Converting a table into a desk

In the market for a new desk? Consider the possibility of converting a table into a desk. Not only can this save you money (tables are generally cheaper than desks), but it also gives you the opportunity to customize a desk that’s exactly what you want.

The main considerations

The first step is to determine how much room the table can take up. Get exact measurements for both the width and depth. Height is also important. Sit down in a comfortable office chair with your feet on the floor or a footrest and figure out what height works for you. Desks are typically about 29 inches high while dining tables are taller – up to about 36 inches. Of course, if you can use a saw, you can cut down the table to whatever height you like. Another option is to install a keyboard tray under the table which comes to the right height for your hands to work comfortably. Keyboard trays can cost under $20 new, or you can often find used ones at garage sales or when businesses are closing down. (If you’re handy with tools, they’re also not difficult to build – especially if you have an old drawer laying around.)

Armed with these dimensions, you can look at a table you already have or ones available for purchase to see what will work in your space.

Adding desk features

Another thing desks have over tables are those built-in shelves and drawers for CPU towers, files, books, pens and paper, etc. You have several options here.

Build shelves above and/or below the table surface. It’s not hard to do if you have the slightest experience with carpentry.
Incorporate a file cabinet under the desk, a set of inboxes on the top, and various other storage items. Go to the office supply section at a store to get some ideas for the sort of accessories you can buy or make.

Looks

If you tend to clutter your desk with so much junk no one can see it, who cares how it looks? But what if you do care, and you don’t want it to look like some office supply Frankenstein, cobbled together from a mishmash of stuff? No problem. Again, you have a lot of options, depending how fancy you want to get.

Stains. If all your components are wood, staining them the same color will make it look like they belong together.
Contact paper. Contact paper can be used to cover the entire surface, the legs and all the components, if you want. You could choose paper that looks like wood grain, or a fun pattern or a pretty pattern, depending on your personality and what you’re looking for.
Paint. It covers a myriad of sins. A nice white or primary color can be very cheerful, or a charcoal to black shade can look sophisticated. You could also stencil designs on. If you do a really good paint job – which may require sanding and prepping first – you can actually make an old piece of furniture look like something you just spent hundreds on at Crate & Barrel.

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