Home Office Hack: Make a Desk From a Hollow Door

Turning a door into a working desk may sound pretty complicated, but this is a simple DIY. All you need are a few tools, and you can get this project done very easily. If you need a good desk, get your hands on a hollow door that’s not being used anymore. Now, you’re ready to start one of the best money-saving hacks for putting together a home office.

DIY Door Desk Prep

Create an open, flat workspace for yourself. You want to work in a well-ventilated area where you have plenty of room for your tools and materials. Make sure you have proper eye protection handy because you will need to use at least one power tool. Observe proper DIY safety at all times by wearing gloves, close-toed shoes, and clothing that fits well. When you have your workspace, your safety protection, and your hollow door, you’re ready to begin this DIY project.

Step 1 - Strip The Surface

Remove all the hardware with a screwdriver, including the hinges, knob, and all pieces of metal.

Step 2 - Prep the door

The door you're using has probably been painted or stained in the past. It may even have dirt or stains on it. Prep the door by giving it a thorough cleaning with soap and water. Use a scrub brush on stains and caked-on grime. Next, sand the door to remove old paint or stain and give yourself a smooth, fresh surface.

Step 3 - Fill

Using wood putty, fill in all the holes from the hinges and other hardware. You have to allow the putty to set and dry completely. Once it does, you may find that you need to use more putty to fill the holes. Repeat the process as many times as necessary to get the holes filled. Then, you can sand down those areas until they’re smooth and level with the rest of the surface of the door.

Step 4 - Make the legs

Use 2x2s or 2x4s to serve as legs for the desk. You'll need four. Measure and cut the legs to four equal lengths. You can use a router tool to round off the legs, created beveled edges or otherwise give the legs a more finished look. Once the legs are measured and cut, sand them down as well. You can also purchase table legs that are ready to use.

For an alternative design, use two short, deep shelving units or wooden filing cabinets as your desk legs to give yourself more storage space.

Step 5 - Prime and paint

Prime and paint (or stain) the door and the desk in your desired color. Allow this to dry completely between each coat before moving on.

Step 6 - Attach

Place the door face down on a flat work surface. Drill mounting brackets into place at all four corners so the legs can be installed. Add some wood glue to the top of each leg before you place it in each corner and screw them to the mounting brackets. Allow the glue to dry completely before moving on.

Step 7 - Place

Flip your desk over and place it wherever you like!

More DIY Desk Ideas

From that single hollow door, lots of great desk ideas can be created. After you make your desk, mount shelves above it to give yourself space to store papers and other items. Drill a large hole in the corner of the desk so you have a place to run your cords through. Once you start getting creative, there’s no limit to the DIY projects you can continue to try to make your desk perfect.

From Door to Desk

Transform any door into a great, customized desk with some tools, your DIY skills, and just a little imagination. You can repurpose and reuse anything to create something new and exciting. Start by turning a door into a desk, and who knows what project you’ll end up taking on next?