I'm planning on building some simple desks and hutches for a home
office, to replace the assortment of desks and tables we have now. My
thought is to use plywood, I saw some nice sanded maple plywood (3/4")
at Lowes. One desk will be 48 by 30 inches, the other 96 by 30 inches.
I'd like to attach them to the wall, nailing studs along the back and
one side, and possibly using a wood pole of some sorts as a leg for the
other corner. I'm concerned, especially with the longer desk, that I'll
need some supports as well to prevent sagging, any suggestions?
I don't plan on building any draws in the desks, I have enough file
cabinets for storage of papers. I do however want to build some custom
hutches, especially one for my various ham radios and accessories. They
are fairly deep, around a foot, plus I need additional space for the
cables coming out, so I'd like to build the shelves and sides of the
hutches 18 inches deep, which works well considering I can use the
leftovers from cutting the desktop surfaces from the plywood. I'm
thinking now about how I am going to go about attaching the various
pieces of the hutches together. Can you nail or screw into the edges of
plywood? I'd be concerned about splitting the wood, and how well it
would hold together. Any recomended ways of attaching them?
--
---
Chris Smolinski
Black Cat Systems
http://www.blackcatsystems.com
I build a whole office out of plywood. I have a 10' desk with two cabinets
and 3 drawers. There are also 3 sets of bookcases on the sides. Doors,
drawers ... everything is plywood. It is all painted a cream color and looks
great. To put it together just use glue and nails. If you not going to paint
it I would use real wood for a face frame just to cover the plywood seems.
You could also hold the face frame on with pocket screws which work great.
Tim
"Chris Smolinski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm planning on building some simple desks and hutches for a home
> office, to replace the assortment of desks and tables we have now. My
> thought is to use plywood, I saw some nice sanded maple plywood (3/4")
> at Lowes. One desk will be 48 by 30 inches, the other 96 by 30 inches.
> I'd like to attach them to the wall, nailing studs along the back and
> one side, and possibly using a wood pole of some sorts as a leg for the
> other corner. I'm concerned, especially with the longer desk, that I'll
> need some supports as well to prevent sagging, any suggestions?
>
> I don't plan on building any draws in the desks, I have enough file
> cabinets for storage of papers. I do however want to build some custom
> hutches, especially one for my various ham radios and accessories. They
> are fairly deep, around a foot, plus I need additional space for the
> cables coming out, so I'd like to build the shelves and sides of the
> hutches 18 inches deep, which works well considering I can use the
> leftovers from cutting the desktop surfaces from the plywood. I'm
> thinking now about how I am going to go about attaching the various
> pieces of the hutches together. Can you nail or screw into the edges of
> plywood? I'd be concerned about splitting the wood, and how well it
> would hold together. Any recomended ways of attaching them?
>
> --
> ---
> Chris Smolinski
> Black Cat Systems
> http://www.blackcatsystems.com
You can use 1 1/2 finish nails along with glue to put the joints together.
Mine were rabbeted in to form a tighter joint. If I had to do it again I
would definitely use pocket screws. These will not split the plywood and
form a very tight joint. I didn't have a pocket hole jig when I built mine.
The Kreg jig is a real pleasure to use. The screws are self taping and hold
very tight.
Tim
"Chris Smolinski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "TDUP" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I build a whole office out of plywood. I have a 10' desk with two
cabinets
> > and 3 drawers. There are also 3 sets of bookcases on the sides. Doors,
> > drawers ... everything is plywood. It is all painted a cream color and
looks
> > great. To put it together just use glue and nails. If you not going to
paint
> > it I would use real wood for a face frame just to cover the plywood
seems.
> > You could also hold the face frame on with pocket screws which work
great.
>
> Thanks for the suggestions. You didn't have any problems with the nails
> splitting the plywood when nailed into the end? What size nails did you
> use?
>
> I was thinking of staining everything. And using the thin wood veneer
> that you iron on, for the plywood edges to cover them.
>
> --
> ---
> Chris Smolinski
> Black Cat Systems
> http://www.blackcatsystems.com
For your desks, I didn't hear you mention lipping of any kind.
If you want them to avoid sagging, put a dropped lip on either side,
particularly on the long desk. This takes almost zero time. Here is an
idea---while you are at the hardware store, buy two 8-foot lengths of
1x2, I prefer KD fir but even #2 pine will work. Also buy some 2" wood
screws. Glue and screw the 1x2 to the front and back of the 96-inch
desk, like this:
________________________________________
| |____________________________________| |
|_| |_|
It won't sag, particularly if you lag that back lipping into the wall.
You can make it prettier by also putting lips on the ends and mitering
the joints. Definitely use a leg on the unsupported corner.
Biscuit Joinery would apply.
http://www.woodzone.com/articles/biscuit/biscuit_joiner.htm
Chris Smolinski <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I'm planning on building some simple desks and hutches for a home
> office, to replace the assortment of desks and tables we have now. My
> thought is to use plywood, I saw some nice sanded maple plywood (3/4")
> at Lowes. One desk will be 48 by 30 inches, the other 96 by 30 inches.
> I'd like to attach them to the wall, nailing studs along the back and
> one side, and possibly using a wood pole of some sorts as a leg for the
> other corner. I'm concerned, especially with the longer desk, that I'll
> need some supports as well to prevent sagging, any suggestions?
