Hey to all anons in /diy/ this is my first thread here(originally a /g/entleman):
I would like to know if i should buy a desk like pic related or build it. I want to maximize cost/efficiency and also be budget friendly (100$-200$ tops)
My questions:
-What wood should i use (best quality/price)?
-what width of said wood should i use?
-what sandpaper to use on said wood for stain?
-any good stain brands?
-im 5'9" can anyone recommend desk height?
-any general tips?
Notes:
-Desired dimensions are 4-5 feet long, 3feet deep and unknown height (will verify when i get home later tonight)
-will consider painting it white in the future
-bonus if i could mount cable rack/hiders behind
>>1019693
You want to make a desk, but you have no experience or tools, to save time and money for fuck ups, and if you are prepared to spend 200$ anyways, just get one from ikea.
What wood depends on preference really, you can use any wood. Soft wood is easier to work with and cheaper but is soft. Hard wood is nicer. The quality is the price.
What width... is up to you.
What sand paper is up to you, some people like rough texture.
Stain... not sure.
26 inch for you.
tips: expect fuck ups, all people do it when starting
you can mount whatever the fuck you want, just screw things onto it at the back or under it
>>1019697
I have experience on measurements and things like that, but I've only worked with metals and no woods
>>1019701
do you have saw? glue? clamps? screws? screw driver? pencil? tape measure?
All but saw and clamps, but i can go to a friends woodshop, tools are not a problem
>>1019712
Well, then just build it, since it is your first desk, just use cheapest wood, pine is good choice for this type
your picture looks like it is 3 planks glued together, probably with biscuits or dowels, same as the "egs", and then just a beam running in the middle under the surface
>>1019719
Wont that make it les sturdy?
>>1019747
than what
>>1019752
Nails or something like that, im really retarded when it comes to wood man
>>1019758
You have to glue it, apply pressure with clamps then nail it...
>>1019778
Okay, thanks anon
>>1019712
If your friend has a workshop why aren't you asking his advice on this build?
>>1019782
Its a seccond friend (friends friend) and he told me we could use it when he wasnt there
>My name is not jamal and im not braking in
>>1019758
Proper wood glue is very very strong, however butt joints are weak.
Nails are total shit. Screws are only a bit better
Dowels or biscuits can make a butt joint much stronger (but still rather basic).
Beyond this level go read some internet on wood joints and then come back to us. Tbh you probably want to just buy a table, wood is easy to duck up as a noob.
>>1019789
I have to learn someway, because i have other projects i was looking in to.
Also:
>duck up
Kekd
>>1019693
If you want to go super cheap you could build a simple frame out of 2x4s and use a single 4'x8' sheet of plywood for the table top and just sand the table top. Lots of people finish plywood floors and stain them like this, doesn't look half bad. You can always add on to the sides and front to improve the look to others. You can use any cheap stain you want, just seal it after because it will wear off. Always finish your sanding on the highest grit you have. You'll want your desk height at your waist height, unless you have a shitty chair then measure the chair seat height and add 25%.
>>1019780
Don't listen to that shit just use screws. He's talking about building something much higher quality than a 200 dollar painted wooden desk.
>>1019816
still a good idea to add a little glue too but yeah you don't need to do all that shit just for a cheap desk
Op here(not that i have seccond thoughts) but what are good desks i can buy? Budget from 100-300$ preferably white or black
>>1019844
do they have ikea in the us and a?
>>1019845
Of Course anon
But i always hear bad shit about their furniture
>>1019693
Neither, go buy an antique/vintage desk at an auction or wherever you can find one, unless you buy a designer piece new or build and amazing desk yourself you will lose money when you come to get rid of it later on, but if you buy an antique you will either get back what you paid for it or more as long as you look after it, Ikea furniture loses 2/3 of it's value the minute you take it out of the store.
>>1019853
Will look more in to this, thanks for the feedback anon
>>1019864
You are welcome anon, I used to work in a furniture place and we dealt in both new and used items, modern (Ikea et al) furniture is junk because it's generally made from chipboard which doesn't last and hates to be moved about, old furniture tends to be better made and more interesting to look at, also the whole resale value thing is what really turned me off buying new furniture.
If you do buy self assembly furniture I will give some free advice, get some PVA wood glue and use a good amount to glue all the joints when assembling it, doing this will give it extra strength and help it last more than the one or two moves most chipboard furniture survives, I learned this trick from an old guy where I worked and it works really well, the few bits of chipboard furniture I do own are pretty damn solid because of this.
>>1019880
That's some pretty solid feedback and tips right there. Thanks a lot anon, i will look more in to auctions and used sales, will post results if i get a nice bargain. If not, then ill buy an ikea. I see myself building one in the near future though.
>>1019847
I talked with people that were involved with prodution of furniture for IKEA. Their furnitures are engeneered to be made with least amount of materials without furniture collapsing on itself. If you're going to use it as your computer desk or something similar nothing bad should happen realy. Just don't sit/stand on it.
Also probably most important advice if you're going to build your own desk - buy dried wood. Don't buy wood from sawmill straight from under the saw. When wood dries it shrinks (mostly in width ) and warps.
>>1019847
Ikea has some solid wood stuff that's worth buying.
go find a restaurant thats remodeling (like a mcdonalds or burger king or some shit) and grab a few of the table tops they use. they are good solid tables and you add some legs they make a good desk. I made one out of these many years ago.. was cool. then needed more space. got rid of it. now with shit being smaller. I dont need as much space. wish I had that desk I made. :(
pic related
>>1019895
I will take note on the dry wood anon, thanks for the tip
>>1019917
Im gonna search for that on their catalog(but i assume price will be ridiculous)
>>1019928
Damn anon, i will also look for remodeling places. Table looks pretty good and acceptable for my taste. very well done, but rip that he was thrown away, hope you get to make another one
Desk / workbench I built, anyone got any advice on staining?
>>1019844
Antique store or flea market. Also Amish furniture.
>>1020104
Paint it. Mdf doesn't look good with stain and things that are half stained half painted don't have a tendency to be eye sores.
>>1020104
Ended up OK I think, just brushed a dark stain straight on. Mdf parts were a pain.
>>1020104
>mdf tabletop
>staining
you'll want to replace that mdf with ply at the least if you want to stain it. otherwise use veneer. it's literally cardboard.
>>1020565
Ha ha, nice bait. That clearly isn't the same desk
>>1020565
That looks incredible! What did you do the mdf to add grain lines in, is that a some kind of pre stain conditioner?
>>1020585
Same desk, new tv
>>1020591
Got impatient so sanded with 150 grit, then applied one coat of satin stain using a 1inch brush using long strokes
>>1020602
Fucked up a few bits, but I'm happy given its the first time I've stained anything. The only prep steps I took was sealing the mdf edges with pva glue / water mix and sanding.
