DIY Floating Desk Frame
Fall '22 One Room Challenge - Week 7: DIY Floating Desk Frame
Before reading all about our DIY Floating Desk Frame, be sure to check out our ORC Week 6 post on Staying Motivated through DIY Setbacks! As well as the other participants who are working to complete their own ORC!
Okay, I am calling this a floating desk DIY but if I am being honest, I want this to be a well loved craft table!
I love crafts and always remember spending so much time with my Mom making all kinds of fun things. I wanted to have a space to do just that with my boys! From holiday crafts, to coloring & painting, to different experiments & homework, I can already picture so much being done here.
I am very happy with how this frame turned out! We will have a bit more work before the desk is completed but this post walks through exactly how I made the frame. This frame is very similar to the floating countertop I built in my laundry room. However, when building this frame, I knew it would need to withstand climbing toddlers!!
Step One: Cut 2x4s to Size
My desk frame is made from four 9 foot 2x4s. I started by cutting two boards at 8 feet 4 inches. The long boards will make up the front and the back of the frame. Then cut the center/brace boards. I wanted my desk depth to be 24 inches; so factoring in the front and the back boards I cut my brace boards at 21 inches.
I cut a total of 7 boards at 21 inches; two for either end and five in between. If you have a smaller desk you could use less bracing. Again, I wanted this to be a very solid strong frame so I choose to add in more.
Step Two: Attach Back board to Wall
Start by using a stud finder and marking your studs. Then measure for the height of your desk and mark for the height.
Using 3 inch screws attach the back brace into the marked studs. Use a level to make sure you attach the 2×4 level. I screwed into every stud accross the wall.
Step Three: Attach the End Brace Boards
I first attached the end brace boards to the back board using pocket holes and pocket hole screws. Then using 3 inch screws I attached the brace board into the wall stud on the side walls.
Step Four: Attach the Front Board
Attach the second long board, the face board, to the ends of the two brace boards. I used 2 1/2 inch screws to drill through the front board and into the brace boards.
Step Five: Attach Remaining Brace Boards
Attach the remaining brace boards between the front board and the back board. To attach to the back board use pocket holes and pocket screws; to attach the the front board drill through the front board directly into the brace boards.
What's Next!
Up next for this project will be to create the desk top. I am so excited for this. The desk design calls for using locally cut wood slabs. The slabs have been cut and I am just [im]patiently waiting for the wood to dry. Once the wood has dried enough, I plan to finish the planks with an epoxy resin. I have not yet used epoxy resin and I am excited to give it a go! Be sure to check back as I continue to build our floating desk!
Links
*Disclosure: We only recommend products that we regularly use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own.
DIY Floating Desk
Equipment
- Miter Saw
- Drill
- Level
- Kreg Pocket Hole Jig
materials
- 3 2" x 4" x 104" lumber
- 3" Screws
- 2 1/2" Pocket Screws
- 2 1/2" Screws
Instructions
- Cut the 2x4's to Size
- Attach Back-Board to the Wall
- Attach the End Brace Boards
- Attach the Front Board
- Attach Remaining Brace Boards
This is the second time google had landed me on this article. This time I shall comment.
I have to say you girls are doing a great thing. The project is great and instructions are simple yet complete. The guide for new DIY’rs to help with discouragement is brilliant.
Keep up the great work!!
Chris
I would love to see the finished floating desk but I can’t find any further links to it! Can you direct me?
Hi Tammy! If you head over to our Instagram @well_shetried you will be able to find a few photos and a reel on the completed desk top! We did an epoxy finish on some rough cut lumber from a local lumbar yard. Our full blog post will be coming but there was a bit of frustration and tears shed over the expoy finish, certainly not an easy job! I will reply and link the blog post once its completed. Thanks so much for your interest in our projects!!