How to Build a Desk From a Door
- 1). Sand a standard sized (80-by-32 inches) door thoroughly. If there is any hardware on the door, such as hinges or door handles, remove it before sanding. Dull any sharp edges, especially on the side earmarked for the front of the desk. Varnish the door, if desired, then let dry.
- 2). Purchase two filing cabinets, 30-by-20 inches and 20 inches tall. Position the filing cabinets 78 inches apart and place the door on top of them, right side up. Center the door—there should be a one inch overlap on the sides, front and back of the cabinets. When in position, trace the corner positions of the cabinets onto the bottom side of the door with a pencil; there should be eight corners drawn on the underside of the door.
- 3). If there is a hole in the door for a doorknob, convert it into a hole for cords and cables to go through. Position that part of the door at the back edge of the desk.
- 4). Miter each end of 16 5-by-1-inch wood planks to a 45-degree angle. Assemble them into eight corner frames, with the mitered ends matching to form the corner. Position them at right-angles, then glue together and allow to dry.
- 5). Lay the door wrong-side up, with the penciled-in corners facing upward. Place each wood corner frame on the outside of the traced lines, so that the cabinets will fit snugly between the corner frames. Glue the corner frames in place. Then screw them into place with a drill.
- 6). Place the door back on top of the cabinets, with the corner frames holding the cabinets securely in position. Your door desk, with handy cabinets, is now complete.