Lymeade Mom Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 I'm redoing our den, which also serves as our homeschool room. I have a wall about 14 feet long that I'd like to have a desk along (the whole wall). I'm thinking of trying to get a countertop on some kind of bookcases or file cabinets.Or something similar. It will be a desk for my 2 girls and for our computer (and me when I use a desk). I really could use the shelves and the storage space, but I don't have any money budgeted for it. Would like it to look like a built-in type thing. I'm cleaning out, so I'm hoping to get some money off selling stuff on Craigslist to pay for it, but money is a hindrance. Anyone done this and have suggestions? Neither my dh or I are particularly handy. We own a drill, but no sawing tools, so I may even have to find someone to help with putting it together. I could borrow a tool from my parents, but doesn't mean I know how to use it! Oh, and we don't want to attach it to the wall--it's wood paneling and not only is it not strong, we don't want the holes as they don't fill well in paneling and one day we might be reselling. TIA :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Use an interior door as a desk top. Use filing cabinets or two low bookcases as legs. You'd have storage and lots of desk space! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 There's someone on here who has posted a pic of her schoolroom, and she has a long top surface resting on some sort of cabinet. Look thru the schoolroom thread and I'm sure you'll get ideas. If you have a Habitat for Humanity Restore near you, you might find a good countertop for about $50-60. We are making a science table with an old countertop and an old cabinet (they redid the kitchen 11 years ago and left us the former cabinets for storage). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Use an interior door as a desk top. Use filing cabinets or two low bookcases as legs. You'd have storage and lots of desk space! This is what we did. Works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Ikea has long countertops. We have a long one with legs, no drawers. It could be dressed up if you want to go that route. It fits two computer stations and the desk apprentice caddy, which is huge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Pinterest has a bunch. Here's one using filing cabinets. Could be done cheaply with a piece of wood and old filing cabinets you salvage from Craigslist or Restore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Use an interior door as a desk top. Use filing cabinets or two low bookcases as legs. You'd have storage and lots of desk space! :iagree: For 14' you can use two doors and 3 or 4 file cabinets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Or go to a countertop place and get a long piece of counter top that was a second or mis-cut; you could do it with a laminate place or granite- they all have 2nds too. Or build one- Ana White site has tons of ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lymeade Mom Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 :iagree: For 14' you can use two doors and 3 or 4 file cabinets. I had thought about the doors--the catch there is doing three desks with 2 doors seems like it might be problematic--I don't want the crack right in the middle Another thing I'm not sure on is that I do have a really pretty desk that was my grandfather's that I won't get rid of. I think I will just put it in my bedroom so my dh can study behind close doors there (he studies there anyway sometimes without a desk--he needs quiet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lymeade Mom Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 There's someone on here who has posted a pic of her schoolroom, and she has a long top surface resting on some sort of cabinet. Look thru the schoolroom thread and I'm sure you'll get ideas. If you have a Habitat for Humanity Restore near you, you might find a good countertop for about $50-60. We are making a science table with an old countertop and an old cabinet (they redid the kitchen 11 years ago and left us the former cabinets for storage). I had thought about checking with the Restore here locally, so I'm glad to here there might have something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Growing up, my parents used a pair of 2 drawer file cabinets with a remnant piece of countertop on top of it. The countertop changed a few times due to space issues (we were Navy and moved every 15-30 months through my jr. high and high school years). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lymeade Mom Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 Or go to a countertop place and get a long piece of counter top that was a second or mis-cut; you could do it with a laminate place or granite- they all have 2nds too. Or build one- Ana White site has tons of ideas. Do you think granite would be too heavy if we aren't attaching to a wall? Sound really nice. :) Off to check out that site. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lymeade Mom Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 There's someone on here who has posted a pic of her schoolroom, and she has a long top surface resting on some sort of cabinet. Look thru the schoolroom thread and I'm sure you'll get ideas. Hmm--looked for a schoolroom thread and didn't find anything with pictures other than one individual's room, but no long desk. Am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in NC Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 My husband built one for our school-room a couple of years ago. I bought a discounted countertop at Home Depot and some small cabinets at the restore. He attached L brackets to the counter and cabinets. It's now a Lego counter. It fits 3 children. We used the cabinets between each child. It works really well and my husband built it in about an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2hunangirls Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Hmm--looked for a schoolroom thread and didn't find anything with pictures other than one individual's room, but no long desk. Am I missing something? I just went to pinterest and searched "schoolroom"....now I'm miserable. :001_huh: But full of ideas!! Even saw one with a desk like you are talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lymeade Mom Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 My husband built one for our school-room a couple of years ago. I bought a discounted countertop at Home Depot and some small cabinets at the restore. He attached L brackets to the counter and cabinets. It's now a Lego counter. It fits 3 children. We used the cabinets between each child. It works really well and my husband built it in about an hour. Great to hear it's working well and it was a quick project! How much do you think it cost? What kind of cabinets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in NC Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 The countertop was on sale for around 30.00 I believe. The cabinets were about 10.00 each at the ReStore. I did spray paint the cabinets white because they were from the Hurricanes stadium and were bright red. I'm thinking it was around 60.00 total for the whole thing. I'm not sure how to describe the cabinets. I'm going to try and attach a picture. Sorry it's a little blurry, it was taken with my old phone. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lymeade Mom Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 The countertop was on sale for around 30.00 I believe. The cabinets were about 10.00 each at the ReStore. I did spray paint the cabinets white because they were from the Hurricanes stadium and were bright red. I'm thinking it was around 60.00 total for the whole thing. I'm not sure how to describe the cabinets. I'm going to try and attach a picture. Sorry it's a little blurry, it was taken with my old phone. :001_smile: Thanks for the picture! That's great! All the details really help. I could afford $60. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lymeade Mom Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 In case anyone is interested in the pictures I've found online of making desks as well as some nice homeschool rooms, it's: http://pinterest.com/limeade42/homeschool-rooms/ Feel free to tell me if you know any great pictures I've missed. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 There was a thread here a month or two ago where a gal posted a photo of her schoolroom that was adjacent to her dining room. Along the school room side she'd built a long, long table/desk along the wall. It was really cool. And I neglected to bookmark the link. :tongue_smilie: But maybe someone else will remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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