Build your own desk: Perfect for your home office

A small desk is mounted to the wall in a corner of a living room.
Stylish and space-saving: This rounded desk is the perfect fit for any room.

  • Difficulty
    medium
  • Cost
    22-43 £
  • Duration
    2-3 h

Introduction

Do you work from home on a regular basis? Then having a desk in your home is an absolute must. We’ll show you a solution that fits in nearly any room and takes up very little space. You can build our rounded wooden corner desk in just a few steps.

 

Have you heard about our 18-volt system yet? It offers a huge variety of devices for many different applications. The thing that makes the project below so special is that you can use the same rechargeable battery for every part of this project. Simply swap out the battery pack, insert it into a different device that’s part of the 18-volt system, and move on to the next step.
 

It should go without saying that your safety is paramount at every stage of the project. Make sure you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. You can find everything you need to know about the protective clothing required for each type of task in our guide

You need
  • pencil
  • scissors
  • g-clamps
  • screwdriver
  • G120 sanding sheet
  • sanding block
  • hammer
  • paint roller
  • paintbrush
  • paint tub
  • Old wooden board measuring at least 80 x 80 cm, 2 cm thick
  • Alternative: Spruce sandwich panel
  • 2 squared timbers 55 x 4.5 x 4.5 cm (LxWxH)
  • 4 screws, 4 x 60 mm
  • 4 screws, 6 x 120 mm
  • 4 wall plugs, size 8
  • 2 perforated panels
  • Suitable screws for mounting the perforated panels
  • Suitable wall plugs
  • Sandpaper, G80 (rough) and G120 (fine)
  • Nail
  • String
  • Wood varnish
L: Length, W: Width, H: Height, D: Diameter
Step 1 13

Measure the board and cable hole

The Zamo laser measure and tape adapter are being used to measure a wooden board.
The Zamo laser measure and tape adapter are being used to measure the corner of a wooden board.

You need: Laser measure, Zamo - Tape Adapter, pencil, Old wooden board measuring at least 80 x 80 cm, 2 cm thick, Alternative: Spruce sandwich panel

First take your large wooden board and lay it on your workbench with the surface you have chosen for the top of the desk facing down. Then position your Zamo with the tape adapter at the bottom corner (point A) of the board and measure 79 cm up and 79 cm to the side (image 1). Mark each of these points. Helpful hint: Lay a towel or blanket onto your workbench before positioning the board to avoid scratching the surface of the wood.

To measure the position of the cable hole, start from point A and, with the tape adapter positioned at a 45° angle, measure a distance of 12 cm (image 2). Mark this position on the wood.

Please note: We have specifically chosen an old wooden board for this project. After all, giving old bits of furniture a fresh, new look is really quite simple in most cases. It also helps you make your home more sustainable. However, you are free to use any board you wish to build your corner desk.

 

Step 2 13

Draw out the circular shape

A string and a pencil are being used to draw a circle on a wooden board.
A DIY compass works just fine.

You need: hammer, nails, pencil, piece of string/cord, Sandwich board or wooden board from step 1

Now you have to make your own compass. Start by fixing a nail at point A. Then take a length of string, tie it to the nail and pull it until you reach the mark you made at 79 cm. Make a small loop in the string and tie it securely to a pencil. You can now use this DIY compass to draw a perfect circular section onto your wooden board.

Step 3 13

Saw and drill the wood

A jigsaw is being used to cut a circular shape from a wooden board.
A Forstner drill is being used to make a hole in a wooden board.
Sandpaper is being used to sand the edges of a wooden board.

You need: Accessories for jigsaws, Jigsaw blade T 101 B, Cordless combi drill, Forstner bit 20mm, g-clamps, G120 sanding sheet, sanding block, Wooden board from step 2

Now you can use a jigsaw to cut out the circle section you drew onto your board in the previous step (image 1). Make sure to clamp the board securely using G-clamps.

Use the Forstner drill bit to drill the cable hole at the position you marked out in step 1 (image 2).

After you have finished all of the sawing and drilling, make sure to sand all cut edges thoroughly using sandpaper. This will ensure that they are smooth and even.

Step 4 13

Measure the squared timbers

The Zamo laser measure and tape adapter are being used to measure a squared timber.
The Zamo laser measure and tape adapter are being used to measure a squared timber.

You need: Laser measure, Zamo - Tape Adapter, pencil, 2 squared timbers 55 x 4.5 x 4.5 cm (LxWxH)

In the next step, you’ll need the two 55-cm squared timbers. If they are not the right length, you must first cut them to size and sand them.

Take one of the two squared timbers, measure a length of 12 cm from the outer edge and mark this point in the centre of the timber (image 1). You will need these markings later on when building the wall mounting.

Now rotate the squared timber by 90° along the longitudinal axis, measure a length of 10 cm from each end of the squared timber and mark these points (image 2). You will need these markings later on when mounting the surface of the desk.

Repeat these steps for the second squared timber.

