DYI Desk Advice

[EmptyMags]

After looking high and low for a desk that will satisfy my needs, I haven't found anything that really works for me. So I have begun the undertaking of designing the layout for my new monster of a desk. Current design has it sitting at 96" in width and 25" deep. Going to have speakers, dual 28" monitors, midtower case, with two shelves on the outside for my VR gear and my record player. Attached is my rough design, including my keyboard, monitors, case, and speakers. The uppermost shelf sits at about 40" from the desktop. The shelving and desktop will be stained wood, probably a light grey color, with the metal frames being square tubing painted black.

 

With all of that said, do any of you have advice for this undertaking? This will be my first time building something so complex and big. I'd also love to hear ideas for cable management, and things that will make this build really stand out!

[Bombastinator]

There is double hook steel industrial modular shelving that may serve for the vertical bits simplifying things immensely.  The stuff isn’t cheap but may be strong enough.  Without metal at more than one point those middle shelves may have problems with tipping side to side.  Might even need four posts rather than the two.  Total weight may also be a concern.   The thing looks like it is intended to wall mount.  You’re going to have to use wall studs to anchor it, which commonly (but only commonly.  Checking the intended mount area may be a good idea) are 16” on center, but are also only in specific places.  There are Sheetrock mounts designed for medical safety hand-hold bars for bathrooms, that can hold some weight, but they’re $50 a piece (you’d need what looks like a minimum of 8) and are not small.

[EmptyMags]

36 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

There is double hook steel industrial modular shelving that may serve for the vertical bits simplifying things immensely.  The stuff isn’t cheap but may be strong enough.  Without metal at more than one point those middle shelves may have problems with tipping side to side.  Might even need four posts rather than the two.  Total weight may also be a concern.   The thing looks like it is intended to wall mount.  You’re going to have to use wall studs to anchor it, which commonly (but only commonly.  Checking the intended mount area may be a good idea) are 16” on center, but are also only in specific places.  There are Sheetrock mounts designed for medical safety hand-hold bars for bathrooms, that can hold some weight, but they’re $50 a piece (you’d need what looks like a minimum of 8) and are not small.

Thanks for the advice! I should have been more clear that its going to be a conventional desk, I simply haven't designed the legs for it. Not going to be anything special, simply 4 square tubing legs with braces. I definitely am going to make some kind of mounting mechanism for the shelves, and hopefully even a way to adjust their height. The double post are a good idea, and definitely will add stability. I am proficient in welding, so its mainly a matter of figuring out what I want and how exactly I am going to do it! There are no two ways about it though, this thing is going to be heavy! 

[Bombastinator]

4 hours ago, EmptyMags said:

Thanks for the advice! I should have been more clear that its going to be a conventional desk, I simply haven't designed the legs for it. Not going to be anything special, simply 4 square tubing legs with braces. I definitely am going to make some kind of mounting mechanism for the shelves, and hopefully even a way to adjust their height. The double post are a good idea, and definitely will add stability. I am proficient in welding, so its mainly a matter of figuring out what I want and how exactly I am going to do it! There are no two ways about it though, this thing is going to be heavy! 

Older really heavy furniture that is still around often came in two sections.  Made it more portable to boot.  I think that is why it survived.   The ability to fit through a 28” door (narrowest old type) is handy for keeping stuff around.  Stuff that can’t be moved or stored or hold up tends to get trashed. 
 

these are the sort of adjustable shelf brackets I was thinking of.  They’re are several different types of systems though.  I’ve seen ones big enough to hold a desktop. These aren’t them though.  May not matter if it’s not a wall mount though.

[EmptyMags]

13 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Older really heavy furniture that is still around often came in two sections.  Made it more portable to boot.  I think that is why it survived.   The ability to fit through a 28” door (narrowest old type) is handy for keeping stuff around.  Stuff that can’t be moved or stored or hold up tends to get trashed. 
 

these are the sort of adjustable shelf brackets I was thinking of.  They’re are several different types of systems though.  I’ve seen ones big enough to hold a desktop. These aren’t them though.  May not matter if it’s not a wall mount though.

Definitely going to make it so the upper section separates from the lower section. If for no other reason than its going to be really heavy with a solid tabletop. I am toying around with the idea of using some resin and a CnC machine I have access to to make some cool metalwork I can inlay in the desktop itself. I have a silver, white and purple theme to my new PC I built. I think it will look really cool on the desk if it goes half as well as I'm hoping. 

