Old doors can be reused for a number of home improvement projects, including headboards for beds and dividers in a room. Here’s how you can convert an old door into a writing or computer desk complete with bookshelves and coat rack.

    Patch holes in door.           Attach brackets.               Attach base.

Desk Materials List:

We used a 30” wide door, but you can make the desk from whatever width door is available. If you don’t have a leftover door, you can buy a used one at a salvage yard or reuse store.

• 1 – 30” door
• 1 – 18” x 30” cabinet grade plywood (desktop)
• 2 – 7” x 30” cabinet grade plywood (bookshelves)
• 2 – 2” x 6” x 24” lumber (support feet)
• 2 – 9” x 11” premade wood brackets (desktop supports)
• 4 – 5” x 7” premade wood brackets (bookshelf supports)
• Coarse, medium, and fine grit sandpaper
• Auto body filler
• Primer and paint

Making a Desk from a Door:

• Remove old hinges and lockset from door.
• Fill hinge mortises and lockset holes with auto body filler.
• Hand plane the filler flush with the door.
• Sand the door smooth (wear respirator approved for lead paint and sand outside to prevent lead contamination).
• Cut the desktop and shelves to size.
• Rout a pattern on the bottom of three sides of the desktop and shelves.
• Attach shelf brackets to the bottom of the desktop and shelves.
• Attach desktop and shelves to door using glue, nails, and screws.
• Cut support feet to length and round corners and edges
• Attach support feet to door edges with nails and screws.
• If desired, attach a coat rack or hooks to the back of door.

Please Leave a Comment

One Comment on “How to Make a Desk from an Old Door”

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1. fausto gonzalez Says:
   November 15th, 2009 at 5:37 pm

   no me queda mas que felicitarlo por toda la informacion que proporcionan ya que me he ahorrado bastante dinero, con sus consejos, muchas gracias

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