Modular cube desk for child's bedroom
This modular cube desk is perfect for a child's bedroom - boy or girl. Stack up the storage cubes, fit doors or shelves and finish off with a cube seal with extra storage.
You can add finishing touches such as glossy pine varnished tops, or replace the plywood desktop with a glossy varnished pine top.
The cube seat has a removable lid for extra storage and can be topped off with a cushion for comfy seating.
The entire assembly is 1600mm wide and 964mm high. The desktop is 700mm wide and 600mm deep. If you need to fit into a smaller space you can reduce the width of the desktop, or make the cubes slightly smaller.
YOU WILL NEED:
Materials to make one storage cube:
2 of 450 x 450mm 16mm marine plywood - sides
2 of 418 x 450mm 16mm marine plywood - front* and back
2 of 450 x 450mm 16mm marine plywood - top and bottom
2 of 50 x 418mm 16mm marine plywood - top battens
1 of 418 x 418mm 16mm marine plywood - shelf
1 of 600 x 700mm 16mm marine plywood - desktop
2 of 50 x 450mm 16mm marine plywood - desktop supports
*Substitute the front with a 413 x 446mm 16mm marine plywood door for a cabinet
Marine plywood is not available at all hardware stores, but you can source at timber merchants and some hardware stores will order and cut for you.
HERE'S HOW:
The entire modular desk system is based on a basic cube design. The seat is a basic with 2 sides, a front and back and a top and bottom. The top is fitted with two battens glued or screwed to the underside to hold the top in place. Use a hole saw to drill a hole in the top of the seat to make it easy to lift on and off.
Assembling the sections can be done using a biscuit joiner, dowels and dowel centres, a pockethole jig, or gluing and clamping the sections overnight.
For the open cube storage unit simply mount a shelf to the centre, drilling a countersunk pilot hole before securing with two screws on the sides.
The storage cupboard has a door that is attached with 2 butt hinges. Again, use a hole saw to drill a hole in the door for opening and closing, cut a slot in the doors edge, or add a knob or handle.
To mount the desktop, measure and mark 720mm up the sides of the stacked cabinets and mount the desktop battens. These can be glued or screwed in place. The desktop simply sits on top of the battens. This design allows for easy assembly of the desk, which can be moved or disassembled if the need arises.
Finishing
You have the choice to leave as is, which is not a good idea as the finish will stain and collect dirt over time, or you can apply Woodoc 5 (matt), Woodoc 10 (satin) or Woodoc 20 (gloss) sealer. Marine plywood has a wood veneer in either pine or meranti that resembles the look and feel of real wood, but the edges give marine plywood it's unique look. Not to mention that plywood is a sustainable product that can be stained in any wood tint or colour.