http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Home   Sign Up!   Explore   Community   Submit

Wraparound Desk Made From One Sheet of Plywood, 2 Filing Cabinetsby themostbob on April 29, 2007

Table of Contents

intro:   Wraparound Desk Made From One Sheet of Plywood, 2 Filing Cabinets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1:   Gather Materials and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 2:   Cutting the plywood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 3:   Corner Support Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 4:   Surface Prep and Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

step 5:   Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

step 6:   Done! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

intro:  Wraparound Desk Made From One Sheet of Plywood, 2 Filing CabinetsFive years ago I wanted a desk. When I was a kid my mother made a desk out of an interior door and two filing cabinets. I already had one filing cabinet about 29 inchestall, so I bought another the same height and tried the desk out.

It blew.

It was ugly, tended to slide by itself, I hit my hip on the corners occasionally, and I heard disconcerting cracks and creaks when I put my 20" CRT in the middle where Iwanted it. So I thought again.

My specifications were, in order of importance:1) Elegant - I liked desks that wrapped around you2) Easy to Make - Minimize tools and time3) Cheap - Ideally made out of one piece of plywood.4) Movable - I 've moved too many times to set myself up with a cumbersome desk.

I like corner desks as a rule, so I drew up a design with 6' legs from a corner, with a couple of curves. 6' on a side was a good size not just aesthetically, but because withjudicious cutting I could cut all the structural pieces out of one piece of good, double-sided plywood. In my book, elegance of design is something you enjoy long afteryou've forgotten the monetary cost.

This project took an morning for the woodwork, plus the rest of the weekend for staining and poly coats.

Caveat maker: I have no in-progress photos of this project as I made it 5 years ago. I've done my best to provide as clear instructions and drawings as I can. If you areunclear about any step, leave me a comment and I'll try to explain better.

(Please rate this project by hitting the (+) or (-) buttons near the upper right of the page)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

step 1: Gather Materials and ToolsMaterials:

Two (2) short filing cabinets of equal height

One (1) 4'x8' piece of 3/4" double-faced plywood. Just make sure both sides are pleasing to the eye, since you will have to flip one half over to marry it with the other.

One or two (1-2) table/trunk/whateveryoucallem-latches. You know the kind---two pieces, one with a loop and a level thing to grab onto the other side. (see picture below)

Four pieces of 1/2" radius quarter round trim, 18" long.

Metal strapping or corner brace for extra support in the center. I used a corner brace because I had one handy, but a straight bracket would make more sense.

Paint or stain plus polyurethane for finishing

Optional:~12 feet of real wood edging with heat-sensitive glue on back.

Tools:JigsawScrewdriverOptional: circular saw and long straightedgeOptional: Clothes Iron or possibly curling ironSandpaper of varied gritsPaint brush/drop cloth

Image Notes1. Table/Trunk/Whatever Latches to connect both halves of the desktop2. Some type of strapping or brace to help secure the joint right at your belly---there's no direct support here like there is in the corner, and the you will be restingyour arms here.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

step 2: Cutting the plywoodAgain, sorry I don't have step-by-step pictures from when I made it, but refer to the drawing of the plywood layout during these instructions. Keep in mind one thing---everything is symmetric about the center of the sheet.

1) Make the long diagonal cut all the way through the sheet from a point 2 feet from the corner along one long side to a point 2 feet from the opposite corner along theother long side. (it's the long straight cut diagonally side-to-side in the drawing) Use a circular saw with a long straightedge clamped into place, if you have such. Thestraighter, the better.

2) If you have a long enough cutting blade for your jigsaw, clamp the two pieces together, lining up all the sides (rotate the top cut piece 180 degrees to line up withbottom piece)

3) Using a pencil on a non-stretchy 12" string and anchoring the string at point "A" in the diagram, draw an arc from the short edge of the sheet around through about 120degrees. Point "A" is 18" from the (previously) long side of the sheet, 12" from the end. (see drawing)

4) Lengthening the string to 18", draw an arc centered at point "B" in the diagram from the edge you just cut around until it meets the other arc centered on point "A".Point B is 6" from the shortest edge of the quadrilateral you're left with after the diagonal cut, and on the cut diagonal edge (actually 30" from the end of the sheet). (seedrawing)

5) Cut along the long curved line you just drew.

