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A corner desk this size doesn't fit through most doorways fully assembled, so this one is built as two separate L-halves that are carried in individually and joined in place — a practical detail that's easy to skip and expensive to regret after the desktop is glued up.
The base frame isn't built from standard 2x4 stock — every piece is ripped down to a slim 1-1/4" square profile first. Full-width 2x4 legs would look chunky and heavy under a desk this size; the ripped-down strips give the same structural frame with a noticeably lighter look.
Glue up the desktop panels a full day before you plan to trim them to size. Wide edge-glued panels move as the glue cures, and trimming one too early can leave you cutting a joint that's still shifting.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 5/4 board, 6" x 6 ft (desktop) | 3 each |
| Construction lumber, 2x4, 8 ftRipped down to 1-1/4" square strips for the base. | 3 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 2-1/2" | 40 each |
| Wood screws, 2" | 20 each |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Wood stain | 8 oz |
| Polyurethane finish | 8 oz |
| Paint (optional, base) | 8 oz |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Legs2x4, ripped square | 6 | 1 1/4" × 1 1/4" × 28 3/4" |
| Short base pieces2x4, ripped square | 6 | 1 1/4" × 1 1/4" × 14" |
| Long frame2x4, ripped square | 3 | 1 1/4" × 1 1/4" × 33 1/2" |
| Medium frame2x4, ripped square | 3 | 1 1/4" × 1 1/4" × 30 1/4" |
| Support cleats2x4, ripped square | 5 | 1 1/4" × 1 1/4" × 14" |
| Long desktop boards5/4 board | 3 | 1 1/4" × 6" × 36" |
| Medium desktop boards5/4 board | 3 | 1 1/4" × 6" × 31 1/2" |
Buy 9 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
6 boards
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 →
Edge-glue the wider desktop boards into two oversized panels — one long run and one medium run for the two arms of the L — and let them cure overnight before trimming to final size.
Rip all the 2x4 stock down to a slim 1-1/4" square profile on the table saw — this is what gives the base its light look instead of standard chunky 2x4 legs.
Cut every leg, base, frame, and support piece to length per the cut list, joining the frame corners with pocket holes.
Assemble each half of the L-shaped base as its own separate unit, checking each for square — building them separately is what lets each one fit through a doorway.
Sand and trim the desktop panels to final size, then finish: paint the base and stain and seal the desktop panels with polyurethane.
Move both base halves into their final position, join them together, then attach the desktop panels from underneath through the support cleats with wood screws.
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