[Download diagrams PDF]
Here's how:
First choose the location for the office and then make a scaled drawing of the wall you’re considering for the desk . Make note of the overall length of the wall, any doors or windows, and the ceiling height. Draw horizontal lines to represent the top of the base cabinets and the bottom of the wall cabinets.
Determine the overall length of the desk. The desk can fill a whole wall, sit in the middle of a wall, or start in a corner and stop somewhere along the wall.
Talk to a cabinet supplier for the dimensions of drawer bases and wall cabinets. Draw these in on your plan. Don’t leave a span of more than 1.5m between base cabinets or else the desktop will sag. You’ll be ordering at least two base cabinets and two wall cabinets plus one end panel.
Build and install the cord trough
Use Fig. B and C [on diagram] to cut and assemble the cord trough.
Apply wood glue at all joints and fasten with screws.
The cord-management trough is the backbone of the desk. Once it’s fastened to the wall, the rest of the desk stacks onto it or fastens to the front of it. The top edge of the trough matches the height of the drawer bases.
Build and install the cork board
The cork board frame is simply screwed together through the edges of the top and bottom rails. Build the cork inserts by gluing together two panels [Fig. D on diagram], then fasten the cork sheeting to the face with vinyl flooring adhesive. Let the cork overhang the wood, then trim it flush with a utility knife after the adhesive dries.
Use self-adhesive Velcro tape to hold the panels to the frame. As the frame is held away from the wall, it’s easy to run electrical cords behind it.
Set the wall cabinets onto the corkboard frame. Flush the left-hand cabinet to the end of the corkboard frame. Adjust the right-hand cabinet into the corner to make the space between the cabinets conform to the length of the shelves. The corner cabinet can sit a bit away from the side wall.
Drive fastenings through the cabinet backs into the wall.
Mark the location of the shelves on the side of both upper cabinets. Use a carpenter’s square to ensure the shelves are level front to back.
Mark the shelf cleat locations on the wall. Continue these lines onto the cabinet sides. Use a carpenter’s square to make sure these lines are also level. Drill clearance holes and fasten the shelf cleats to the wall.
Draw a layout line on the inside of cabinet. Make sure it follows the centre of the shelf. Drill clearance holes, hold shelf in place and drive 3 screws to fasten the two shelves.
Set the lower shelf on the cork board frame, holding the front edge flush with the bottom of the cabinet. Then drive three screws to fasten it in place. Install the middle shelf the same way.
Clamp the light valance to the cabinets and shelf. Drill clearance and countersink holes every 60 cm then drive screws into the cabinets and the lower shelf to secure it.
Install the base cabinets and counter top
Set the left base cabinet flush with the end of the cord trough. Adjust the feet or shim under the cabinet to level it and make it flush with the trough. Footed cabinets are ideal if your floor is carpeted. Drive two screws through the cabinet back into the trough.
Clamp the two right-side cabinets together, then drive screws to make a tight joint. Push the cabinets into the corner and against the baseboard; fasten to the cord trough with several screws.
Buy a power strip with surge protection and mount it to the wall below the cord trough.
Set the top and the trough covers in
place on the base cabinets. Leave a
small gap between the trough covers
and the corkboard frame so the covers
don’t get jammed in and become
difficult to lift out.
Clamp the top to the cabinets, remove the trough covers, then fasten with screws driven from inside the cabinets. Be sure the screws aren’t too long or else you’ll have a hole in your desktop. Set the cord trough covers in place.
Following the drawing [Fig. E on diagram], cut the pieces for the swing-out desk legs. A table saw is a must to make the bevelled cuts, so if necessary, have a cabinetmaker do this for you. Use wood glue and clamps to assemble the legs. Attach them to
the desktop using angle irons.
Roll the swing-out top into position. Lay out
the pivot hole and drill a hole all the way
through the top. Locate and install the T-nut .
Roll the top into position and then slide the
sleeve, bolt and washer through the pivot
hole. Thread and tighten firmly with a wrench.
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