6) Take the pieces left over and cut a 12"x30" shape and a 12"x12" right triangle shape from them, in the manner shown on the diagram, outlined in orange and bluerespectively . These will form the corner support stand.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Image Notes1. Missing bits here formed the corner support stand, plus extras. SinceEVERYTHING is symmetric about the centerpoint of the sheet, the same is truefor the missing bits at the other end.2. This placement is approximately how they were cut from the sheet of plywood.Notice - this half is the top of the right hand side. The other half of the desktop isUPSIDE DOWN as you cut. This is why it's important to get double-veneeredplywood that looks good on each side.3. This piece gets flipped over in the end.4. This picture is rotate 90 degrees from the diagram

step 3: Corner Support AssemblyTrim the long leftover rectangular pieces to the height of your filing cabinets, in my case, 29" tall. You want the final height of the stand to be the same as your filingcabinets.

Use glue and screws to assemble the corner support like the picture shown. I used 1.25" drywall screws, just because I had them around. Since you're screwing into theedge of plywood, pilot holes are a good idea. These are all just lap joints, nothing fancy. It's not very visible anyway.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

step 4: Surface Prep and FinishClamp the two halves of the top together again and sand the edges to try to make them as symmetrical as you can. I used a mini-drum sander bit for my electric drill, butsandpaper on a curved surface should work well, if slower.

Orient the top pieces in the way they will be assembled (one top piece has to flip over and join with the other at the diagonal cut). Mark or somehow assign which is thetop side and sand with progressively finer grits of sandpaper until it's as smooth as you like it. You may wish to sand the bottom to a medium fineness---the stain applieseasier to a smoother surface.

I didn't do this to mine before I stained it, but if you want the edges to match the top, apply the wood edging to the exposed edges with a heat source, either a clothes ironor (possibly---I didn't try this) a curling iron. The curved surface of the curling iron may work better on the concave curves.

I really liked the look of colored stain for this, so I chose a blue-tinted Minwax stain. I stained the bottom sides first, the the tops, and repeated for a total of 2 coats eachside.

I then applied 3-4 coats of water-based polyurethane, sanding between each step. I poly'd each of the surfaces which would be seen, including the "front" of the cornersupport stand.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Image Notes1. Birch edging applied to the plywood along the edges not facing the wall or theother half of the desktop.

Image Notes1. These visible surfaces are the ones I polyurethaned

step 5: AssemblyNote: I did not then nor have I yet attached the desk tops to the corner support. I had planned to do it, but when I place my monitor on the desk in the corner, with the filecabinets in place, nothing seemed to move, so I didn't bother. Feel free to attach them if you wish - I'd use 1.25" screws from the bottom.

Turn the desktops face down on the floor, diagonal cuts together. Place the two-piece latches, closed, on the joint and mark and drill pilot holes for their screws. Becareful not to drill through the top side. Attach the latches. Unhook them and separate the pieces.

Place the corner support in the corner and the file cabinets to either side of the corner in their approximate positions. Place each desktop half, top side up, where it'ssupposed to go supported by the file cabinets and corner support. Latch the two halves together with the latches you just installed above. Hopefully both halves will moveas one now.

Line up the file cabinets along each wall, maybe moving them 1-2 inches out from the wall to allow cords and such to go behind them. Put them under the fattest part ofthe outer curves and mark the undersides along the sides of the cabinets. Unlatch the desktop halves and turn them over. Align the pieces of quarter round along thosemarks, flat sides toward the underside of the desktops and toward the filing cabinets. Make sure they're short enough to not be seen when the desk is right-side-up. Pilotdrill and screw them down with 1" screws.

Place the desktops back up on the cabinets where they belong and latch them together. You most likely need a little more support in the middle right under your armssince the latches are the only things holding the top together and they occasionally become uneven. I used a corner bracket screwed into each side. In elegant perhaps,but each half is level with the other and there is plenty of support for my hands, keyboard, forearms, yada yada yada.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Image Notes1. These visible surfaces are the ones I polyurethaned

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Image Notes1. Put the file cabinet where you want it, THEN mark the desktop and mountthe file cabinet retention rails.2. Picture taken from floor level looking up at the file cabinet retention railsunderneath the desktop.

Image Notes1. Both retention rails in place. With each filing cabinet secured in these (at rightangles to each other), plus the strong connection between desktop halves at themiddle, this desk DOES NOT MOVE.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Image Notes1. Corner bracket offering support in the front of the joint

step 6: Done!It's ready to use - enjoy. I have. Mine has been great, even with my honkin big desk chair (see picture). The center sitting area is about 32" wide - plenty of room ingeneral, and there is a metric buttload of deskspace to fill up, as I am want to do.

