How to make a DIY designer’s desk

I wanted a large double desk for two people. I made it out of a spruce panel, three saw horses and spruce boards. I wanted everything to be removable, so I joined it all using screws and metal corners.

It’s design is industrial looking and I like the fact that it kind of reminds me construction site because of the saw horses. 

I begun by making the main frame. I used my circular saw and a guide rail to cut the 45 degree miters.

I then used my table saw, to rip cut the cleats. I did a bit of cleaning with my block plane. 

I predrilled pilot holes and screwed the side cleats to the sides of the frame. 

To hold the frame together before screwing it together, I used corner clamps. I joined the pieces of the frame using screws and metal corners.

I cross cut the cleats to size, using my cross cut sled on the table saw.

To clamp the sides so I can add the cleats, I used a piece of string and tightened it just like bow saws do. I then installed the cleats with screws and metal corners again.

Using my circular saw and a guide rail again, I cross cut the desk top panel to length. I used again the circular saw, only this time I freehanded the rip cut to rough size. I then used my block plane to trim the sides so that it fitted just right in the frame.

I then secured the panel to the frame using screws and metal corners, once again.

I marked the dimensions of the saw horses and trimmed them to size using the bandsaw.

I then made a few stop blocks on the bandsaw so that the saw horses stay in place. I made the miters  on the blocks using a spirit level so that the saw horse kind of sits straight. I screwed the blocks in place.

I then used the block plane to clean up, to round over the edges and to plane the sides flush to the desk’s top. 

I sanded everything. I also filled a few gaps using glue and sanding dust.

I cleaned all the dust with my vacuum and applied six coats of clear, satin, water based varnish on the desktop. I sanded between coats with 240 grit sand paper.

My desk was now ready. I hope you liked it.