I Built a High-End Work Desk for Less Than $200. Here's the Secret

It’s tough to spend less than $1,500 or so on long-lasting furniture like a large solid wood desk that offers ample storage. So as a committed DIYer who loves a deal, I set out to build a sturdy and affordable desk from discarded cabinets and flooring that I picked up at my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. 

Here’s how I built a desk for under $200, and what you need to know to build your own furniture out of recycled materials.

Why Make a Custom Desk From Discarded Cabinets and Flooring?

With the endless amount of furniture options online, you'd think I could find anything I could ever want with just a few clicks. But if you've ever tried to furnish a room from scratch, you know that the search for that just-right piece is always harder than you think it'll be. Budgets can be limiting, too. While I was looking for a large, solid desk that had drawers, I couldn’t find one in a desirable color for a reasonable price. That’s when I was inspired to create one. 

By making a desk, it’s possible to build the exact size that fits your space and customize it with color and any modifications. You can fashion the desk to accommodate your goal activity, whether it’s working or enjoying a hobby. 

If buying new, expensive materials is putting a damper on your DIY ideas, consider shopping secondhand. There are plenty of secondhand shops like Habitat for Humanity ReStore that have gently used items, but Habitat ReStores also offer never-been-used overstock that are donated by manufacturers. Many remodelers also donate entire suites of barely-used kitchen cabinets and other home materials because their clients just don’t like the current kitchen that came with their home. 

And pros will donate leftover boxes of flooring and other materials like molding that they just didn’t use and can’t return to the store. Personally, I shop Habitat for Humanity ReStores because I know they vet their donations and the money I spend helps someone else have a home of their own. Shopping secondhand for building materials is a seriously underrated way to support your DIY projects and build things around your home like furniture, sheds, or even fire pits, for much less. If you haven't checked out your local secondhand materials store, consider looking at their inventory. It might inspire you to get going on that DIY project you've been putting off!

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How to Shop Secondhand for DIY Building Materials

I have a few tips for finding quality materials when you shop secondhand. When looking at furniture like kitchen cabinets, it’s important to measure carefully and look at the entire piece. Open all of the drawers, look inside and underneath the furniture to make sure you know exactly what you are getting and if there are any repairs needed. Make sure the piece is structurally sound—what many of us who repurpose furniture and materials call "good bones." While the cabinet might not be aesthetically what you want, it might be worth working with if it's solid and has potential. 

As I walk around and measure secondhand furniture options to consider how I can repurpose them, I also use my phone to take notes. I'll even bring a small notebook and pencil so I can quickly refer to my idea sketch and make changes based on the items I find in stock. 

When it comes to using something like kitchen cabinets to make a desk, one thing to consider is that these kinds of base cabinets are taller than a typical desk. They are made to be a height that’s comfortable for the average human to stand against in a kitchen. This means that you can work standing up or you can use a counter-height chair to work while sitting. Personally, I prefer this working height as it’s more comfortable for my back. If you want to make a desk from discarded materials like this but prefer a typical desk height, 30-inch upper cabinets would be a better choice for you. 

I’ve found that the best pieces to repurpose are solid wood, as they are easier to sand, stain, paint, and attach other elements to with fasteners. For new products, like the box of flooring that I picked up, it’s easy to vet. I just made sure the box was full and that the planks were the correct length and a color that worked with the paint color we picked for the cabinets.

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How to Build a Desk With Secondhand Materials

Tools you'll need: For this desk project, I used my basic hand tools and a few power tools. In addition to the tape measure, pencil, microfiber cloths for cleaning, sandpaper, and paint brushes, I used my favorite caulk gun from Dripless for the construction adhesive. To cut the flooring and cleats to length, I used a Skil 4 ⅜-inch sliding corded miter saw that’s designed to make rip cuts, cross cuts, and miter cuts. I attached the 4-inch trim along the bottoms of the cabinets with a Porter-Cable pneumatic brad nailer.

Step 1: Cut and adhere trim to bottom of cabinets. I added a 4-inch trim piece along the bottom of the cabinets to give each one a modern, clean look. The trim was cut from a plank of the flooring that I picked up at Habitat ReStore. I used construction adhesive and brads to tack it in place around the bottom of the cabinets. 

Step 2: Clean and sand wood surfaces. Before working on secondhand wood furniture, you need to clean it and then lightly sand the surface to open the grain to accept a coating like primer and paint. Without this cleaning-and-sanding step, there’s a risk that the coating won’t adhere properly. If you plan to stain, there’s a wood conditioning step that’s similar to a primer, which helps the stain appear even and not blotchy.

Step 3: Apply primer, paint, and sealant. Painting old cabinets can be done quickly or it can be done well. If you want to achieve a professional finish, expect to apply primer, at least two coats of paint, and a sealing coat or two. Yes, it takes more than just an afternoon to make the rounds of coating the same surface at least five times, but a durable and factory-finish is often worth the effort. You can use a mini foam roller or a brush for this. I also lightly sanded between coats so that each next coat would adhere well.

Step 4: Cut base material to size. I’ve never seen anyone make a desktop from flooring before, so it took a little imagination to develop this idea. While flooring can be long enough to bridge a 6-foot-long desktop, the luxury vinyl plank (LVP) that I picked up wasn’t rigid enough to bridge the two cabinets as a modern work surface. Since I had a scrap of OSB (oriented strand board), I used it as a backer for the LVP, cutting it to a size that three plants of my LVP could cover. Plywood would work just as well.

Step 5: Cut and apply cleats to base. After I cut the OSB to size, I added two cleats on the underside. Since the desk is three separate pieces, the cleats are a simple way to keep the desktop in place when it is on top of the cabinets. Keeping the desktop separate from the cabinets makes it easier to move the desk later. (It’s always important to think about how you’ll move the finished piece into a room or out of a house later.)

Step 6: Cut and adhere trim to sides of desktop. I cut the tongues off the ends of the flooring and off the long edge of one of the three planks to create a crisp edge. Then I cut 2-inch strips from one more plank so I could edge the sides of the desktop to achieve a finished look.

Step 7: Adhere the LVP to the base to finish the desktop. I attached the three flooring planks to the surface of the OSB with construction adhesive.

The Finished Product

In just those seven steps, and while only spending $200, I made a solid desk and work station that fits the aesthetic of my office, will last for years, and takes advantage of secondhand materials that would have otherwise gone to waste.