Have fun.

Optional: If you want an easy cord pass-through the desktop, you can cut the tip of the corner off each desktop half prior to staining.

Image Notes1. Width between cabinets is about 32", depending on where you placed themearlier. It fits me perfectly, though I'd like to have a slightly smaller desk chair.2. Self-scratcher for cats not mandatory

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Image Notes1. Taken while standing on the right side directly over the filing cabinet.2. This is actually a really big desk chair.

Image Notes1. Desk "in situ", as it were.2. Upside down Tick. Spoon!3. Friend's machine that went through a fire - it still booted! Now a fileserver.4. My old Mac Quadra 800

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Image Notes1. My closet shelf project made 4 years ago that I stained to match the desk.Currently holding everything I took off the desk.

Related Instructables

2007 LaserCutter Contestby ewilhelm

How to EntertheInstructablesand UniversalLaser CutterContest byfungus amungus

Star ShapedRibbons byBlindSight

3 Axis CNCRouter -60"x60"x5" -JunkBot byrussaanderson

NomadFurniture:design, casestudies, andphilosophy byWade Tarzia

The Aluminumcan Crucible bymacdadyabc

Duct Tape Case/ Skin For TheNew Ipod NanobyRocketScientist2015

Put a Face InToast! (or anyother design.)by noahh

AdvertisementsCustomized Instructable T-shirts

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

Comments31 comments Add Comment

 Maffu says:  Jan 31, 2008. 8:05 AM  REPLYThat's a simple but brilliant idea.At around the time you were building this I paid around £200 (in a sale, no less) for a flatpack . corner unitOk, so mine has a slidey keyboard shelf and a monitor riser on it, but I prefer yours and I'm thinking that I may have to do one just for the sheer joy of havingmade it.Genius.

 Maffu says:  Apr 19, 2008. 6:48 AM  REPLYOpps - fixed the link now.

 Mak5 says:  Jan 31, 2008. 7:09 AM  REPLYProps... I like the idea of nomadic furniture, I'm about to move AGAIN. I'm thinking desk, bed and shelves using this method. Again, props.

 jend5570 says:  Oct 18, 2007. 4:03 PM  REPLYI love it!! but umm......where do you keep ur clothes?

 clark says:  Jan 31, 2008. 5:05 AM  REPLYhaha...what?

 ramroids55 says:  Nov 26, 2007. 2:53 AM  REPLYMost People Dont Keep Clothes In A File Cabinet

 jolebitte says:  Jan 31, 2008. 3:34 AM  REPLYFinally, I'm done with my desk!The hardest parts were to get the halves to match (thick sheet, a bit shallow circle-saw) and the painting.http://www.instructables.com/id/Swedish-Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Pl/

 chalky says:  Oct 7, 2007. 3:09 PM  REPLYnice shape i like it brilliant.

 Jouda Mann says:  Sep 17, 2007. 8:24 PM  REPLYTruly an elegant and easy alternative to the "disposable" furniture found at mega stores. Bravo!

 copycatfilms says:  Jul 31, 2007. 11:35 AM  REPLYthis is a perfect way to make a corner desk! love it!! I just wish I had a truck to carry big pieces home now! :) Thanks!

 themostbob says:  Aug 5, 2007. 10:42 AM  REPLYAlways befriend people with trucks. :)

I want to get rid of mine, but I just can't---too much stuff to haul around!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

 n0klu says:  Jul 14, 2007. 6:57 PM  REPLYHere is a top from 1 cut 4'x8' sheet 3/4" ply sitting atop 2 Wal-Mart wooden file cabs and a spare sheet of Ply for the power distribution / third leg.... (has my20" monitor on top and slide out keyboard shelf under the mid section)

 n0klu says:  Jul 27, 2007. 5:01 PM  REPLYHere is the measurements and 1 sheet layout....

 n0klu says:  Jul 14, 2007. 7:15 PM  REPLYSome more views of it...

 themostbob says:  Aug 5, 2007. 10:41 AM  REPLYAn excellent solution, and the wood grain is a nice touch. Since I already had the one metal file cabinet, it was natural for me to go that route, but Iquite like yours---especially the get-the-wires-out-of-the-way-board at the back. Nice job!

 blakelock says:  Jun 6, 2007. 10:33 AM  REPLYmuch better than my blockity-block version.

nice design.

