Building my own worktop

[marvt74]

My wife needs a desk in our backroom and a corner style feels like it'd fit the area best.

She initially looked at a couple on Wayfair she really liked but with it going into a bit of an alcove, i thought it would look a little daft since they wouldn't fit exactly. So i convinced her i could make something which would be much better (and cheaper), she groaned and highlighted my numerous other projects which are ongoing and unfinished and questioned when she'd actually get something. Ignoring her concerns i powered on.

I've drawn up an excellent sketch in MS Paint.

The obvious solution would be to get a worktop piece and cut it into 2 lengths, however i don't have a kitchen router jig to get the join right and i don't want it to look crap.

I then thought about a 900mm deep worktop which would allow me to do the whole top in one piece. This would work but i don't really want to use edging strips so i looked at solid wood worktops. I can get a 2m long oak breakfast bar for about £150, however i'm not sure how my tools would fair cutting out the required piece. Along with the amount of waste that would be created. And the cost of my messing up would be high.

This brings me back to the idea i had above. Getting lengths of 44x44 square (or 44x32) redwood, cutting them into various lengths and then fix them all together into the shape required. I worked out i'd need about 14m in total so it'd only cost about £30 and if it looked rubbish then it's not a lot to lose and it's spare wood for other projects.

I have a few concerns though which i hope you all can help me with

1 - Finishing, oak is a nice hardwood and would only need a few coats of oil to make it look great. Can i get a decent finish with redwood?

2 - Aesthetically speaking and practically, it would make sense to have all the wood run in the same direction, this means that there's a lot of endgrain on show. Would you leave that, or run a length against this to cover it up like this?

3 - Finally, whats the best way to go about clamping all this up? I've only got 2 sash clamps which are 3ft so i know i'll need to buy more. Should i juset get 3 5ft clamps and mount on some MDF board?

 

[RobinBHM]

It needs 2 tops with grain running parellel to the front.

1 say 1000 x 900mm

and 1 say 600mm x 500

could you buy a long oak worktop of say 600mm wide and on one of the tops add on an offcut to get your corner bit?

 

[xy mosian]

No router jig, don't bother. Imagine the two pieces of worktop, 'grain' running parallel to their back walls, mitred with a daigonal cut into the corner. Now to add the extra bit open that mitred joint and insert another piece of worktop, lining up the front edges. That way you will have the 'grain' running around the corner. There will be a gap in the corner of about 240mm. front to corner, another piece of worktop will fill this. Think about leaving a gap in the very corner big enough to allow a 13 amp plug to drop through.
Clamping I think, if you have the tackle, worktop connectors would be the way to.

xy

 

[marvt74]

Was hoping to do it a bit cheaper than buying the oak worktop, although i suppose at around £130 for a 3m length it's not excessive. Would a jigsaw cut that though (Dewalt cordless), i wouldn't have thought so and i'm crap with a panel saw!

I've bought the wood for my original idea as it was cheap (£25 for around 20m of 44x44) so i think i'll use a combination of my idea of building my only using the staves i have with your suggestions of cutting it on a mitre into the corner.

 

[Dee J]

Depend how 'furniture' it needs to be. Similar situation we used one sheet of mdf for the top, finished in satin clear acylic varnish. Worked well for a decade.

 

[nev]

If you want to make the worktop for the pleasure of making one, then have a go with the staves. They will of course need planing/ sanding/finishing and probably painting because the glued/joined faces will undoubtedly stand out if you try staining etc.

Personally I'd spend the clamp money on a router jig and new bit(s) and splash out on a nice bit of worktop.

 

[Marineboy]

I made a similar corner worktable for my wife from beech worktop. I made a jig from 9mm MDF as I didn't want to spend money on something I would use only once, then joined the two pieces with worktop connectors. Worked a treat.

 

[disco_monkey79]

Again, depending on the look you're aiming for, what about a sheet of better-quality ply?

 

[SteveF]

what about formica? and a hardwood lip
you can get most colours or real wood

Steve

 

[marvt74]

My original plan was MDF but my wife wasn't a fan of that idea.

I'll see how it works out and if it's rubbish then it's only £25 of wood wasted and my time. If it's rubbish i'll buy an oak worktop and a jig. Figured the clamps would come in handy for future projects even if not this one as my existing sash clamps i got from my dad and i need to use screws to hold the slidy (technical term) bits in place.

 

[nev]

You could of course get veneered ply, blockboard or mdf and then a real wood trim around the edge to give the illusion of thickness.
A quick google finds a place in Darwen not far from Chorley. You may even be lucky and find a damaged board cheap?

 

[marvt74]

There is a place near me which does veneered ply. It's called ASC

I'll have a chat with her and see what she thinks

 

[Terry - Somerset]

You could use a single sheet of good quality ply or veneered MDF. . Cut to size and edge with either similar or contrasting wood strip.

Terry

 

[marvt74]

Bit of an update. I finally got to use the marking gauge i bought months ago because i convinced myself i needed it. Not as good as others have used in the past but i think the fact it was so cheap shows.

Batons are up on the wall ready for the unit. Walls are definately not level so good practice to perfect scribing

[o,g]http://i.imgur.com/4Xnz35f.png[/img]

Also first time using my other new gadget. I can never drill straight and because i want to reinforce with steel rod i needed the holes to be in line. The UK version doesn't work for cordless drills as needs the collar behind the chuck but i bought this from Amazon US. Was cheaper than the UK even after postage. Worked great

Clamps and glued. No matter how many clamps i buy i never have enough! Have bought 5 new F-Clamps which will come in handy for future bits.

Made up the other length last night and forgot my plan was to only made it using 4 lengths so it's not as deep. Drilled all my holes for the threaded bar so need to redo the front piece as otherwise i'll have holes on show if i use the existing piece.


When i come to fit the middle section at the angle, whats the best way to clamp it up? as it's going to be at 45degrees

 

[marvt74]

Just to finish this off, i applied the liming wax last night so just need to apply a few coats of oil and i'm good to move onto the next project!

Going to paint the leg a different colour i think just to make it stand out.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Nice job! Looked like a horrendously complicated method you used, but end result looks good.

 

[YorkshireMartin]

Did you allow the wood to dry and acclimitise in your home before you built this?

Nice job of jointing it though, certainly fits the space.

 

[marvt74]

Thanks guys.

Yes, it was all left in the room for around a week before fitting it all together, much to the annoyance of my wife! (it was fresh wood when i clamped/joined each length though). Doesn't seem to have moved much.

Here's a pic pre-finished. I thought i'd posted it but seems not. Really happy with the joints. I used pocket holes to help pull the 3 pieces together.

Only think i've noticed since adding the wax is there was obviously an element of glue left on the surface as that shows through and ruins it. My wifes not bothered but it's annoying me.

I ended up buying a smoothing plane to fix the ridges between lengths after gluing but having a plastic foldable workbench doesn't give a solid base so that was a failed attempt. Ended up using an Orbital Sander and just working it for ages.

 

[Lons]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Go on tell the truth, was just an excuse to spend the money you saved on new tools for yourself. =D>

 

[marvt74]

Thats my basis for doing everything around the house!

Did i also mention i used it as an excuse to finally buy the Dewalt 18v circular saw?