Ultimate Guide to Building a DIY Desk

Choosing a Design for Your DIY Desk

Print and cut an open-sided box the same size as your bed and lay a bedding-based sheet on top of it. There should be two more open sides for three-fourths of your space.

Next, cut two widths of paper the same size as your mattress or box spring to act as dividers between the bed and the four open sides. The remaining sheets, covers, or pieces of fabric and layers (ex: a pillow, duvet) must be cut to make the shelves for the front and back of the box.

Pretty young carpenter and her bearded colleague brainstorming in workshop: he showing her something on computer screen while she looking at it with interest

Once your box is completed, the hard part starts—listening to new mixes.

Choosing a Table Top

I actually built this entire desk myself in under 2 hours (no pun intended!). I thought I’d share some of the finer details, since I’ve had this finished for a couple weeks now.

I’m one of the highest-rated Anki users on the grid, which isn’t a huge surprise considering I’ve been using the software since 2009. I like to describe myself as a “Studio” type of learner, meaning that I like to work with things that are slowly and methodically introduced to me.

Determining Your Measurements

It’s a not-too-hard exercise to build your own DIY desk lamp, which has many of the benefits of a professional model like the Ryobi U-Series or hisDry EctoLux. One thing you’ll need is a table or a piece of wood.

Depending on the surface you use, you might also need a screwdriver to hold the iron in place (not shown). This project is also fairly easy and inexpensive, and it’s a great way to practice your carpentry skills.

Assembling Your DIY Desk

Begin with the two coats of polyurethane. This will be a four-coat paint job. I suggest wearing latex gloves and using a respirator to help protect your respiratory system. You’ll need to apply the first coat around the entire perimeter of the table, in a straight line.