

720mm will be fine for depth - I've measured it out. Plenty room for 19" flat-screen monitor, keyboard and elbows :D
 
I'm refitting a small room as home office. I want to have a full-width (wall-to-wall) desk under a window along the short wall. Span is 2700mm. Supports along edges and back wall would be screwed into studs.

I'm looking at using a 27mm x 720mm length of hardwood kitchen worktop - beech, with 40mm staves. Would this be a suitable surface for an office desk? Am I likely to need additional support - eg cantilever from the back wall? I'd like minimal interference with legroom under the desk, so would rather not put "legs" mid-span. Any better way of support? Or any material better to use (laminated chipboard, for example?) If so, where do I buy from?

Finally, do these hardwood worktops take varnish well - I'd rather use varnish than oil.

Thanks for help.

I'm looking to do something similar in my home office under a window. Span of 2300mm between walls. I was hoping to use kitchen worktop 40mm thk 720mm wide.
Side and back walls plaster on masonry. The plan is to support worktop on battens fixed to back & side walls. Does this sound feasible or is there a chance of sagging? If not are battens the best means of support?
Thanks in advance.

Ps. fantastically useful and interesting forum
 
Comedyjules; great you like the forum but please start your own thread rather than hijack someone else’s regardless of how relevant your question might seem. Hijacking is against forum rules & leads to confusion, even more so when the original thread is over 2 years old. ;)
 
I'm refitting a small room as home office. I want to have a full-width (wall-to-wall) desk under a window along the short wall. Span is 2700mm. Supports along edges and back wall would be screwed into studs.

I'm looking at using a 27mm x 720mm length of hardwood kitchen worktop - beech, with 40mm staves. Would this be a suitable surface for an office desk? Am I likely to need additional support - eg cantilever from the back wall? I'd like minimal interference with legroom under the desk, so would rather not put "legs" mid-span. Any better way of support? Or any material better to use (laminated chipboard, for example?) If so, where do I buy from?

Finally, do these hardwood worktops take varnish well - I'd rather use varnish than oil.


Thanks for help.

I'm looking to do something similar in my home office under a window. Span of 2300mm between walls. I was hoping to use kitchen worktop 40mm thk 720mm wide.
Side and back walls plaster on masonry. The plan is to support worktop on battens fixed to back & side walls. Does this sound feasible or is there a chance of sagging? If not are battens the best means of support?
Thanks in advance.

Ps. fantastically useful and interesting forum

At 2300mm you also have the option of using veneered mdf or ply
and can have it up to 1220 wide.
I have a desk made with 18mm oak block-board and oiled, easier surface to maintain than varnish.
 

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