As part of my industrial bedroom decor, I did some research into plumbing pipe desks/workbenches. To begin, I estimated the width of my completed bed frame. The mattress will be 53 inches, and I added 4 inches for plumbing pipe thickness. What I did not like is the total extended partially across my bedroom window. Therefore, I changed my pipe loft bed plans to use a twin mattress rather than a full. (Perhaps I should even get a twin XL for the extra head space.) Now for the desk plans.
Here is one simple design for a work bench from mydian_nightshade on Instructables. All of the pipe sizes are available at my local Lowe's, and according to their prices, the frame along will cost ≈$192 to build, not counting the wood. The designer uses an 8'x4' piece of plywood to make the 2'x6' top (double thickness) and 2'x4' shelf. My workbench will only be 4-feet wide; so I will probably just buy 2'x4' plywoods and glue them together or, depending on cost, I may go for something more solid. I also had the idea of painting the wood metallic copper, although I just came across an Instructable on creating an aged wood look using tea staining.
Instructables also pointed me to the design pictured above. It has a hollow desk and flip-open compartments. If I go the plywood route, I may use elements of this in my design. However, I do like the idea of having a solid piece of wood so it can be used as a workbench as well as a desk. Also, my desk would be so crowded I'm not sure I could function with flip-up storage.
This made me think of my current desk/workspace. It is 6-feet wide, so I measured my space. If the bed frame comes out to 44 inches, a 6-foot desk will fit the space.
This is another desk using the exact same pipe configuration as the first picture. I like this design better because the pipes are all at the edges of the bench rather than taking up the middle. To buy the desk in the picture costs $1210. They also have a 2'x5' desk for $765. Building this for $200 suddenly becomes quite a bargain.
How much, then, would this desk be? As seen in the photo, there are no flanges on the bottom, so I would need 4 rubber feet that fit over the plumbing pipe. Based on what I have found so far, I am going to say $10 {with shipping} for the feet. I will need 4 flanges ($42.20), 6 T intersections ($23.34), 4 6-inch pipes for the legs ($10.08), and unknown lengths of pipe for the remaining pieces. Those pieces are the long support, the short supports, and the leg risers. The top will be 24 inches deep; so a flange, a T, a pipe, another T, a pipe, a T, and a flange have to total 24 inches. I am not sure how much space the flange will use, but I can estimate the remaining pieces. The 2 Ts on the end add 2 inches each, so one pipe of 20 inches will suffice. By placing a T in the middle if this pipe, I can remove another 2¼ inches, leaving me with a total of 17¾ inches of pipe. The top will be 72 inches wide, so I need a 68-inch pipe for the middle. This brings my total to 107½ inches. The leg risers are all the same length. Supposing I want the desk 30 inches above the ground, I need 30 inches of pipe minus the 6-inch off the T and the T itself. This comes to 21¾, or a total of 87 inches. If I buy 2 10-foot pipes and have them custom cut, this will cost me $39.52. Going with the nearest precut pipe length would cost $83.40. Therefore, getting custom cut pieces, the frame will cost me ≈$125.14 before discount and taxes.
IDEA: If planned properly, one could build a plumbing pipe power strip.
I just came across this more stylish design from Oak Studios via the Apartment Therapy website. Although there aren't enough pictures to have the complete design, the article states the desk cost around $80 to make. It also has rubber feet at the ends of the pipes. That means I should be able to find some rubber feet somewhere that fit over the pipe ends. The article also calls the pipe "thin." I'm not sure I would go down to ½-inch diameter pipes, but this means I could use ¾. To get a guestimate of the pipes used, I need to know the dimensions. Lifehacker has an article on choosing the correct desk height for each person. Unfortunately, it is based on the chair height. (Does that mean I should build the chair first?) An eBay page gives desk dimensions of 24 inches off the floor for a keyboard and 30 inches off the floor for the desk top.
I will start with the back brace, where there is a flange, a close, a T, a close, an elbow, a close, a T, a close, and another T. The desk has 4 of these joints. Each one costs $23.10, so that's $92.40 just for the upper joints. Let us guess to finish the back I need 2 30-inch pipes ($21.30), another T ($2.68), a 6-inch pipe ($2.03), and another flange ($7.69). My total is now up to $126.10. The 4 cross bars are probably 18-inch, adding $26.60, and the legs are probably 24-inch, adding $36.52. The frame costs me $189.22. I am well above the $80 quoted in the article. Perhaps they did use ½-inch pipes, in which case another trip to Lowe's is in order to get the new measurements.
To compare this design with the first design, I have to convert the pieces to 1-inch pipes. The corners would be $125.36. This already exceeds the original design, and honestly, all the groovy design features of the fancy desk would be hidden against my walls. While I like the fancy desk more, cost-benefit analysis shows the first design but in the third configuration is the way to go.
Idea: Desk with keyboard drawer; drawer with bluetooth keyboard; wi-fi projector for monitor; window shade for computer screen.
The pictures on the page appear smaller than they are. To see them larger, simply double click on the picture. Also, I always welcome your constructive criticism. Click on the Comment link below next to the icon of a pencil; it may say “No” or have a number in front of it.
