DIY A-Frame Desk

Learn how to build this DIY A-frame desk with drawers. This simple yet stylish wood desk is easy to make and makes any home office pop! Plus it uses only 4 power tools!

DIY A-frame desk in room with accessories on top.

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This desk has been a long time coming.

I built my daughter a desk with storage for her 5th birthday (she will be 10 in a couple of months).

It is safe to say, she outgrew that desk a long time ago and has been waiting for her mom to build her something.

Mom has been trying to come up with a design that would be fun, functional, and something that would grow with her.

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This design is very simple to build and uses a sheet of plywood, a few 2×2 boards and some other boards for the drawers. The total cost came to about $100!

Plus it used only 4 power tools so anyone can easily make it!

In fact, I am partnering with a bunch of other talented ladies to bring you more projects that can be built with 5 basic tools or less. Be sure to take a look at them at the bottom of this post!

DIY A-Frame Desk Plans –

You can download the step by step 3D model and build plans by clicking below.

DOWNLOAD A-FRAME DESK PRINTABLE PLANS

How to Build the Desk –

The full video showing how I built the A-frame desk is below! Full step by step written instructions follow below.

Click here to subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more great videos!

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Step by Step Tutorial-

Step 1 – Make cuts

Cut the plywood per the plans using a circular saw and a straight edge guide. I like using the Kreg Ripcut for this. It makes it really easy to make repeated identical cuts.

cutting plywood to make the DIY desk

Cut the 2×2 boards on the miter saw. The legs and a few supports are cut at 10-degree angles. I like to set the saw once and make all the cuts so the angles are completely identical.

Step 2 – Build top frame

Make pocket holes in the plywood and build the frame for the drawers. Remember plywood has a special setting for the Kreg Jig. Read all about it here.

woman building the top frame of the desk

Step 3 – Build and install drawers

Build the two drawers using 1×3 boards. Be sure to check out my guide to building drawers for beginners!

Install the drawer slides in the top frame and install the drawers.

installing drawer into the DIY desk frame

Step 4 – Attach top

Once the drawers are in place, go ahead and attach the top using wood glue and 1-1/4″ finish nails.

Be sure to mark the location of the center supports so you can add nails accordingly.

Attaching the top of the desk using brad nailer

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Step 5 – Build legs

Build the two A-frame legs using wood glue and 2-1/2″ pocket hole screws per the plans.

Building legs using 2x2 boards

Make sure the pocket holes are facing down on the bottom rails and inside for the top rails.

Step 6 – Assemble base

To assemble the base, I decided the best approach was to do so around the top frame so everything was aligned and fit well.

  • Place the top upside down on a workbench.
  • Using 2×2 boards are spacers on both sides, place the A-frame legs.
  • Attach the supports under the top using pocket hole screws and wood glue.
  • Attach the back bottom support. To do this I found it easier to move the leg frame to the floor on its side.
assembling base on the upside down top.

Step 7 – Attach base to top

Bring the base back to the workbench and attach it to the top using 2″ wood screws.

attaching base of the DIY mid century modern desk to the top using screws

Step 8 – Add drawer faces

Secure the drawer faces using finish nails and wood glue from the front and then attach with finish screws from the back. I decided to cut out the top of the drawer faces using a jigsaw, then attached it.

DIY desk with drawer face attached.

Finish on the Desk –

I decided to go with a dual-tone – warm brown and white to match the rest of the furniture in my daughter’s room.

close up of top of desk

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Since it is dual-tone, I finished the legs and top separately before attaching.

I was going to paint the top but to be cost-efficient, I used sanded plywood which isn’t very smooth. To get a smooth finish, I coated the entire top with joint compound and sanded it back. Be sure to read my full tutorial on how to paint plywood for a smooth professional finish.

The legs were stained in my current favorite “Nutmeg” gel stain.

As a special surprise, since my girl loves color, I painted the insides of the drawers in turquoise and pink!

desk with drawers open with pink and turquoise interiors

She loves it and I do too…

Full view of the diy desk in a teen room

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Be sure to download the printable plans by clicking below!

DOWNLOAD THE A-FRAME DESK PLANS

And now, here are my friends with their projects using 5 basic tools or less –

DIY Desk Accessories –

Here are some ideas to make your desk more awesome to use –

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Learn how to build this DIY A-frame desk with drawers. This simple yet stylish wood desk is easy to make and makes any home office pop! Plus it uses only 4 power tools!

DIY A-Frame Desk

Yield: 1 A-frame desk

How to build this DIY A-frame desk with drawers. This simple yet stylish wood desk is easy to make and uses ONLY four power tools!

Instructions

    1. Cut the plywood per the plans using a circular saw and a straight edge guide.
    2. Cut the 2x2 boards on the miter saw.
    3. Make pocket holes in the plywood and build the frame for the drawers.
    4. Build the two drawers using 1x3 boards.
    5. Install the drawer slides in the top frame and install the drawers.
    6. Once the drawers are in place, go ahead and attach the top using wood glue and 1-1/4" finish nails.
    7. Build the two A-frame legs using wood glue and 2-1/2" pocket hole screws per the plans
    8. Place the top upside down on a workbench. Using 2x2 boards are spacers on both sides, place the A-frame legs.
    9. Attach the supports under the top using pocket hole screws and wood glue.
    10. Attach the back bottom support.
    11. Bring the base back to the workbench and attach it to the top using 2" wood screws.
    12. Secure the drawer faces using finish nails and wood glue from the front and then attach with finish screws from the back.
    13. Paint and stain the color of your choice.

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Anika's goal is to inspire and empower beginners with woodworking, DIY, home improvement, and home decor ideas.
She wants everyone to unlock their creative potential and experience the feeling that comes with making something. Nothing feels better better than seeing something and saying "I can make that!"

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3 Comments

  1. I LOVE this design! It’s the perfect combo of sleek and storage. Also… joint compound to smooth out plywood is genius.

  2. I love your a frame desk Anika! I had a drawer section similar to this once. Now I wish I had put it up on legs like you did with your diy version.

    I use joint compound 99% of the time with my wood projects. It’s so economical. 😉 In other words, I’m cheap!

    pinned!

    gail

  3. Perfectly simple, functional with storage and pretty! Love those contrasting angled legs.

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