Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
EASY STEPS TO BUILD YOUR CORNER DESK
Here’s how
STEP 1 Cut components to size using circular saw. A plywood saw guide with small strip of ply, which acts as guide for baseplate of saw, screwed to larger piece makes this easy. STEP 2 To hide edges of ply so timber seems to be solid pine, thin veneers will be cut and will be glued to edges. To prepare for this, temporarily screw drawer runner block to fence attachment of saw, which will make cutting veneers easier. Adjust fence so timber is about 2mm from saw blade.
STEP 3 Screw length of 64 x 19mm pine to bench so one long edge is hanging off side. Use saw to run along this edge cutting thin strip of pine off edge. Repeat until you have cut 5 strips.
STEP 4 Spread PVA glue along hypotenuse edge of one side. Hold thin strips of pine against edge so it slightly overhangs each face. Hold in place using masking tape, ensuring strip is hard against ply all way along edge. Leave to dry for 24 hours. Repeat for other side, desktop and shelves. Also veneer long edges of drawer front and 2 lengths for filler panel that are slightly longer than required. These will be cut to length later.
STEP 5 Use sander to smooth edges of veneer strips flush with faces of each piece. Also smooth faces of all components that will be visible.
STEP 6 Construct drawer box by predrilling with countersinking bit, then glue and screw together with 50mm screws.
STEP 7 Spread glue around bottom edges of drawer box, then position drawer bottom on top. Join with 20mm nails.
STEP 8 Make drawer runner blocks by screwing 2 lengths together in L shape. Attach mounting part of drawer runners to side of block that forms longest leg of L using supplied screws.
STEP 9 Attach other part of drawer runners to sides of drawer box. Make sure you position runners on box so short leg of L of drawer runner blocks will sit above top edge of drawer box by 5mm. Slide runners together to make drawer assembly.
STEP 10 Sit drawer assembly centrally on underside of desk so front of drawer is about 19mm from front edge of desktop. Use the drawer front as a spacer, placing it flush with the plywood and not the edge of the veneer strip.
STEP 11 Predrill and screw down through the drawer runner blocks into the desktop using 30mm screws. The back corner of the blocks might protrude past the side edges of the desktop. If so, cut them off flush. Remove drawer assembly, as it is easier to put together and install the desk without it.
STEP 12 Glue and nail the corner spacing block to the back edge of 1 side panel, which you will use to join the 2 side panels together. Leave glue to dry.
STEP 13 Apply 2 coats of stain and varnish to all components, including the inside of the drawer. Allow to dry and sand lightly between coats.
STEP 14 Sit side panels upright and butt one side into the other which has the corner spacing block attached to it. Predrill and screw through the spacing
block into the other side using 50mm screws.
STEP 15 Place the desktop between the sides flush with their bottom. Predrill and screw through sides into desktop.
STEP 16 Screw LED lights into the back corner of the shelves. Place shelves against the desk sides so there is a 40mm gap to the front edges of the sides. Screw through the back into the shelves. Drill a small hole through the corner of the sides and thread the cord from the lights through the hole.
STEP 17 To make installation easier, cut battens that will sit on top of the skirting board that the desk can sit on as you screw it to the wall. The standard height for a desk above the floor is 750mm. Sit battens on skirting and use Blu-tack to hold them against the walls.
STEP 18 Sit desktop on top of battens and screw into the walls using 75mm screws, going into the timber studs behind the plaster wall. Remove support battens.
STEP 19 Reattach drawer assembly to underside of desktop, going into screw holes you made in Step 11.
STEP 20 Place drawer front against drawer so it overhangs each side equally and the gap to the underside of the desktop is 2mm. Predrill and screw through drawer into drawer front using 30mm screws.
STEP 21 Cut filler panels to fit on either side of the drawer front, leaving a 2mm gap between them. Cut the end that will meet the wall on a 45° angle. Use plywood offcuts to attach the panels to the underside of the desk.