Free DIY Furniture Plans: How to Build a Reclaimed Timber Slat Desk. I absolutely love our Reclaimed Timber Collection and I can’t wait to see who builds this first! Do you remember this reader showcase? Oh it’s just so very good! Xx… Rayan
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
$100-$150
- Tape Measure
- Saw – Jig Saw, Circular, Table, or Miter Saw
- Drill
- Multi-Square and Carpenter’s Square
- Sander
- Nail Gun
- Router with Patterning bit – or bit set – optional
- 19 – 1×4 at 6’
- 27 – 1×4 at 8’
- 2 – 1×6 at 6’
- 1 half sheet of ¼” plywood
- 1 full sheet of ¾” plywood
- ¼” glass or Plexiglas for the top
- 2 – 1×6 (ripped to 3-3/4” wide) at 63” – Top End Slats
- 19 – 1×4 at 63” – Top Slats
- 115 – 1×4 at 3-1/2” – Blocks (shown in Dark Blue in the drawings)
- 14 – 1×4 at 30” (with a ½” hole drilled at one end) – Side Slats (shown in Lt. Blue in the drawings)
- 40 – 1×4 at 30” – Slats (Shown in Lt. Blue in the drawings)
- 15 – 1×4 at 23-7/8” (with a ½” hole drilled at one end) – Door Slats (shown in Lavender in the drawings)
- 14 – 1×4 at 1-3/4” – Door Blocks (shown in Orange in the drawings)
- 14 – 1×4 at 27-1/2” – Back Slats (shown in Green in the drawings)
- 2 – ¾” plywood at 27-1/2” x 30” – Shelf & Bottom
- 1 – ½” All-Thread at 22-1/4”
- 1 – ¼” plywood at 27-3/8” x 35-1/2” – Back
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Pieces should be sanded and finished prior to assembly. Apply a coat of paste wax to the boards with the hole drilled in the end to allow for the door to slide easily. The desk will be assembled from the top down. Each piece will be secured with glue and 1-1/4” brad nails except the areas with the holes.
Cut the pieces for the top. The wider 1×4 pieces will be positioned at the ends to hold the glass top in place. Start by layering the blocks on the wider pieces with the bottoms flush. Secure with glue and 1-1/4” brad nails. Lay a 1×4 piece on top, then secure to the blocks using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails. Continue layering the pieces in this manner until the top is complete.
Cut the pieces for the slats. Fourteen of the 30” slats will have a hole drilled in one end to allow for the All-Thread for the door. One of these pieces will have a countersunk hole drilled to capture the nut for the All-Thread. Place the nut in the countersunk hole, then secure the piece to the underside of the top using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails. Insert the All-Thread and secure in the nut. Position a 30” slat (without a hole) as shown, then secure using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails.
Cut the pieces for the back slats, the door slats, and the door blocks. The door slats will have a ½” hole drilled at the end. Secure the door blocks to the ends of the door slats using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails. The back slats will be secured using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails, and the door slats will be threaded on the All-Thread piece.
Continue layering the pieces as shown – there will be eight back slats (green), eight door slats with blocks (lavender), eight 30” slats on each side (light blue), and eight blocks (dark blue). Cut the piece for the shelf and drill the hole for the All-Thread. Thread the shelf on the All-Thread then secure the shelf in place using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails.
Continue layering the slats – There will be seven back slats (green), seven door slats with blocks (lavender), six 30” slats on each side (light blue), and seven blocks (dark blue).
Cut the piece for the bottom and drill a countersunk hole for the All-Thread. Thread the bottom on the All-Thread, then insert the nut and make it snug (not tight). Secure the bottom using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails.
Layer the final 30” slats and blocks on the bottom, as well as what will be the far left side of the desk securing the pieces with glue and 1-1/4” brad nails.
Cut the piece for the back. Secure in place using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails. Install a magnetic catch on the door.
Secure the glass on the top with beads of silicone at the edges.
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
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