The first thing I tackled was a desk for the home office. I work from home full-time so having a space that is organized and dedicated to work is important. The first few weeks that we lived here, this was my set-up.
Back to the desk. I had been searching around for desk inspiration and found two things that I loved. The first is the massive desk that Young House Love built for their last home office. The second is the tower desk from Ana White. I knew I wanted to combine these two desks somehow so I drew it out with the dimensions for the room. I'll be honest... I'm still learning so this took a good hour just to figure out what lumber I needed to buy.
Shop List
9 - 2"x2" @ 8'
2 - 1"x12" @ 10' (these are your desktop panels so make sure they are straight and flat)
2 - 1"x4" @ 10'
1 - 1"x10" @ 10'
Cut List
2"x2" - 12 @ 29.25" / 33 @ 16.25"
1"x12" - no cuts, unless you need to even the 2 boards to be the same length
1"x4" - 12 @ 16.25"
1"x10" - 6 @ 16.25
Tools Used
Miter Saw (could use any saw)
Kreg Jig
1.25" Kreg Screws
Power Drill
Power Sander (could use sanding blocks by hand)
Level Square
Clamps
Nail Gun (could use hammer or screws)
First, I assembled the 3 towers. It's important to take your time and make sure that each joint is square. I stop after each step and make sure that it's square and that the overall piece is level. Annoying? Yes. But not more annoying than finishing a tower and having it wobble or be uneven.
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To use the caulk, you basically just run a thin strip of caulk in the gap, then use your finger or a little caulking tool (5 bucks at hardware store) to smooth it out. Wipe off excess with a wet rag.
I decided to stain the desktop. I like the contrast of the white paint and the dark stain. I'm a big fan of using pre-conditioner before stain. I think it helps the stain absorb more evenly and consistently. So I did one good coat of pre-conditioner and let it sink in for 10 minutes.
Next up was the stain. I used Rustoleum in Kona and LOVE the color. It took three coats to achieve the dark color I was hoping for, but the time was well spent. Here's how it looks through the stages of staining. If you've never stained before, you basically paint or foam roll it on, then let it sit for a few minutes. Not long enough to dry or pool though. Then you use an old rag to wipe away the excess. Let it dry then you repeat this process until it reached the color you're looking for.
It's been a few days since then and it's definitely durable. I have my computers, phone and food/drinks on it all day and it seems to be holding up really well. I still need to decorate the room and add some organizational items, but here is how it looks today.