>
> I don't plan on building any draws in the desks, I have enough file
> cabinets for storage of papers. I do however want to build some custom
> hutches, especially one for my various ham radios and accessories. They
> are fairly deep, around a foot, plus I need additional space for the
> cables coming out, so I'd like to build the shelves and sides of the
> hutches 18 inches deep, which works well considering I can use the
> leftovers from cutting the desktop surfaces from the plywood. I'm
> thinking now about how I am going to go about attaching the various
> pieces of the hutches together. Can you nail or screw into the edges of
> plywood? I'd be concerned about splitting the wood, and how well it
> would hold together. Any recomended ways of attaching them?
I built a home office desk into a horshoe shaped alcove that we have
in our house. It is made of 3/4" baltic birch plywood. On the ends
it is supported by vertical sides of double thick ply (1 1/2")
attached by biscuit joints. At the suggestion of a friend, I
supported the rest of the top with a series of double thick triangular
korbels, which keeps the knee space clear for a couple of rolling
office chairs. These are biscuited to the underside of the top and
screwed to battens that are, in turn, screwed to the studs. Each
section of the top is biscuited to the next. If this isn't clear,
e-mail me for pictures.
Ian
Chris Smolinski <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I'm planning on building some simple desks and hutches for a home
> office, to replace the assortment of desks and tables we have now. My
> thought is to use plywood, I saw some nice sanded maple plywood (3/4")
> at Lowes. One desk will be 48 by 30 inches, the other 96 by 30 inches.
> I'd like to attach them to the wall, nailing studs along the back and
> one side, and possibly using a wood pole of some sorts as a leg for the
> other corner. I'm concerned, especially with the longer desk, that I'll
> need some supports as well to prevent sagging, any suggestions?
>
> I don't plan on building any draws in the desks, I have enough file
> cabinets for storage of papers. I do however want to build some custom
> hutches, especially one for my various ham radios and accessories. They
> are fairly deep, around a foot, plus I need additional space for the
> cables coming out, so I'd like to build the shelves and sides of the
> hutches 18 inches deep, which works well considering I can use the
> leftovers from cutting the desktop surfaces from the plywood. I'm
> thinking now about how I am going to go about attaching the various
> pieces of the hutches together. Can you nail or screw into the edges of
> plywood? I'd be concerned about splitting the wood, and how well it
> would hold together. Any recomended ways of attaching them?
Chris Smolinski wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Elwood Dowd <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> For your desks, I didn't hear you mention lipping of any kind.
>>
>> If you want them to avoid sagging, put a dropped lip on either side,
>> particularly on the long desk. This takes almost zero time. Here is an
>> idea---while you are at the hardware store, buy two 8-foot lengths of
>> 1x2, I prefer KD fir but even #2 pine will work. Also buy some 2" wood
>> screws. Glue and screw the 1x2 to the front and back of the 96-inch
>> desk, like this:
>> ________________________________________
>> | |____________________________________| |
>> |_| |_|
>>
>> It won't sag, particularly if you lag that back lipping into the wall.
>> You can make it prettier by also putting lips on the ends and mitering
>> the joints. Definitely use a leg on the unsupported corner.
>
> Thanks for the suggestions. I agree the leg in the corner is a must. I
> was planning on using a 2x4 on the back side of the desk into the wall.
> I wanted avoid a lip on the front side if possible, to make it easier to
> slide a chair under the desk. But I'd prefer to have a non-sagging desk
> as well, so I'll consider it.
>
> I'm planning on staining the plywood, is there a filler or wood putty I
> can put over top the screw heads to hide them when I stain?
>
I've had problems with Borg grade plywood warping, sometimes down like a
sag, sometimes up.
In article <[email protected]>,
Elwood Dowd <[email protected]> wrote:
> For your desks, I didn't hear you mention lipping of any kind.
>
> If you want them to avoid sagging, put a dropped lip on either side,
> particularly on the long desk. This takes almost zero time. Here is an
> idea---while you are at the hardware store, buy two 8-foot lengths of
> 1x2, I prefer KD fir but even #2 pine will work. Also buy some 2" wood
> screws. Glue and screw the 1x2 to the front and back of the 96-inch
> desk, like this:
> ________________________________________
> | |____________________________________| |
> |_| |_|
>
> It won't sag, particularly if you lag that back lipping into the wall.
> You can make it prettier by also putting lips on the ends and mitering
> the joints. Definitely use a leg on the unsupported corner.
Thanks for the suggestions. I agree the leg in the corner is a must. I
was planning on using a 2x4 on the back side of the desk into the wall.
I wanted avoid a lip on the front side if possible, to make it easier to
slide a chair under the desk. But I'd prefer to have a non-sagging desk
as well, so I'll consider it.
I'm planning on staining the plywood, is there a filler or wood putty I
can put over top the screw heads to hide them when I stain?
--
---
Chris Smolinski
Black Cat Systems
http://www.blackcatsystems.com
In article <[email protected]>,
"TDUP" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I build a whole office out of plywood. I have a 10' desk with two cabinets
> and 3 drawers. There are also 3 sets of bookcases on the sides. Doors,
> drawers ... everything is plywood. It is all painted a cream color and looks
> great. To put it together just use glue and nails. If you not going to paint
> it I would use real wood for a face frame just to cover the plywood seems.
> You could also hold the face frame on with pocket screws which work great.
Thanks for the suggestions. You didn't have any problems with the nails
splitting the plywood when nailed into the end? What size nails did you
use?
I was thinking of staining everything. And using the thin wood veneer
that you iron on, for the plywood edges to cover them.
--
---
Chris Smolinski
Black Cat Systems
http://www.blackcatsystems.com