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This is a desktop hutch: an open storage unit that sits on top of a desk to add a shelf, a couple of cubbies, and a raised surface for a monitor or printer. It's a companion piece to the Brookstone desk, but it works on any desk of the right width. The build is a simple 1x12 box with dividers, a wainscoting back for character, and 1x2 front trim that hides the plywood edges and adds a small top overhang.
The construction is beginner-friendly and the plan is deliberately flexible on fasteners — pocket holes, brad nails, or trim screws, in any combination. Pocket holes where you want strength, brads where you want to hide the fastener. The one place that needs a specific choice is attaching the top front trim to the 1x12 top edge, which calls for 2" brad nails to reach through.
The assembly order uses the dividers as spacers: attach the top to the sides with a 1/2" overhang, then use the dividers themselves to position the shelf before fastening it, then set the dividers in their final spots. The 1x4 supports along the bottom get fastened into the bottom shelf as well as the sides for strength. The wainscoting back panel goes on with 3/4" brads so nothing punches through the thin panel. Paint suits the wainscoting look.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12, 8 ftTop, shelf, sides, dividers. | 2 each |
| 1x4, 8 ftSupports. | 1 each |
| 1x2, 10 ftFront trim. | 1 each |
| Wainscoting panel or 1/4 in plywood, 32 in x 48 inBack. | 1 each |
| Brad nails, 3/4 in and 2 in | 1 box |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4 in | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 1 bottle |
| Paint | 1 quart |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Top1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 48" |
| Shelf1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 45 1/2" |
| Sides1x12 | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 32 3/4" |
| Dividers1x12 | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 12" |
| Supports1x4 | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 45 1/2" |
| Back panelwainscotingCan be shorter since the 1x4 sits at the bottom of the back. | 1 | 1/4" × 33 1/2" × 47" |
| Front side trim1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 32 3/4" |
| Front top trim1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 48" |
Buy 6 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
2 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Attach the top to the two sides with a 1/2" overhang on the ends, using your choice of fastener — pocket holes, brads, or trim screws. This sets the width and squareness of the whole hutch.
Use the dividers to help place the shelf at the right height, then attach the shelf to the sides. Using the actual dividers as spacers guarantees the shelf ends up where the cubbies need it.
Position the dividers in their final locations and attach them. They split the space into cubbies and stiffen the shelf.
Add the 1x4 supports along the bottom, fastening them into the bottom shelf as well as the sides for the most strength. These tie the base together and give the hutch a solid footing on the desk.
Attach the wainscoting back panel with 3/4" brad nails and glue — short nails so nothing punches through the thin panel. Nail into the shelf and dividers as well as the sides so the back squares and stiffens the whole box.
Trim the front edges with the 1x2 side and top pieces to finish out the exposed plywood edges and add a small overhang to the top. Build the trim first with pocket holes and attach, or nail directly — but use 2" brad nails to attach the top front trim to the 1x12 top edge, since a shorter nail won't reach.
Fill holes, sand, and paint.
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