Recently I realized that my home office desk just isn’t cutting it any longer. I moved my office into a larger room and so I realized that I needed a larger desk. So, what did I do, I started looking for some cool DIY desks and I found 50 simple desk solutions for any room in the house.
First of all, let’s talk materials. What materials do you need to create cheap DIY desks? You can use reclaimed wood, new wood or even repurposed furniture to make your own desk.
I have listed many repurposed desk projects that you are sure to love, even a few great . And, I’ve even included a few space saving ideas for those of you who need a DIY desk for smaller spaces.
Before you build a DIY desk, you need to know what type of desk you need. Do you want a DIY kids’ desk to give your little ones a place to do their homework. Will you need to add in some or accessories?
Do you prefer a DIY desk with drawers or maybe shelves? Think about what you need in terms of organizing your desk space and then you can put together the desk that best fits those needs.
Once you know the type of desk that you need and what you are planning to build it from, the fun begins. Set aside a few hours to a weekend, depending on your DIY desk plans, and then get busy making your own desk for work or play.
I promise that this will be one of the most rewarding DIY projects you have ever done. I can’t wait to get my desk finished and I really hope that you will share yours.
This simple DIY wooden office desk has drawers so that you can keep your home office neat and tidy. There is also a gorgeous American flag motif that is burned right into the wood, but you can leave that off or do another design if you want.
This is a pretty simple wooden desk to build and one that shouldn’t take you longer than a weekend to get finished. It’s a great way to add some organization to your home office.
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The farmhouse quality comes from the wood and the paint – you stain the top in natural wood colors and paint the remainder of the desk white – voila! True farmhouse style! And, you can use repurposed wood for this one if you have it.
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If you have wooden boards on hand that you don’t have a project for, this is a good one for those recycled wood pieces. And, the plan is really easy to follow, even if you want to change the specs and make it bigger or smaller.
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Otherwise, this one may be a bit more expensive unless you have some black walnut that you can recycle.
The desk itself is super easy to build and it is absolutely gorgeous when it is finished.
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You could add as many as you need and even add in a small filing cabinet or nightstand on one side to give yourself some additional storage space for your office.
Note that you are building this one directly onto the wall, so it may not be the best choice for renters.
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This is also one of the longest desks that I have seen, so you are getting an entire office space for around $40, which is really cheap. If you need something a bit longer than a traditional desk, and you want to save money, this one is just perfect.
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And, this one is perfect for those of you who have tons of books that you need to keep close to your desktop. This would work for just about any room in the house, and it is one that you could have completed in just a weekend or so.
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Don’t let the long list of supplies scare you off. This is actually one of the easiest home office desks you could build for yourself. And, if you happen to have a few leftover supplies from other projects, it’s also one of the cheapest.
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A couple of wooden file cabinets or nightstands make the ends and then you just have to add the actual desk part.
Once it’s done, you could paint or stain it any color you want to match your other office décor. You have to love a great .
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You can buy all of the supplies for around $20 to $30. That’s about what you would pay for one of those cheap particle board desks from Walmart, and this one is made from real wood.
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You can use filing cabinets or small cabinets for the ends and then note that there is an open shelf in the center of the desk that is perfect for housing your desktop tower.
You can find a lot of the supplies at thrift stores, which makes this one pretty cheap to build, too.
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A couple of small bookshelves, a file cabinet or small nightstand and the top off of an old table can be used to create a stunning desk for your home office.
Even those roll able carts would be great for keeping the desktop up, and you can use baskets on the shelves for loads of storage.
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And, it takes up very little space. You can easily build this to fit on a small wall or anywhere that you have room for a desk. And, the rustic design is perfect for living rooms or even dining rooms that are decorated in farmhouse style.
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This one is plenty big enough to hold your desktop or laptop, but it won’t take up all of the space that a traditional desk needs on the floor.
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The desk itself is made from a really small dresser and it gives you plenty of room on top for your computer or other needs without taking up too much space in smaller rooms.
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You can do this one in whatever size you need so that it perfectly fits into the space that you have available. I love the idea of having a desk in the kitchen – or the laundry room if that’s where you have the space!
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The best part is that it doesn’t take up any floor space. You just mount it right on the wall and then you can hide your file cabinets or other items underneath it.
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You can keep that desk clutter to a minimum with this one and still not take up too much space in a small office, bedroom or living room.
And, you can make this one from recycled wood if you have any on hand.
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You can hide your keyboard in the cubby when you are not using it or use the cubby for papers, magazines or anything else that you need to keep organized.
This is a super easy one to build and it is perfect for small offices or living rooms when you just don’t have the space for a larger desk. Add some and you’re all set.
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If you really need something that is going to save space, this DIY murphy style desk is your best bet. This one folds up when you aren’t using it. It attaches to the wall and then folds completely out of the way when not in use.
Talk about a space saver! This is a great one for smaller rooms, and it gives you plenty of space for working on the laptop or for the kids to do their homework.
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If you don’t have enough room for a larger desk to stick out, this one will save you space. Plus, you can build two space saving desks and use them in different rooms if needed. This would make a great homework station for the kids!
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You’ll need a front loading washer and dryer set for this one, but if you have a weekend to work on it, this is a great solution to not having space for an office.