References:
Brennan, Jeanine. "Look! Desks and Furniture Designed from Plumbing Pipes." Apartment Therapy. Apartment Therapy, 3 Nov. 2008. Web. 10 June 2014.
Dachis, Adam. "How to Find Your Ideal Desk Height." Lifehacker. Gawker Media, LLC, 7 Jan. 2011. Web. 10 June 2014.
dfd-link. "OFFICE DESK COMPUTER DESK FOR OFFICE & HOME TABLE FURNITURE IN WHITE 12002." eBay. eBay Inc., 29 May 2013. Web. 10 June 2014.
mikeasaurus. "Tea staining." Instructables.com. Autodesk, Inc., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014.
"Modern Industry L Shape Reclaimed Wood Desk." Urban Wood Goods™. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014.
mydian_nightshade. "Quick heavy duty workbench." Instructables.com. Autodesk, Inc., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014.
Uyeda, Ben. "EP30 The Flip Desk." HomeMade Modern. Ryobi Nation, 17 Mar. Web. 10 June 2014.
This made me think of my current desk/workspace. It is 6-feet wide, so I measured my space. If the bed frame comes out to 44 inches, a 6-foot desk will fit the space.
How much, then, would this desk be? As seen in the photo, there are no flanges on the bottom, so I would need 4 rubber feet that fit over the plumbing pipe. Based on what I have found so far, I am going to say $10 {with shipping} for the feet. I will need 4 flanges ($42.20), 6 T intersections ($23.34), 4 6-inch pipes for the legs ($10.08), and unknown lengths of pipe for the remaining pieces. Those pieces are the long support, the short supports, and the leg risers. The top will be 24 inches deep; so a flange, a T, a pipe, another T, a pipe, a T, and a flange have to total 24 inches. I am not sure how much space the flange will use, but I can estimate the remaining pieces. The 2 Ts on the end add 2 inches each, so one pipe of 20 inches will suffice. By placing a T in the middle if this pipe, I can remove another 2¼ inches, leaving me with a total of 17¾ inches of pipe. The top will be 72 inches wide, so I need a 68-inch pipe for the middle. This brings my total to 107½ inches. The leg risers are all the same length. Supposing I want the desk 30 inches above the ground, I need 30 inches of pipe minus the 6-inch off the T and the T itself. This comes to 21¾, or a total of 87 inches. If I buy 2 10-foot pipes and have them custom cut, this will cost me $39.52. Going with the nearest precut pipe length would cost $83.40. Therefore, getting custom cut pieces, the frame will cost me ≈$125.14 before discount and taxes.
IDEA: If planned properly, one could build a plumbing pipe power strip.
I will start with the back brace, where there is a flange, a close, a T, a close, an elbow, a close, a T, a close, and another T. The desk has 4 of these joints. Each one costs $23.10, so that's $92.40 just for the upper joints. Let us guess to finish the back I need 2 30-inch pipes ($21.30), another T ($2.68), a 6-inch pipe ($2.03), and another flange ($7.69). My total is now up to $126.10. The 4 cross bars are probably 18-inch, adding $26.60, and the legs are probably 24-inch, adding $36.52. The frame costs me $189.22. I am well above the $80 quoted in the article. Perhaps they did use ½-inch pipes, in which case another trip to Lowe's is in order to get the new measurements.
To compare this design with the first design, I have to convert the pieces to 1-inch pipes. The corners would be $125.36. This already exceeds the original design, and honestly, all the groovy design features of the fancy desk would be hidden against my walls. While I like the fancy desk more, cost-benefit analysis shows the first design but in the third configuration is the way to go.
Idea: Desk with keyboard drawer; drawer with bluetooth keyboard; wi-fi projector for monitor; window shade for computer screen.
The pictures on the page appear smaller than they are. To see them larger, simply double click on the picture. Also, I always welcome your constructive criticism. Click on the Comment link below next to the icon of a pencil; it may say “No” or have a number in front of it.
References:
Brennan, Jeanine. "Look! Desks and Furniture Designed from Plumbing Pipes." Apartment Therapy. Apartment Therapy, 3 Nov. 2008. Web. 10 June 2014.
Dachis, Adam. "How to Find Your Ideal Desk Height." Lifehacker. Gawker Media, LLC, 7 Jan. 2011. Web. 10 June 2014.
dfd-link. "OFFICE DESK COMPUTER DESK FOR OFFICE & HOME TABLE FURNITURE IN WHITE 12002." eBay. eBay Inc., 29 May 2013. Web. 10 June 2014.
mikeasaurus. "Tea staining." Instructables.com. Autodesk, Inc., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014.
"Modern Industry L Shape Reclaimed Wood Desk." Urban Wood Goods™. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014.
mydian_nightshade. "Quick heavy duty workbench." Instructables.com. Autodesk, Inc., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014.
Uyeda, Ben. "EP30 The Flip Desk." HomeMade Modern. Ryobi Nation, 17 Mar. Web. 10 June 2014.
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