Thread: Desk building - joint advice

It should be a nice desk but your drawings look a little complicated and too many joins which as you refer to could become a complication in future with movement.

I would simply join the two lengths with a mitre and bench top bolts then add the internal corner piece with cleats. This would allow all the panels to expand and contract without interfering with others.

thinking sideways and trying to eliminate timber movement.

Build out of 18mm MDF and cover with 3-6mm quality plywood

You could cut your shape out of plywood (or MDF) and glue a few together to give you a solid core and then clad the core with T&G board to look like your kitchen worktop, you would need to glue an edging piece to hide the core and the T&G board.

First decide where you want to see a change in direction of grain, the first option looks best to me as the grain is all running wrong in option two.
Cut and join using the same methods as kitchen bench top

IMO, option 2 would be the strongest if you have the grain direction of the 2 small triangular pieces at each end the same as the rest of the corner pieces. All your seams would be long-grain to long-grain which is the strongest possible. You would not have to worry about seasonal movement as all the grain will be running in the same direction. The disadvantage is the grain will be running "diagonally" but the pro is your seams would be practically invisible depending on how well you joint and match the boards. To minimise cupping either use quarter-sawn boards, or alternate the growth rings of the boards as per below:

end_grain.jpeg










The other disadvantage of option 2 is possibly more wastage.

This guy built a similar desktop recently and he explains how he joined it together and why. Taking into consideration grain direction, wood movement etc. Explanation starts around 7m 40s

Building My Dream Desk - YouTube

First, Welcome to the Forum, loosedaddy.

I presume that you intend sitting in the middle of the "L" - if so, then I would strongly advise against having a mitre joint immediately in front of you. This means that you will probably have to have two joins, or be really creative.

When you do the joints I suggest that you consider bench top connectors plus glue. This video uses chipboard, but technique will work as well in solid timber.
How to cut and butt™ benchtops | kaboodle kitchen - YouTube

On aesthetic grounds, I prefer your first option. I doubt that there is much difference in strength between the two options:

1. End grain to diagonal grain,
2. Side grain to diagonal grain.
3. Both reinforced by bench top connectors.

Another layout might be like this:

Corner Desk.jpg
Possibly easier to assemble and a little more economical in materials?

Have a look at DGI Australia website, technical and fabrication of tops.
These guys make the laminated timber like your top
dgi.com.au
Hope it’s useful,
best of luck with the project

Could I just volunteer the impression, based on the drawings in green and red showing the locations of legs, that the desk in use will tip toward the back corner where you intend to mount your monitors - in other words, you will need a third leg in that back corner to prevent the desk toppling in to meet the wall.

This is fine if your intention is to mount it using the wall as a support, of course.

Just my impression given the visible design, not intended to "have a go".

Originally Posted by Midnight Man

Could I just volunteer the impression, based on the drawings in green and red showing the locations of legs, that the desk in use will tip toward the back corner where you intend to mount your monitors - in other words, you will need a third leg in that back corner to prevent the desk toppling in to meet the wall.

This is fine if your intention is to mount it using the wall as a support, of course.

Just my impression given the visible design, not intended to "have a go".

Thanks. I thought the same thing but I have actually calculated the centre of gravity in the CAD model and it isn't too far off the middle which surprised me. But, I will have a wall support too just to be sure

Originally Posted by double.d

It should be a nice desk but your drawings look a little complicated and too many joins which as you refer to could become a complication in future with movement.

I would simply join the two lengths with a mitre and bench top bolts then add the internal corner piece with cleats. This would allow all the panels to expand and contract without interfering with others.

Thanks. I had thought about doing this but I think the joint would sit right under where my mouse sits and I think that how ever good I get the joint, the slight ridge would bother me. I will double check this though. There was another comment that with you tube video link that suggests the same approach