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This one is done on a bay window, but you could probably make it work with any standard window as long as the window frame allows for the desktop to sit comfortably. And, this one doesn’t take a lot of hardware.
You just need something for the desktop and one single leg.
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Aside from the countertop, you just need to build the base. It gives you plenty of room for all of those crafting supplies and loads of room on top to do your crafting.
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Plus, they give you so much storage space for all of your craft supplies. This could be a really cheap project too, if you can find a couple of short bookshelves at a thrift store.
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This one gives you a lot of room on top for crafting and then you have these three legs that also double as shelves to hold all of your crafting supplies.
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Adding casters to the bottom of the unit lets you move this one around whenever you need. There is so much space for storing things and plenty of room on top for crafting.
And, you can get these units pretty cheap – just check your local thrift stores.
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This would be a great one for your crafting room or for the kitchen if you don’t have a crafting room. It’s really easy to build and you can check out Goodwill or other thrift stores for the supplies and make it really cheap to build, too.
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I love the drawers for crafting desks, especially if you work with yarn or ribbon, or other smaller items. The drawers keep them perfectly safe while you aren’t using them.
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You build this one completely from scratch, but it’s not as difficult as it sounds. The plans are super easy to follow. You can have this one done in a weekend, and the materials are not at all expensive.
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IKEA has adjustable table legs for $3 each, so this entire desk could cost you less than $20. It’s the perfect size for kids and it doesn’t take up a lot of space on the floor.
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Behind the desk is a bookshelf that holds all of their art and other supplies and even that is hidden away when you fold the desk up and out of the way.
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Not only does it have plenty of desk space on top, but it also offers storage right under the top. I love the look of this one, especially if old country charm is your décor choice. And, this one is pretty easy to build.
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You can adjust the size depending on how tall your child is, and since there’s nothing underneath, it provides a great place for toyboxes and other bedroom items.
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This DIY chalkboard desk is simply painted white – or whatever color you need to match your kids’ bedrooms – and then has a chalkboard front.
This is a great . Check out thrift stores to get these little desks really cheap and then customize them to match your kids’ rooms.
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Plus, this one is actually pretty sturdy, and you can have the entire desk completed in about half an hour. Just add a chair and some office supplies and your little ones are all set.
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I love the look of this one, and it takes away those worries of finding the perfect chair to fit up to the desk. You just build the chair right in. Aside from the copper pipe, you just need a couple of boards and some basic hardware for this one.
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There is plenty of space for all of their books on the sides and more than enough room on top for coloring, reading or doing their homework.
You can do this one with reclaimed wood, too if you have any on hand.
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I love this DIY kids’ desk for toddlers and preschoolers. You make the chair for this one, too. The desk has so much room for them to color or read or play with their smaller toys and the chair is so easy to build.
You won’t have to worry about finding a chair that matches the height of the desk when you build it yourself. You can alter these plans if you need to make this one a bit smaller or larger, too.
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And believe it or not, this one is not at all difficult to build. It certainly helps you to keep your desk organized by putting part of your desktop necessities behind you at all times.
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It has a standard design, but you could certainly add some extras like shelving or just put a short bookshelf underneath it for added organization.
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This DIY computer desk is the perfect size for laptops. What makes it great is that you create it from scratch out of wood, and it has these amazing emojis decorating the front.
This is a great one for teenagers or pre-teens for homework, or it would look great just sitting in your office.
The designs are pretty easy to do, and you can probably have this one completely finished in less than a weekend.
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There is plenty of space on top for your desktop or laptop, and it has plenty of space underneath for a filing cabinet or other storage solution.
If you want something easy and cheap, you definitely want to take a look at this one. It’s one of the simplest ever in terms of DIY desks.
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If you don’t really need an entire office space, but you just want something to hold your laptop when you’re cruising Facebook or searching for those DIY projects, this easy laptop desk is perfect.
There is no sewing required and honestly, this one is so easy that you can have it completed in just an hour or so. It’s the perfect one for sitting on the bed and browsing the internet or even working from your comfy living room chair.
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You can just make a few adjustments, like removing a few drawers, and have the desk that you need. You could even do this with a smaller dresser if you don’t have the space for a larger desk.
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This DIY changing table desk is the perfect example. This would be great in the kitchen for keeping your cookbooks organized, or you could paint it a bright color and use it in the kids’ bedrooms for their homework desks.
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If you happen to be redoing the bedroom and you have a nightstand that you no longer need, you can use it to create this amazing DIY desk. If you don’t have a nightstand on hand to use, check out your local Goodwill or other thrift store.
You can often pick up old furniture there for just a couple of dollars. Once you have the nightstand, you don’t need much else. This is a really simple , and it’s perfect for getting a space saving desk.
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Paint the top with chalkboard paint, especially if you have younger children.
Overall, this is probably one of the easiest DIY desks you could possibly make, and it’s a great way to make use of that old baby crib without actually having to get rid of it.
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This one is really simple, and antique pianos have such a beautiful look to them. If you want a new desk, but want something simple, this is a great one. If you don’t have an old piano to use, check local marketplaces.
People often sell them cheap just to get rid of them.
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You can spray paint old toolboxes to make them whatever color you need. And, there are so many little drawers in those toolboxes that give you loads of organization and storage space in your new desk.
This is one of the most creative DIY desks I have ever seen!
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