Step 5 13

Drill and countersink the holes in the squared timbers

A hole is being drilled in a squared timber using a cordless combi drill.
A countersink cutter is being used to countersink a hole in a squared timber.

You need: Cordless combi drill, Brad point drill bits, Metal Drill Bit HSS-R, DIN 338 Set 6 Pieces, g-clamps, Squared timbers from step 4

Now drill the holes that you marked out in step 4. A word of caution: Make sure to use the 6-mm Brad point drill bit to drill the holes for the wall mount. Drill the holes to mount the desktop using the 5-mm Brad point drill bit (image 1).

After you have drilled the holes, you will have to countersink them using a countersink cutter (image 2).

Step 6 13

Paint the desk

A wooden board is being painted using a paint roller.
Of course, the colour is completely up to you.

You need: paint roller, paintbrush, paint tub, All wooden parts

In this step, you’ll paint all of the wooden components in the colour of your choice. Using a paint roller is the fastest way to get the job done.

Step 7 13

Prepare the wall

The Zamo is being used to measure a wall.
The Quigo Green is being used to project a green laser cross line into the corner of a room.

You need: Laser measure, Cross Line Laser, Tripod, pencil

While the wooden components are drying, you can measure out the position of your new desk on the wall. First, use the Zamo to measure the height of the desktop (image 1). This is 73 cm in our case. Mark this height on the wall.

This is where the Quigo Green comes into play: Use a tripod to adjust the device so that the vertical laser line aligns directly with the corner of the room and the horizontal line aligns with the height mark that you made (image 2).

Step 8 13

Marking the drill holes

A squared timber is being held up to a wall below the laser line in order to mark a drill hole.
The laser lines make it is easy to align the squared timber.

You need: Cross Line Laser, Tripod, pencil, Squared timber from step 6, Screw

Now use the two squared timbers to mark the drill holes on both walls, leaving some distance between the edge of the squared timber and the corner. To do this, align the squared timber below the laser line and the wall, and press the screw into the pre-drilled hole using a bit of pressure. Make sure that you are using the holes that you have drilled for the wall mounting.

Afterwards, each wall should have two drill hole markings, two for each squared timber.

Step 9 13

Mount the squared timbers

A cordless combi drill is being used to attach a squared timber to the wall.
The pre-drilled holes make it easy for you to mount the squared timbers.

You need: Cordless combi drill, concrete drill bit, hammer, Squared timbers, 4 screws, 6 x 120 mm, 4 wall plugs, size 8

Now use an 8-mm concrete drill bit to drill four holes – one at each of the markings – and insert size 8 wall plugs.

Finally, mount the squared timbers to the wall using four screws (6 x 120 mm).

Step 10 13

Attach the desktop

A cordless combi drill is being used to attach a wooden board to a squared timber from below.
Make sure that the desktop is positioned precisely in the corner before screwing it in place.

You need: Cordless combi drill, Cut desktop section, 4 screws, 4 x 60 mm

Position the desktop in the corner and screw it in place from below using the pre-drilled holes.

Step 11 13

Prepare the wall for the perforated panels

The Zamo is being used to measure a wall.
The Quigo Green is being used to project a green laser cross line into the corner of a room.

You need: Laser measure, Cross Line Laser, Tripod, pencil, 2 perforated panels

To make your new desk corner even more stylish and practical, you can mount two perforated panels above the desk. It’s easy to attach small tools such as pens and key rings or even small shelves to these panels. They are available in all sizes. The following measurements are simply examples and can be adjusted to suit your individual needs.

To mount our panels, we used the Zamo to measure a distance of 52 cm from the top of the desk and marked out our measurement (image 1).
Use a tripod to adjust the laser cross lines of the Quigo Green so that the vertical line is in the corner and the horizontal line is aligned with your mark on the wall (image 2).

Step 12 13

Marking the drill holes

The Zamo is being used to measure a wall.
With the Quigo Green and the Zamo, it’s easy to measure and make all the necessary markings without any additional assistance.

You need: Laser measure, Cross Line Laser, Tripod, pencil

The placement of the individual drill holes will vary based on the size of your perforated panels. Determine the positions of the individual holes, measure the distances on the wall and make at least four markings along the horizontal laser line.

Step 13 13

Mount the perforated panels

A screwdriver is being used to attach a perforated panel to the wall.
A screwdriver is the best tool for mounting the perforated panels.

You need: Cordless combi drill, concrete drill bit, screwdriver, hammer, 2 perforated panels, Suitable screws for mounting the perforated panels, Suitable wall plugs

There are different ways to mount the perforated panels to the wall. However, it is best to attach them firmly to the wall using screws and to pre-drill the holes for the mounting screws. The size of the holes, wall plugs and screws will depend on the type of perforated panel you choose. You must determine the best sizes for your project.

Once you have drilled all of the holes and inserted the wall plugs, you can attach the perforated panels to the wall.

You have now finished building your new corner desk and can start setting up your home workspace. Have fun!