DIY house-shaped desk for little girl
This pretty house-shaped desk is ideal for any little girl's bedroom. The design takes up very little space but offer plenty of storage.
The front section of the house roof drops down and serves as a desktop; resting on the open cabinet doors. Lift up the desktop, close the doors and the desk becomes a decorative bedroom accessory that you can paint in pastel or bold colours.
Use PG Bison 16mm SupaWood for this project, as the smooth finish on the board is ideal for a professional painted finish.
YOU WILL NEED:
2 of 500 x 800mm 16mm supawood - top / cabinet top
2 of 484 x 800mm 16mm supawood - base / shelf
1 of 50 x 800mm 16mm supawood - base front face
1 of 30 x 800mm 16mm supawood - shelf front face
2 of 500 x 1000mm 16mm supawood - sides
1 of 390 x 872mm 16mm supawood - back roof section
1 of 416 x 872mm 16mm supawood - front roof / desktop
2 of 650mm lengths piano hinge OR 4
overlap or concealed hinges
2 large butt hinges for desktop and 16mm screws
4 x 40mm cut screws
2 blocks 16 x 50mm to secure desktop
3 handles or knobs and screws
Plascon Velvaglo waterbased enamel
TOOLS:
Drill / Driver + assorted bits
Countersink bit
Jigsaw + clean-cut blade
Orbital sander + 180-grit sandpaper
Tape measure and pencil
Steel rule
Paintbrush and foam roller OR Bosch PFS spray system
Have all your board cut to size at your local Builders Warehouse.
HERE'S HOW:
Note: Unless otherwise specified, pre-drill 3mm pilot holes into sections to be joined.
Preparation
Sand the cut edges before assembly.
Marking
On both faces of the side sections measure and mark as follows:
- 700mm from the base - to mount the top
- 684mm from the base - to mount cabinet top
- 380mm from the base - to mount shelf
- 50mm from the base - to mount base
1. On the 700mm line, mark the centre and use this to cut the top angles on the sides.
2. At the 50mm mark, attach the shelf by pre-drilling countersunk pilot holes through the sides and shelf, and attach using 4 x 40mm screws.
3. Pre-drill countersunk pilot holes to attach the 50mm front face to the base.
4. Under the 380mm mark, attach the shelf by pre-drilling countersunk pilot holes through the sides and shelf, and attach using 4 x 40mm screws.
5. Pre-drill countersunk pilot holes to attach the 30mm front face to the shelf.
6. Under the 684mm mark, drill countersunk pilots holes and mounting the cabinet top. The main top is mounted in the same way under the 700mm mark.
7. Attach the doors using overlap or piano hinges. Allow the barrel (or centre pin) of the hinge to overlap the edges, so that the doors sit flush. Use 16mm screws to attach the hinges to the door.
GOOD TO KNOW
The doors are 4mm shorter than the actual height to allow a small gap at the top and bottom. Allow for this when mounting the doors.
It's a good idea to paint the doors before attaching.
8. Mount double roller hinges on the back of each door and on the shelf to allow of easy opening and closing of the doors.
9. On the back roof section measure in 20mm from both edges and mark. Use this mark to pre-drill countersunk pilot holes for mounting the roof section to the angled top. Secure with 4 x 40mm screws.
GOOD TO KNOW
At this stage you can paint the completed cabinet, as the front roof and door sections are painted separately before being attached. You can always do any final touch-ups once the desk is complete.
10. Mark the front roof section in the same way. Attach hinges to the bottom of the front roof section and then attach to the top using 16mm screws.
GOOD TO KNOW
It is easier to paint the front roof section before attaching.
Accessories
Attach blocks to the front roof section to hold the doors secure when dropped into position as a desktop. These are glued and screwed in place.
Attach handles or knobs to the front roof section and doors.
Finishing
For painting the desk use a combination of paintbrush and foam roller for a smooth finish, or invest in a Bosch PFS spray system for a professional finish. Use a quality paint such as Plascon Velvaglo waterbased enamel, so that the desk is easy to clean with a quick wipe down when required.