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A clean-lined writing desk on 2x2 legs with one wide central drawer and a trimmed plywood top — a tidy first real furniture build.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legs | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 28 1/4" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| Side aprons | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 19" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Side stretchers | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 19" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| Drawer slide spacers | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 15 1/4" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Back apron | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 39" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Bottom stretcher | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 39" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| Top | 1 | 3/4" × 20 1/2" × 40 1/2" | 3/4" plywood | ☐ |
| Top side trim | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 20 1/2" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Top front trim | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 42" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Drawer sides | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Drawer front/back | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 36 1/2" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Drawer bottom | 1 | 1/4" × 18" × 38" | 1/4" plywood | ☐ |
| Drawer face Cut to fit the opening. | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 37" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 2x2 board, 8 ft (Pine) Legs and stretchers. | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1x4 board, 8 ft (Pine) | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft (Pine) | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1x3 board, 8 ft (Pine) | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1x4 board, 4 ft (Pine) Drawer face. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 24" x 48" project panel or 3/4" plywood Top — one smooth face. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1/4" plywood, 16" x 36-1/2" Drawer bottom. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 16" Euro drawer slide | 1 pair | ☐ |
| Drawer knobs or handles | 2 each | ☐ |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" and 2-1/2" | 50 each | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 4 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 2x2 board, 8 ft, 1x4 board, 8 ft, Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" and 2-1/2", Wood glue
Drill a 1-1/2" pocket hole on each end of the side stretchers — and go ahead and drill the bottom-stretcher holes now too, to save re-setting the jig. Attach the stretchers between legs with 2-1/2" pocket screws and glue, holes on the underside. Drill 3/4" pocket holes on the ends of the side aprons and attach them at the top.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 2x2 board, 8 ft, 1x4 board, 8 ft, Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" and 2-1/2"
Drill two pocket holes on each end of the back apron, plus upward-facing 3/4" holes for grabbing the top later. Attach the back apron to the legs with those top holes facing up on the inside, and add the 2x2 bottom stretcher with 2-1/2" screws.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 1x2 board, 8 ft, 24" x 48" project panel or 3/4" plywood, Wood glue
Glue and nail the 1x2 front trim to the underside edge of the tabletop, flush all around, then the side trim, wrapping the plywood edges. Sand the assembly flush and smooth.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig, Speed Square. Materials: Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" and 2-1/2"
Set the base upside down on the underside of the top and fasten through the upward-facing apron pocket holes with 1-1/4" screws. Check square as you go.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x3 board, 8 ft, 1/4" plywood, 16" x 36-1/2", Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" and 2-1/2", Wood glue
Drill two pocket holes on each end of the long 1x3 drawer boards and join them to the short ones with 1-1/4" screws, pockets on the outside. Add the 1/4" plywood bottom with brads and glue; add a 1x2 divider now if you want a pen tray. Then fur out the base sides with a 1x3 spacer, nailed on with glue, so the slides come in to the drawer's width.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 1x4 board, 4 ft, 16" Euro drawer slide, Drawer knobs or handles
Mount the slides on the furred-out sides and fit the drawer into the desk. Cut the drawer face to fit and tack it on with a couple of 1-1/4" brads, avoiding where the hardware will go. Pull the drawer and secure the face with 1-1/4" screws from inside, then add the knobs. Sand and finish the whole desk.