Drawers to desk Upcycle a tallboy into a bespoke writing desk with faux bone inlay

Turn an old tallboy into a work station for a piece of furniture that serves double duty

2020-07-23 -

Gather your supplies

• 21mm plywood • Stain blocker spray

• Chalk paint in black and white • Stencil or plastic lace

• Drawer handles

• Piano hinge • Decorative chain supports with mounting plates

• Magnetic door catch

You’ll also need Screwdriver; hammer; timber filler; 180- and 240-grit sandpaper; multitool; power saw; PVA glue; tape measure; pencil; drill; nails; spatula; sander; microfibre rollers; paintbrush; paint tray; self-adhesive book cover roll; craft punch; painter’s tape

For you to note

• This tallboy was 127cm high. A standard-height desk is 74-76cm high, so the top two drawer sections were used for a fold-down desk.

• A piece of 21mm plywood with the drawer fronts attached makes it look like a complete unit when shut.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Remove all drawers from your tallboy, then take off handles and any other hardware. Fill resulting holes with timber filler and sand.

STEP 2 Use multitool to cut through frame on top-tier drawer divider, then sand cut edges smooth. Frame pieces will also be attached to the false drawer front/ fold-down desk.

STEP 3 Remove tallboy runners for top 2 drawers using a hammer.

STEP 4 Cut 21mm plywood to size for base of desk section, which will sit inside second-tier drawer frame section. Run a bead of PVA glue around edges

of desk base and position inside the frame.

STEP 5 Dismantle top 3 drawers with a hammer to remove drawer fronts intact.

STEP 6 Measure tallboy to cut a piece of 21mm plywood for fold-down desk.

STEP 7 Mark positions of 3 drawer fronts and original frame pieces on the plywood using pencil.

STEP 8 Predrill drawer fronts and frame pieces.

STEP 9 Apply PVA glue to back of drawer fronts and frame pieces, then position on plywood desk front.

STEP 10 Secure drawer fronts and frame pieces to plywood desk using a hammer and nails.

Fill nail holes with timber filler using a spatula and sand smooth.

So many more people are working from home at the moment, but if you are struggling to find an o ce nook or spare space for a desk, this upcycle idea with a tallboy is exactly what you need. Simply transform an old chest of drawers into a work station with a pull-down desktop and give it a high-end look with faux bone-inlay stencilling. The result is a ‘new’ item of furniture that’s not only functional, but is also a very stylish piece of furniture when not in use.

STEP 11 Sand tallboy, desk front and drawers with a power sander and 180-grit sandpaper.

STEP 12 Working in a well-ventilated area and wearing protective equipment, apply a coat of stain blocker to the tallboy, drawer fronts and desk front. Hold spray can about 30cm from surface and aim for a light, even coat.

STEP 13 Leave stain blocker to dry, then lightly sand all surfaces using 240-grit sandpaper.

STEP 14 Use a roller to apply 2 coats of black paint to the drawer fronts, desk front and tallboy top and sides. Leave paint to dry aer each coat.

STEP 15 Apply black paint to the tallboy edges and frame pieces with a paintbrush. Leave to dry.

STEP 16 Cut a piece of self-adhesive paper to fit vertical frame piece on desk front. Cut 2 more pieces to fit side pieces of tallboy frame. Use a cra punch to make equally spaced holes in strips of self-adhesive paper.

STEP 17 Cut pieces of plastic lace or stencil sheets to fit drawer front pieces on the desk front, as well as front of 2 boom drawers. Secure lace or stencils with painter’s tape and then apply white paint with a roller.

STEP 18 Remove lace or stencils while paint is still tacky, pulling it away on an angle and being careful not to smudge paint. Leave paint to dry.

STEP 19 Aach strip of self-adhesive paper to frame piece on drawer front and use a brush to apply white paint to punched holes. Carefully remove paper while paint is still tacky. Repeat with longer strips to paint dots on tallboy frame sides. Leave paint to dry.

STEP 20 Repeat bone-inlay process (Steps 17 and 18) across top of tallboy. When paint is dry, add handles to drawers and desk front. STEP 21 Replace boom drawers in tallboy. Secure desk front to tallboy using a piano hinge. Aach decorative chain stays and magnetic door catches.