Inside: Build a space saving floating desk that mounts to the wall! Perfect as a computer desk and to fit in a small nook or closet. 

This nook in our upstairs hallway always felt like wasted space. Until one day, I realized it could be turned into the perfect little office area!

The challenge, however, was the space wasn’t a normal dimension and I couldn’t fit a regular sized desk in there. Enter the Built-in Floating Desk. It was the perfect space saving solution.

Note: Since this build, I have migrated my office to the main floor sunroom because my business expanded and my office space needed to as well! We now have plans to move me into an even bigger space in the new basement renovated area. 

Nevertheless, this floating desk was genius and really helped out in this space while we used it.

Why do a DIY built in desk?

This build is really simple and it can be adapted to almost any size space. I know a lot of people build desks like this right into small closets to save on floor space if they have a room that doubles as an office and guest room. 

I originally left mine natural wood for a while and then decided to stain it later on.

The nice thing is that if you only secure it with brad nails, you can easily pop the top off to paint it or stain it later. You can’t do this if you put it together with No More Nails – so that’s just something to keep in mind.

I decked out this corner with additional wall shelves for storage, some cute cafe drapes and a cane-back chair (which has since gone to the donation bin in the sky, but it was great while we had it!) 

Are you wondering how to make a floating desk? Check out below the step by step instructions.

If you’re looking for further DIY guides for your working space, you can learn how to make your own lap desk pillow here.

Materials for Floating Desk DIY

• 1×2 wood to act as braces
• 1/2″ plywood cut to fit your space
• 1/2″ plywood cut to face your desk (optional)
• No More Nails
• Wall screws to mount braces
• Wood stain in colour of choice
• Finishing nails
• Drill with bits

DIY floating computer desk

Are you wondering how to make a DIY floating computer desk? Read on the steps and instructions below. If you are looking forward to building a DIY Desk, first prepare the materials mentioned below.

Materials for a small built-in desk

• Two wood to work as braces.
• Half inch plywood cut suitable for your space size
• Wall screws for mounting braces
• Wood paint according to your choice of color.
• Finishing nails
• Drill with bits
• No more nails

Floating desk plan step by step

1. Note the measurements of your space and start building your braces. Make sure that you fix the braces evenly, in a straight line, and into the wall studs You can take help from the level and stud finder to do this. It will ensure the support on your desk in the nook.
2. Take your plywood top and cut and sand it down to the right fit. If you face trouble doing this on your own, the big box hardware stores can do it for you. Make sure that you get it cut right according to the fit, it should hit the brakes on all the sides (left, right, and back). If you do not have a back brace, it would still work.
3. Before fixing your tabletop using nails, use a secondary brace to support the top along the front. This will provide more support and stability to the desk. Plus, you will also be able to face the desk with a showpiece to hide the braces and screws. These little details matter a lot when you are learning how to build a floating desk.
4. Fix the top of the desk using brad nails to the braces.
5. If you want to keep the color of the desk as it is, it’s fine. Or, you can also paint it right at this step. Seal it with polyurethane if you want.
6. Measure the space and add the front apron piece using no more nails and screws to fix it to the pieces of the brace.

This will be a fake front to your floating computer desk DIY that will make it look like a finished piece of wood.

owever, it is not necessary and is only for good looks. You can avoid it if want.

This build-up is pretty simple and you can fix it anywhere. You can even build this like the small closets and save so much space.

Floating desk in closet DIY

One of the most important parts of living in a house is how you assemble it. A house needs good storage even if space is less. If you need a place for your regular stuff like clothes, a computer, or random things laying around the house, the best thing is to build a desk.

For a small house with less storage space, a helpful alternative is to build up a desk by yourself.

It saves your money, gives more storage space and you can build a customized shelf. In this article, we will know how to build a built-in desk.

The materials needed for a DIY floating desk with storage

• Wood: The size or amount of wood you need depends on what size your closet is.
• Get 2*2 bords
• ½” plywood
• 1*3 board
• Milter saw
• Level
• Table Saw or circular saw
• 3” wood screws
• Nail gun and finishing nails
• Wood glue
• Sandpaper
• 2 ½” pocket hole screws
• Wood stain – you can use natural wood stain. It consists of steel wool with vinegar and black tea.
• Polyurethane
• Cold Grommet
• Drill & large drill bit

Step 1:

Start by deciding the size of the desk you want. A standard desk is about 30 inches. If your closet is small, you can make it a little bit smaller. Mark a line about half an inch below the final height of your desk using a level. During the process, you will need to locate the studs making holes in the walls. You can knock the wall to find out where the stud is and then insert a nail to locate it.

Step 2:

After that, to start preparing the built-in desk DIY, frame the desk using 2*2 boards. Secure the boards on the sides of the closet. Bring them to the level line and fix them to your studs with the help of 3” wood screws.

Step 3:

Cut the boards according to the size of space between the front and backboards. Attach these to the walls using pocket hole screws. Now prepare the tabletop according to the fit. Build a floating desk ensuring that it fits in your cupboard.

Step 4:

Once the desktop is ready, cut a piece of 1*3 board. It should be the length of the front of the desk. Tap the corners using a hammer. Finally, use finishing nails around the sides. You can finally stain it. That is how to make a built-in desk at home.

Floating Desk DIY Step-by-Step