 MD_Willington says:  May 9, 2007. 4:00 PM  REPLYAwesome, and the materials are way better than anything you'll find at the big box stores... real wood as opposed to sawdust + glue...

 Office Viking says:  May 1, 2007. 7:35 PM  REPLYNice project! I love custom-building things around the house. It makes way more sense than paying a ton of money for a store-bought piece that's locked intoa certain size. I'm diggin' your jigsaw cutting work. Smooth. I've had good experiences with applying an acrylic finish to wooden top surfaces. It makes itcompletely waterproof and provides a shiny appearance.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

 Chris Tucker says:  Apr 30, 2007. 4:29 PM  REPLYExcellent design! VERY reminescent of the classic "Nomadic Furniture" DIY books. And such economy. Almost no wasted plywood.

For myself, I think I'd build shelving in place of the file cabinets. If for no other reason than to have the LaserWriter right at hand and yet out of the way.

Hmmm. Mounting the scanner on a sliding platform in the shelves on the other side would also work to keep it handy and yet not in the way.

Off to SketchUp! I have some designing to do!

Thanks for the inspiration!

 themostbob says:  May 1, 2007. 3:21 PM  REPLYI can't say I've heard of those, but I'm not surprised. Once you constrain a design to fitting within a sheet of plywood, certain patterns are sure to emerge.I actually started thinking about a desk 8' on a side with curves like this, then made it smaller when I saw I could shoehorn it into a single sheet.

The remainders of the cutting found life in other things around the house---pretty much nothing of that sheet went to waste.

 Chris Tucker says:  Apr 30, 2007. 4:22 PM  REPLYAdd a PowerSquid and a shelf for all the wall wart adaptors. (I'm currently at 6 adaptors and likely there'll one or two more in the future.

 lebowski says:  Apr 30, 2007. 12:39 PM  REPLYVery nice Instructable. Now show me the best way to pimp out my closet. Whenever I tackle my closets, my design is always too bulky for my taste. Maybe aredo of your old project?

 themostbob says:  Apr 30, 2007. 1:08 PM  REPLYYou saw that pic at the end, huh? :) Well, at least i was able to find the drawings I made back then for the shelves. Never did find my desk drawing as Iwas writing it up. I'll look into it. It's an ok project: no fasteners holding it together, all the pieces can be moved out if necessary, and lots of shelf space.

 lebowski says:  Apr 30, 2007. 2:17 PM  REPLYSounds like a perfect project.

 Taotaoba says:  Apr 30, 2007. 8:47 AM  REPLYI love this idea. Great instructable! Thank you for sharing. How much is the total cost?

 themostbob says:  Apr 30, 2007. 9:49 AM  REPLYMost of the cost is in the file cabinets...and these days, in the 3/4" plywood.

Filing cabinets are often available at thrift stores - disregarding their price, you could probably make it for < $50, most of that being the plywood.

 Joe Lombardo says:  Apr 30, 2007. 9:21 AM  REPLYLooks nice! I did something similar but hung it on the wall like a shelf. You can buy industrial shelf brackets real cheap at the local hardware store.

Some day, I'll prime the brackets and paint them to match the wall.

 HamO says:  Apr 30, 2007. 8:25 AM  REPLYExcellent instructable, nice idea, great pix. Thanks for sharing.

 ironsmiter says:  Apr 30, 2007. 1:53 AM  REPLYnicely done...

Looks like it's held up nicely over the years.

Only thing I'd change is the center attachment... I'd go with a "piano hinge"It would lend extra support across the entire joint (porbable cut just short of where the top intersects the back support box). Plus it's allow the entire structureto fold for moving (one piece instead of 2) The hinges are only a buck or two at the local store... and a bow of small screws not much more :-)

 themostbob says:  Apr 30, 2007. 8:02 AM  REPLYIt's held up wonderfully, really. I was a little worried over the spans of unsupported desktop, but the thing's pretty dang solid.

I considered the piano hinge at one point I think....not sure. I think I vetoed it because setting the desk up is much easier one half at a time. Handling bothpieces connected like a butterfly is definitely a two person job.

Anyway, I think piano hinge would definitely work great.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wraparound-Desk-Made-From-One-Sheet-of-Plywood%2c-2-/

 ehedward says:  Apr 30, 2007. 2:07 AM  REPLYI love it!