DIY Modern Desk Made W/ 1 Sheet of Plywood

I wanted to make a clean and modern looking desk using only 1 sheet of 3/4 inch plywood. I decided to use my large CNC machine to cut out all the pieces, although you could certainly use a circular saw and a jigsaw to make all the cuts instead.

The desk is designed so the rails fit into the legs, providing a sturdy design, and there are brackets on the inside to provide extra reinforcement. For more detailed plans (and access to the pdf, svg & vetric files for CNC use) I have a plan available on my website - also free to my patrons. http://www.darbinorvar.com/misc/desk-one-sheet-ply...

The legs on this desk are angled which contribute to the modern looking design, and overall it's a pretty straight forward design which really highlights the look of the plywood.

Step 1: Design

To begin I designed how I wanted the desk - 60 inches long, 28 inches deep and 28 3/4 inches high. It was my goal to make all the pieces fit on one sheet of plywood - and you can either use a CNC machine, or cut the pieces out by hand.

The legs are made up of two pieces glued together to provide a thickness of 1 1/2 inches. The inside of each leg (so one of the two pieces that gets glued together) has sections removed for the rails to fit in.

Step 2: Cut Out Pieces

The first step, is cutting out all the pieces for the desk: one top, 8 pieces for legs, 6 rails and 4 brackets.

I used my large CNC machine, although if you'd like to cut the pieces by hand, I have templates and measurements available in my plan (which also has a pdf, svg & vetric files for CNC use): http://www.darbinorvar.com/misc/desk-one-sheet-ply...

Step 3: Glue Legs

Once all the pieces are cut out, begin by gluing together the pieces for the legs. Make sure to first lay them out, and double check you're gluing the right pieces together, taking into account the angle of legs and the inside/outside of the cut out pieces.

Step 4: Pocket Holes

I'm using pocket hole screws to attach the rails to the top of the desk, so cut pocket holes in the rails using a jig.

Step 5: Secure Brackets

Next up, glue together the legs and the long rails. Then glue down the brackets on top, reinforcing with screws. Once all the brackets and legs have been connected, lay sideways and add the short rails as well, to connect the pieces for the base together,

Step 6: Secure Top

Position the top upside down, add the base and screw down using the pocket screws.

Step 7: Add Lower Rails

To provide additional support, add the last short side rails with pocket screws. This will further stiffen the desk up and provide a lot of additional strength.

Step 8: Conclusion - Watch the Video

For additional information, and to see the final result, make sure to check out the video that goes over all the steps in creating this practical and nice looking desk.