Large floating desk - seems plausible?

[JamesD67]

Hi all, first post here.

I'm currently refurbing my home office, and got my heart set on a large floating desk, done a lot of planning, but would be good to get a bit of review from people who almost certainly have more experience than me!

So, the desk is going to be 2610mm x 700mm - a large span, covering the full length from the window on the left to the wall on the right.

All 3 walls are brick
I'm planning on fixing 70mm x 70mm battens across the full length of the 3 sides, fixed with beefy concrete screws, straight into the masonry.
Then, in addition, i was planning on use 2 or 3 of these 600m span L-brackets across the width.

Heavy Duty Bracket For Heavy Loads Floating Desk Benches Shelf Sink Basins Fish Tank

NEXT DAY DISPATCH | WE CAN MAKE ANY SIZE YOU NEED. REALY STRONG BRACKETS FOR HEAVY LOADS (Floating Desk, Benches, Shelf, Sink, Basins, Concrete Sink and much more)

www.weldpress.co.uk

The desktop itself would be 40mm thick full stave iroko kitchen worktop from here:

Iroko Full Stave Worktops - Top Worktops

Iroko Full Stave Worktops. Tel 0208 279 8585

www.topworktops.co.uk

Anyone with more experience built something like this, or have an opinion on whether it should be strong enough to not sag?
My preferred option is that its fully floating, but i guess my fall back is add a couple of legs to support if needs be.
Going to wall mount the 3 monitors to save on load too - other than that, there won't be anything of weight on the desktop - just my elbows and the actual weight of the desktop i guess.
Used a sag calculator, https://woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/, and seems to be acceptable, without the L brackets.

Feels like i've planned all i can to give it the best shot of being sturdy, but it's my first time doing something like this, so being extra cautious.
Anything i've missed, or planned wrong fixings etc?

Thanks in advance for any feedback

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Used a sag calculator, https://woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/, and seems to be acceptable, without the L brackets.

If it sags at the front edge, you could add a vertical timber along the edge, to give extra bracing, or add filing cabinets below, to take some of the weight.

 

[Murdochcat]

My den has a similar set up across 2.7m and needed one of these

Rothley Worktop Support Leg - 870mm | Wickes.co.uk

Rothley Worktop Support Leg - 870mm

www.wickes.co.uk

 

[JamesD67]

If it sags at the front edge, you could add a vertical timber along the edge, to give extra bracing, or add filing cabinets below, to take some of the weight.

Yeah, i suppose i've always got that fall back option

 

[JamesD67]

My den has a similar set up across 2.7m and needed one of these

Rothley Worktop Support Leg - 870mm | Wickes.co.uk

Rothley Worktop Support Leg - 870mm

www.wickes.co.uk

Did you use any L brackets? or Just battens on the wall?

 

[opps]

Floating wise, yeah, no issue given that you have supports at either end. Sagging- yup, it will sag over time.

I used to work for a cabinet maker- long spans he would use steel box sections or L profiles to support the front edge (set back slightly).

 

[Murdochcat]

Did you use any L brackets? or Just battens on the wall?

Battens along the 3 sides. My desk top is oak kitchen worktop so the extra support was essential

 

[JamesD67]

Floating wise, yeah, no issue given that you have supports at either end. Sagging- yup, it will sag over time.

I used to work for a cabinet maker- long spans he would use steel box sections or L profiles to support the front edge (set back slightly).

Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah, maybe L profile the full length set back 100mm or so would be a good addition, recessed into the side battens. Will give it a go. Rather go over the top than not enough. Thanks

 

[JamesD67]

Battens along the 3 sides. My desk top is oak kitchen worktop so the extra support was essential

Thanks for the feedback. Honestly, putting some drawers under to support wouldn't be a bad thing. it's still big enough that it will look good, and would give me more storage!

 

[endecotp]

the desk is going to be 2610mm x 700mm - a large span, covering the full length from the window on the left to the wall on the right.

All 3 walls are brick

I'm planning on fixing 70mm x 70mm battens across the full length of the 3 sides, fixed with beefy concrete screws, straight into the masonry.

Then, in addition, i was planning on use 2 or 3 of these 600m span L-brackets across the width.

I have a desk supported on 3 sides (which I'd not really call "floating") that is about 2300 wide by 1200 deep. It's made from 18mm thick bamboo board.

I used 38x63 timbers fixed to the walls on three sides. I then put three box section steels from left to right, sat in notches in the left and right timbers. The back two are I think 40x40 and the front one is I think 25x25. It's far enough back from the front edge that it's not near my knees.

This has proved more than solid enough. I could have used a lot less metalwork. The critical thing is whether it will hold your weight if you (or future you) decides to stand on it in order to paint the ceiling. The weight of 3 monitors is nothing.

No need for legs.

 

[JamesD67]

I have a desk supported on 3 sides (which I'd not really call "floating") that is about 2300 wide by 1200 deep. It's made from 18mm thick bamboo board.

I used 38x63 timbers fixed to the walls on three sides. I then put three box section steels from left to right, sat in notches in the left and right timbers. The back two are I think 40x40 and the front one is I think 25x25. It's far enough back from the front edge that it's not near my knees.

This has proved more than solid enough. I could have used a lot less metalwork. The critical thing is whether it will hold your weight if you (or future you) decides to stand on it in order to paint the ceiling. The weight of 3 monitors is nothing.

No need for legs.

I think from the comments I've had I'm going to add a full length L channel about 100mm back from the front edge. It's going to be 700mm deep with 3 of the L-supports 600mm deep, so there's only going to be about 650mm sections without support from the L brackets so hoping that should be good enough to limit any sagging.

I'm 120kg, I never trust standing on anything haha.

 

[endecotp]

I think from the comments I've had I'm going to add a full length L channel about 100mm back from the front edge. It's going to be 700mm deep with 3 of the L-supports 600mm deep, so there's only going to be about 650mm sections without support from the L brackets so hoping that should be good enough to limit any sagging.

If I were you, I think I'd prefer a left-to-right steel rather than those L brackets off the back wall. But in either case I think it will be solid enough.

I'm 120kg, I never trust standing on anything haha.

Never say never!

 

[Tigercubrider]

I used to build a fair few bench like desks similar to your plan.
I used speedframe black square steel tube (25mm )

Theoretically you could use it in place of the timber, but I would just use the timber and add a couple of 2.6 lengths across the width 100mm in and midway between there and the back.

Make sure that the bench top /wall is matched square wise. It would be a shame to cut the bench square and discover that the wall isn’t.

If you can get an upstand , you can fit it to the front edge upside down which gives the look of a thicker top.
Works well if the edges are curved/beveled

 

[Koolpc]

If you want it truly floating just flood the room!

 

[JamesD67]

I used to build a fair few bench like desks similar to your plan.
I used speedframe black square steel tube (25mm )

Theoretically you could use it in place of the timber, but I would just use the timber and add a couple of 2.6 lengths across the width 100mm in and midway between there and the back.

Make sure that the bench top /wall is matched square wise. It would be a shame to cut the bench square and discover that the wall isn’t.

If you can get an upstand , you can fit it to the front edge upside down which gives the look of a thicker top.
Works well if the edges are curved/beveled

Thanks for the tips. Especially with checking the walls are square, I'll be sure to do that.

Do you recommend the 25mm square tube more than the L brackets I was planning then?

And I checked, they do have 75mm wide upstands for pretty cheap, but it's only 18mm, how would you fix that to the desktop?

Thanks again