 

 

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, EmptyMags said:

Definitely going to make it so the upper section separates from the lower section. If for no other reason than its going to be really heavy with a solid tabletop. I am toying around with the idea of using some resin and a CnC machine I have access to to make some cool metalwork I can inlay in the desktop itself. I have a silver, white and purple theme to my new PC I built. I think it will look really cool on the desk if it goes half as well as I'm hoping. 

 

 

With a CNC you could do other stuff too.  Stuff that could make things more sturdy, less heavy, and improve looks to boot. The flat of a desk isn’t what gets the most wear.  It’s the edges and the corners.  With the industrial level accuracy of CNC there is also the potential to marry custom and factory made parts in interesting ways.   Access to a CNC really opens up possibilities. Making stuff squares and rectangles isn’t as required for one thing.  Curves and indentations aren’t often used in furniture partially because of tool requirements which you can potentially sidestep.  One of the difficulties of the modern aesthetic is its very unforgiving of inaccuracy.  Small imperfections show.  You have the potential to beat that.   There are a lot of fudge factor things meant to hide inaccuracy.  Trim strips are a big one. 

[IPD]

Plastic, square, cable channeling is plentiful.  Look for the kind you can open/close over and over again easily.  Find some that you can bolt to the back, underside of the desk.

 

I would consider making your own bracketing to mount a power strip to the back, underside as well (plugs face downward).  This would ideally be on the same side as the PC tower, minimizing the amount of under-table interference with where you sit.

 

Consider floor stands as an option.  I know you can get pairs of floor-stand speaker mounts, but you might also be able to find some "arms" for speaker mounts that can fit onto a floor-stand monitor tree.  That would get the speakers and monitors all "off" the desk, and possibly simplify the shelving.

 

If you aren't 100% sure of what you intend to use the top "hutch" shelf for, you might consider just leaving that off.  If your desk is going to be facing a wall, you can always put a floating shelf on the wall, to duplicate this function.

 

If you are baller-level 9000, you can put some of these in:

 

https://www.customizeddesigns.com/floating-bar-shelves/

 

I have a pair of the 9" ones over the fireplace in my den.

[EmptyMags]

On 9/19/2021 at 11:23 PM, Bombastinator said:

With a CNC you could do other stuff too.  Stuff that could make things more sturdy, less heavy, and improve looks to boot. The flat of a desk isn’t what gets the most wear.  It’s the edges and the corners.  With the industrial level accuracy of CNC there is also the potential to marry custom and factory made parts in interesting ways.   Access to a CNC really opens up possibilities. Making stuff squares and rectangles isn’t as required for one thing.  Curves and indentations aren’t often used in furniture partially because of tool requirements which you can potentially sidestep.  One of the difficulties of the modern aesthetic is its very unforgiving of inaccuracy.  Small imperfections show.  You have the potential to beat that.   There are a lot of fudge factor things meant to hide inaccuracy.  Trim strips are a big one. 

I just got confirmation if I supply materials and am there to help, I can basically use the machine to make whatever I want. Now I just have to figure out exactly what I want and design/draw it out.

[EmptyMags]

On 9/22/2021 at 12:26 PM, IPD said:

Plastic, square, cable channeling is plentiful.  Look for the kind you can open/close over and over again easily.  Find some that you can bolt to the back, underside of the desk.

 

I would consider making your own bracketing to mount a power strip to the back, underside as well (plugs face downward).  This would ideally be on the same side as the PC tower, minimizing the amount of under-table interference with where you sit.

 

Consider floor stands as an option.  I know you can get pairs of floor-stand speaker mounts, but you might also be able to find some "arms" for speaker mounts that can fit onto a floor-stand monitor tree.  That would get the speakers and monitors all "off" the desk, and possibly simplify the shelving.

 

If you aren't 100% sure of what you intend to use the top "hutch" shelf for, you might consider just leaving that off.  If your desk is going to be facing a wall, you can always put a floating shelf on the wall, to duplicate this function.

 

If you are baller-level 9000, you can put some of these in:

 

https://www.customizeddesigns.com/floating-bar-shelves/

 

I have a pair of the 9" ones over the fireplace in my den.

Definitely going to use some cable channeling of some description.

I also have a battery back up that doubles as my power strip, so I'm definitely going to make a shelf of some kind for it. 

I will have to use my speakers as my DAC for my headphones since its built into the left speaker. I think it will be a good look and as big as I'm making this, the size of them really won't be an issue. 

I do plan on making the hutch detachable, for moving convenience and also if I get tired of it. I was planning on using it for just putting some D&D books and miscellaneous figures/statues and other gaming/nerd stuff on it. Those shelves do look baller, but unfortunately I can't be mounting too much stuff  to the walls where I currently live. Once I have my own place though... going to have to pick some of those up.