Building a clean, minimalist desk doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. We've come up with a design that anyone can build with just a few tools, one sheet of plywood, and one set of desk legs from 1600design. And even better, you can complete this project in just 2 to 3 hours since all of the materials are prefinished. There are countless ways you could customize this design to your liking. For instance, you could swap out the top with a nice hardwood slab, or add some additional storage above or below. But if you want to build it exactly as pictured, here is what you'll need:
1 set of maple prefinished desk legs from 1600design.com
1 sheet of 3/4" maple prefinished plywood (available off the shelf at Menards)
4 small L brackets (Here are the ones I bought from Amazon)
34 1.25" drywall screws
-OR-
You can purchase the project pack from 1600design which will include the legs, brackets and al of the screws you will need to complete the project. Click here to view the project pack. The only thing you would need to purchase separately is the sheet of plywood.
We designed this project to be super simple to complete with just a few hand tools. All you need is a circular saw, a drill, a few drill bits, and some sort of straight edge to guide your cuts. Clamps will also be helpful if you are building the desk by yourself. This short video will give you an overview:
Step One: Make 5 simple cuts in your sheet of plywood
This cutting diagram will give you a desktop that measures 60" long, 24" deep, and 1.5" thick. Start by measuring 60" from the left side of your plywood and make a cut across the sheet. Clamp a straight edge to the plywood to guide your circular saw. You can then cut the 60" X48" piece in half, giving you two pieces that measure roughly 24" X 60". (the exact width will be a little less than 24" because of the thickness of your sawblade. just be sure both pieces are identical) These two pieces will be sandwiched together to make your desktop. From the remainder of the plywood sheet, make a cut at 17" and then two cuts at 3". The 17" piece will be the lower shelf and the two 3" pieces will only be used to aid in assembly.
Step Two: Screw the top pieces together
A thick desktop is going to much stronger and attractive than a single piece of plywood. From your two 24"X60" pieces of plywood, choose the best looking side to be your finished desktop. Place it face down and clamp the other 24"X60" piece on top of it. Clamping the two pieces to a flat surface, such as a workbench, will ensure the finished top will be flat.
Next you will predrill holes for the 1.25" drywall screws. I placed screws 6" apart all the way around the perimeter, staying 1.5" away from the edge. I also put 8 more screws in the middle of the sheet, evenly spaced. The exact number and locations are not important. Just don't skimp on the amount of screws you use. Predrill each screw location with a 3/32" drill bit. Be careful not to drill all the way through the bottom sheet since that will be your desktop. Next you will use a 3/8" drill bit to create a small countersink at each hole location. You only want to make a very small countersink so the head of the drywall screw can seat properly and the screw will not protrude through the top. Pro Tip: run your drill in reverse when making these holes. It will make a cleaner cut and will keep the bit from going too deep into the plywood.
Now you are ready to screw the top together. Start at one end, and work your way across the length of the top. Be sure the outer edges of the plywood pieces are coming together tightly before moving to the next screw. It may be helpful to have someone press down on the middle of the plywood as you install the screws in order to ensure the two pieces are flat on your work surface. Be sure not to drive the screws too deep or they will protrude through your desktop.
Step Three: Attach the legs
Its time to attach those beautiful legs you ordered from 1600design.com. Your legs will come with the necessary screws and bit for installation. To make this super simple, we are going to use the 17"X48" plywood shelf to position the legs perfectly. Center the shelf on the bottom side of the desktop. It should be 6" from each end and 3.5" from both sides.
Next, position the legs alongside the shelf. The end of each leg should be 4" from the end of the desktop (pictured below)
The legs are now perfectly positioned. Go ahead and trace around each leg with a pencil to mark the locations for later. Take out the bag of screws that came with your legs. Place two screws in the predrilled holes. Lightly tap them with a hammer to mark the hole locations.
Now you can move the leg to the side and predrill the hole locations with the same 3/32" drill bit you used earlier. (Again, be sure not to drill all the way through the top.)
You can now reposition the leg, and install the screws using the T-20 driver bit included in your bag of screws. Seat the screws firmly, but be careful not to over tighten and strip out the hole. The screw heads will not sink into the hard maple. Repeat for the other three legs.
Step 4: Attach the shelf
Now we can raise the shelf into position and attach it to the legs. Remove the shelf and grab the two 3" strips that you cut earlier. We will use those strips to hold the shelf at the proper height while we attach it. Place the 3" strips alongside the legs as shown in the picture below.
Now put the shelf back into position. Choose the best looking side and place it facing down. The shelf should fit snugly between the legs. Slide it right or left to center it lengthwise.
Next, install the brackets. Position them as shown in the picture below. Predrill the holes using a drill bit slightly smaller than the screws you are using. Drive the screws and repeat the process for the other three legs. It may be helpful to place a weight in the middle of the shelf to ensure it is sitting flat atop the 3" strips while you attach the brackets.
The brackets I purchased came with their own screws. You can purchase them here, or you can purchase the project pack from 1600design. It will include 4 maple legs, 4 black brackets, and all of the screws you will need for the entire project. Plus, you will receive a printed copy of the cutting diagram.
Step 5: Flip it over and sand the plywood edges
Assembly is complete! The last thing you may want to do is lightly sand the edges of the plywood top and shelf. The corners of the plywood will be sharp. You can easily round them over a bit with some sandpaper. You can also clean up any sawblade marks from the edge of the desktop. And that's it! Your desk is ready for use.