From Old Door to Sleek Desk
It's easy to create a great-looking desk that's filled with unique style and personality. All you need is an old door, a set of legs, and a bit of imagination.
Flea markets and salvage stores are filled with old doors in all shapes and sizes. They're teeming with personality, making them perfect candidates for a project like this one.
You can find legs from a number of online sources, and any local glass shop will cut a pane to the exact size you need.
Read on to find out, step by step, just how easy the process is.
Prepare the Door
Decide on the look you want first, so you can determine whether to sand and stain the door like we did, or whether you want to leave it as is.
Start by removing any old hardware, such as hinges, knobs, and plates.
If you plan to paint the door, simply scrape away any loose paint or finish, and then re-coat the wood.
If you plan to stain, use stripper if necessary to remove old paint or finish, and then sand the wood. Start with 100- or 120-grit sandpaper, and then go to 150-grit, and finally 180-grit.
Then clean up the glass using a razor blade and glass cleaner.
Frost the Glass
Add more personality by frosting the glass panels.
Just pick up a couple of cans of "frosted glass" spray paint at the hardware store, and spray it on the clean glass. You may want to add a couple of coats following the manufacturer's instructions.
Add a Set of Sleek Legs
Pick out a set of legs you like from an online retailer. We used "Office Height Legs in Brushed Steel" from TableLegsOnline.com.
Adding the legs is easy. Just position them in the corners and drive screws through the plates that are attached to the legs.
If you want to add a more finished edge to the table, just pick up some strips of window molding from the home center, nail them to the edges of the door, and stain or paint them to match.
Top It Off with Glass
Create a smooth surface on your desktop by adding a sheet of glass.
Just measure your finished desk, and then have a local supplier cut a desktop to size from 3/8"-thick plate glass. Ask them to polish the glass edges after cutting. Polishing costs a bit more, but it eliminates sharp edges and gives a great look. You should be able to pick up your glass in just a few days.
Put It to Work
Outfit the desk with everything you'll need for work and fun.
If you're using a laptop or tablet, cords aren't a concern. For a larger computer setup, though, consider a wireless mouse and keyboard to cut down on clutter. Also organize and wrap up cords for a clean look.
You can attach a power strip to the underside and run the cord up the inside of one leg to help preserve the clean, uncluttered look.