This adorable kid’s desk with a storage table and bench is perfect for kids and parents! A wide desk that can also serve as a table for fun, creative projects and activities, plus all the storage to keep all that imagination organized.
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I’m so excited to share my first commission of 2021! My fun-loving, spirited niece, Melly, is in need of a kid’s desk for her at-home activities during this pandemic. She’s not yet in school or doing remote learning, but like any other kid she needed a space to sit and draw pictures, read books, or entertain herself. My friend gave me pretty much free reign to design whatever I thought would be cool and creative. I decided to go with a plywood edge look to further inspire creativity with the trendy, unfinished look. Because it’s for a child, I figured a fun pop of color would work out beautifully and provide that touch of youth.
I love how this DIY kid’s desk set, or even a table and bench set, turned out. Its got a great balance of fun and function. I hope you guys enjoy this video I made about how I made the build happen.
YOUTUBE VIDEO
TOOLS & MATERIALS
LUMBER
- Sheet of ¾ x 4x 8 Plywood
- (3) 1x4x8 Lumber
SUPPLIES
- Piano or Continuous Hinge
- Spray paint (I used Rustoleum’s Magenta)
- Polyurethane
- Wood Glue
- 1 ¼” Kreg Pocket Screws
- 1 ¼” Screws
- Sandpaper
TOOLS
- Nail Gun
- Power Drill
- Miter Saw
- Circular Saw
- Table Saw
- Kreg Rip Cut
- Sander
- Sanding Block
- Kreg Jig Pocket Hole System
Get more info on my favorite beginner tools in my blog post, ‘5 Woodworking Tools You Need For Your Beginner Workshop’
STEPS
Cut Lumber
I cut this whole kid’s desk, with the exception of the legs, from ¾ birch plywood. Any ¾” plywood would work, but I love the look of birch plywood, especially for a kids table set. The light natural tone seemed perfect and the swirly wood grain is eye candy! The legs are cut from 1x4x8 lumber.
Here’s a graphic to show exactly how I cut the plywood. Because of the size of my car, I had the home improvement store rip the sheet down to sections that would make it more manageable to rip down from and so it’ll fit into my car. I’ve signified those cuts as red dotted lines in the graphic.
For the legs, I cut the 1x4s to the following:
- Table legs:
- 4 boards as the legs to be 24” long (parallelogram)
- 2 boards as the connectors to be 4” long (trapezoid)
- 2 boards as the stretchers to be 35” long.
- Bench legs:
- 4 boards as the legs to be 12” long (parallelogram)
- 2 boards as the connectors to be 3” long (trapezoid)
- 2 boards as the stretchers to be 30” long.
Make Pocket Holes
Watch my Youtube videos to see where and how I drill pockets hole in the piece to conceal them after assembly.
Build Table Top
With wood glue and pocket screws, attach the sides together before attaching the base of the table. Then attach the middle divider with brad nails. (You can also attach with more pocket screws if you want. Its purely preference to do either and each has their pros and cons)
Build Bench Chest
With the exception of the middle divider, assemble the bench the same way you did the table. First with the sides, then the base – all with wood glue and pocket screws.
Finishing
To finish this kid’s desk, I sanded everything with a 220 grit sand paper. To be gentle on the plywood veneer, hand sand the edges of the top of the table and bench with the a 220 or higher sanding block or sheet.
Use polyurethane as a sealant on the plywood. I recommend applying at least 2 coats and lightly sanding in between coats.
Attach Legs and Hardware
Attach the legs by the stretchers up into the base of the table and bench with 1 ¼ screws.
Using the piano hinges, attach the top of the bench and the table, centering the table top with an even overlay on each side.
What do yall think of what I’m calling The Melly Set? If you’re also excited, make sure you’re signed up for the Melanated Maker DIY newsletter so you know exactly when a new blog is coming and can stay up-to-date. Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest @MelanatedMakerDIY!