Building a computer desk- Ideas?

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  1. Posts : 1,486
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Building a computer desk- Ideas?


    have any of you built your own computer desks? if so , post up some pics of it so i can see them and get some ideas!


    i want to build one case my current setup is so tight and compact, thats its getting very annoying. i want to keep it under $50 however.

    i was thinking a simple desk about 40" long and about 20" wide at he widest point. where i would be sitting, i could cut it out so thats its a circleish and only about 15" or so.

    i just need room to put my monitor, PC, amp, 5 speakers. 2 of the speakers i want on the desk, the other 2 i want on the floor, and the last one is the sub so on the floor, monitor, amp, and PC on the desk.
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  2. Posts : 51,383
    Windows 11 Workstation x64
       #2

    This thread might give you some ideas - Project: The Ultimate Computer Desk
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  3. Posts : 1,486
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    thanks, i might have to wait on this project.... i need the money to buy a car first lol. but its a project for the future!
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  4. Posts : 9,600
    Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
       #4

    Whatever you decide on, make it as big as you can, at least half again as big as what you think you may need. Otherwise, I can pretty much guarantee that it will be too small from day one.

    Also, if you have space for it, a corner desk with side extensions or an L or U shaped desk would be much better than one with a shallow cutout. All of those will dramatically improve your reach. You can buy more room on any desk by mounting little used peripherals, such as printers and scanners, in drawers so you can pull the drawers out to use them while in the drawer), then move them out of the way when done by just closing the drawer.

    Sadly, unless you find a used desk you can refurbish and modify, $50 will be hard pressed to get you even just a simple table. With the weight you would be putting on it, it will need to be pretty sturdy. 20" wide isn't very wide for a desk (I've seen shelves that wide) and cutting a 15" deep arc out of it would leave only a 5" strip at the back. 40" is also not very long. By the time you put a monitor, PC, two tiny speakers, and an amp on there you would be lucky to have room for a small keyboard. My current setup includes my daughter's old desk that is 20" x 40" and just has the keyboard, an ADF scanner (about the size of a loaf of bread), 22" monitor, mouse pad, a dual USB hub, the wired remote for my speakers, the business end of a three outlet heavy duty extension cord (so I don't have to crawl under and behind the desk to get to an outlet), and an alarm clock. There just isn't room for anything else. Right now, I have my keyboard on top of my closed notebook (I'm working on a project with the notebook; I put the computer's keyboard behind the notebook when I have it opened up. The desk is pulled 5" from the wall to allow me to push the monitor farther back and to allow room for my feet and the subwoofer to fit in the kneehole; the satellites are mounted to the wall. The printer is perched on top of some stackable drawers to the right of the desk. My computer and flatbed scanner is on a two drawer nightstand to the right of the desk. I need to modify one of the nightstand drawers so I can move the ADF scanner off the desk so I can put in a three monitor setup (and one will have to be kept in portrait to keep it out of the way of the printer). I have a UPS on the floor to the right of the nightstand (in front of a door I will never be able to close again).

    So, believe me when I say 20" x 40" will not be enough. You could make do with that, especially if that's all you have room for, but you would be miserable. I suggest haunting thrift stores, watching the want ads, and hitting the yard and garage sales to find a cheap used desk that would have the room you would need and refurbish/modify it.
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  5. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #5

    I agree, $50 will buy some 2x4's and shelf board for a top. Depending on the space you have a desk's top should be more like 60" wide and 30" deep. One space saver would be a pull-out keyboard shelf mounted under the top.
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  6. Posts : 1,486
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #6

    i actually decided on just a collapsible table. i only have 45" width to work with being my room so small, so that s the best option.
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  7. Posts : 9,600
    Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
       #7

    At least a table can give you more width. Just make sure it's a sturdy one. You should be able to climb on it without destroying it (unless you are enormously heavy like I am). You may have to hang the speakers on the wall at eyeball level or slightly higher (adhesive 3M Command hooks can handle a lot of weight without destroying the wall surface as long as it isn't wallpaper). Another option would be install a short shelf on the wall (if that would be allowed) on both sides of the monitor or a long shelf behind or over the monitor. That could get the speakers and amp off the desk.

    You can put the computer under the table but keep it as high off the floor as possible without blocking air flow from the blow hole (top exhaust). Also keep the back as far from the wall as possible so it won't block the rear exhaust.
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  8. Posts : 1,486
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #8

    i think everything is going to be on the table except sub and 2 rear speakers. my monitor is going to go ontop of the amp, and speakers on either side of the monitor. PC is going to be on far right side.

    from right to left it would be PC, speaker, amp and monitor, speaker. i have a side window on my PC, so i would like to be able to see that. worse comes to worse, it can go on the floor.
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  9. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #9

    Here's my desk with a pull-out keyboard tray. It's 58" long overall with the desk part 39", 22" deep. I use another self built cabinet on the right for two printers.

    The door opening was originally designed to hold the computer, but I get into it too often for that. The black vertical part next to the door is CD/DVD storage slots. I keep hardware software and old, old back ups there, back to 2001 or so.

    Building a computer desk- Ideas?-p1030165.jpg
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  10. Posts : 1,486
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Damn that's awesome!
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