DIY Desk under $100

" A DIY Desk perfect for the home office"

"This post is sponsored by The Home Depot."

I have been putting off building me a desk for some time now, but I finally got around to it. I have been using my kitchen table as my desk in the meantime and I am so glad to be getting out of the kitchen.  

I had been looking around for designs for a while and saw this cool design online and just had to re-enact it. Lucky for you, I am sharing these farmhouse desk plans with  step-by-step instructions on how to build it.

Now let's get into the nitty gritty!

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Dimensions

Materials

• 2 - 2x2x6 (Select Pine)
• 2 - 1x4x8 (Select Pine)
• 1 - 1x3x6 (Select Pine)
• 1 - 1x3x8 (Select Pine)
• 1 - 1x2x8 (Select Pine)
• 24 x 48 Project Panel
• 1 1/4" Pocket Hole Screws
• Wood Glue
• Varathane Stain

"See Detailed Plans for Cut List"

Tools Used

• DEWALT Atomic Hammer Drill/Impact Combo Kit
• Kreg Jig
• Kreg Right Angle Clamps
• Miter Saw

Step 1: Assemble the Desk Sides

The best part about this build was getting to try out my new DEWALT Atomic 20-Volt Hammer Drill/Impact Combo Kit. I love that it comes with this heavy duty ToughSystem Case.

The case comes packed with a compact impact drill and hammer drill, both 20V brushless tools. 

I first used the DEWALT Hammer Drill to drill the pocket holes into the sides of the DIY Desk. I used my Kreg Jig on a 3/4" setting.

After drilling my pocket holes, I attached the middle stretcher pieces to the outer 2x2s using 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and wood glue. Your two desk sides should look something like the following when you're finished. 

The top stretcher should be a 1x4 and the bottom stretcher should be a 1x3.

Step 2: Attach V Braces

Next was the fun part, adding the decorative V braces. I first made my bottom angled cut and then placed my 1x2 underneath my assembled side and marked my board where I should make the second cut. 

Always measure before you cut for the best fit. I did this for both sides.

Then I used my Kreg Jig on a 3/4" setting to drill pocket holes into the V braces and attached them to the assembled sides using 1 1/4" pocket hole screws.

Your assembled sides should look like this once you attach your decorative V braces. 

Step 3: Attach Stretchers

Next, I attached the two assembled sides together by attaching the two stretcher pieces. The top stretcher piece is a 1x4 and the bottom stretcher is 1x3.

I used my Kreg Right Angle Clamps to secure the stretcher pieces so I could screw them into the sides. I used the 1 1/4" pocket hole screws along with wood glue to secure the stretchers into place.

Step 4: Add Back V Braces

Once the stretchers were in place, I used the same technique to measure the back V braces and attached them using a 1 1/4" pocket hole screws.

Drilling pocket holes on slanted boards can be a little tricky, so just be mindful of where you are drilling your holes.

Step 5: Add Desk Front

Now for all of you who thought I had a drawer on this desk, I hate to inform you that this is a faux drawer. Yes, I was being lazy; but luckily for you guys I have added extra steps in the printable plans for those of you who want to add in a drawer. Redemption!

To create my faux drawer, I set the depth on my miter saw to a specific depth so that it would only cut a little above midway on the board. This step was super simple. Then I added a drawer handle to the front, to give the illusion of a drawer.

Once I added the handle, I attached the desk front to the assembled desk using 1 1/4" pocket hole screws along with wood glue.

My Kreg Right Angle Clamps always come in handy. If you are a builder that works alone, I highly recommend these for building.

Step 6: Attach Middle Supports and Top

Lastly, I attached the middle supports to the assembled desk. I made sure to pre-drill holes on the top of the middle supports to be able to secure the top to the desk.

Once I attached the middle supports, I used my circular saw to cut the 24x48 project panel down to size and attached it to the desk using the pre-drilled pocket holes and 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and this beauty is finished.

once I finished building the desk, I went back through and filled in all the pocket holes to give it a seamless look. Check out my tutorial on filling pocket holes to see how I got the job done. Be sure to check out the farmhouse desk plans for all the measurements.