NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
A secretary hutch is that lovely piece of furniture where a flip-down panel becomes a writing desk, backed by cubbies and small drawers. This one sits on a base unit and packs six little drawers, an adjustable or fixed shelf, mitered edge moulding, and the signature hinged desktop. It's detailed casework, but every joint is simple — screws, pocket holes, and finish nails.
The carcass is 1x12 (or plywood ripped to width) with a 1/4" back. Because 1x12s vary in width, the plan tells you to measure yours and adjust — do that, or the drawers you build to fit won't. The back is what squares the whole hutch, so tack it on only after you've confirmed the box is square. The six drawers are just little 1x3 boxes with plywood bottoms; make them to fit their openings.
Two details matter for how it works. The flip-down desk needs hinge supports (folding stays) so it holds level and doesn't slam down when open — a plain hinge alone will let it drop. And critically, when you assemble the piece onto its base, screw the hutch to the base: a hutch with a loaded flip-down desktop can tip forward, so it has to be anchored to the base (and, if you stack a top hutch, screw that down too). Miter the edge moulding at 45° for a clean finished front.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12 board, 8 ftTop and shelf. | 1 each |
| 1x12 board, 10 ftSides and shelves. | 1 each |
| 1x3 board, 8 ftDrawer boxes. | 3 each |
| 3/4" plywood or MDFBottom and the hinge-out desktop. | 1 each |
| 1/4" plywoodBack and drawer bottoms. | 1 each |
| 3/4" moulding, 8 ftEdge trim. | 1 each |
| Low-profile hinges and desk staysFor the flip-down desk — stays keep it from dropping. | 1 set |
| Screws and finish nails, 1-1/4" and 2" | 60 each |
| Wood glue and filler | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom3/4" plywoodOr a 1x20-equivalent board. | 1 | 3/4" × 15 1/4" × 46 1/2" |
| Sides3/4" plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 15 1/4" × 12 3/4" |
| Top1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 48" |
| Back1/4" plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 13 1/2" × 48" |
| Cubby shelves1x12 | 8 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 10 3/4" |
| Cubby sides1x12 | 4 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 12" |
| Drawer sides and fronts1x3 | 18 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 10 1/2" |
| Drawer backs1x3 | 6 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 9" |
| Drawer bottoms1/4" plywood | 6 | 1/4" × 10 1/2" × 11 1/4" |
| Center shelf1x12Measure the gap and cut to fit. | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 22" |
| Flip-down desktop3/4" plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 14" × 48" |
Buy 10 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
1 board
3 boards
3 boards
1 board
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 →
The base is a 46-1/2" board or plywood cut to size. Cut the sides — 1x12s vary in width, so measure yours and adjust the cuts to match. Add the top with screws and glue since it isn't fully face-framed, and adjust for square.
Tack the 1/4" back onto the SQUARE hutch with finish nails and glue (or short screws). The back is what holds the box square, so confirm square first.
Make six little drawers — simple 1x3 boxes (finish nails and glue are fine) with 1/4" plywood tacked to the bottom. Build them to fit their openings.
Insert the drawer sections and measure the gap for the shelf (about 22"), cutting to fit. Make it fixed or drill for shelf pins. Then cut the edge moulding to fit and nail and glue it down, mitering the corners at 45°.
Attach the flip-down desktop to the desk interior with low-profile hinges, and add hinge supports (stays) so it holds level when open instead of dropping. On assembly, screw the hutch to its base — a loaded flip-down top can tip the hutch forward, so it must be anchored (and screw down any top hutch too). Fill, sand, and finish.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.