Custom Worktop Desk

Delta3D

Delta3D

Delta3D

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North East, UK
Hi - Never done this sort of stuff before so here it goes,

I'm planning on making my own desk out of a length of wooden kitchen worktop (Roughly 256cm and ideally oak (Could just get 2.5m)).

However, I've got a few questions:

1) The worktop will be about 15cm above a radiator, will the heat from this effect the wood in any way? (Warping? Dry it out?)

2) Would I have to oil the desk?

3) Is there any other sort of wood that would be more suited than Oak?

4) Any pictures of your custom desks?
 
Planning on doing the exact same thing, was going to use the ikea Karlby work surface, one set of alex draws in the middle and legs each end to make a couple desk for me and the wife
 
When I got my oak worktop, I stored it next to a radiator for about a month with no problems. It's currently set up near a radiator too. You'll have to oil it when you get it, I used danish oil and gave it a few coats each side, wasn't that much of a faff. I'd recommend The Chippy Shop and Worktop Express for the worktop. I think they're both the same company but they both have eBay shops and the prices vary between them.

1r6uuVuh.jpg
 
For a wooden worktop being used as a desk there is no need to oil it. You are better off using a clear varnish as it will require no upkeep. Oil is favoured over varnish in a kitchen environment because the varnish can be easily damaged when dealing with heat and liquids.

I have a similar setup to the above but with a matt varnished worktop offcut.
 
Thanks for the replies guys - Those desks look great too.

I'm looking at the Kitchen Express worktops to be the "most likely buy". Quite possibly a 3M X 620mm X 27mm and chopping the end off to fit (It's between two walls spanning from one side to the other).
Is this where you got yours from Street?
 
Delta3D said:
Thanks for the replies guys - Those desks look great too.

I'm looking at the Kitchen Express worktops to be the "most likely buy". Quite possibly a 3M X 620mm X 27mm and chopping the end off to fit (It's between two walls spanning from one side to the other).
Is this where you got yours from Street?
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I used Chippy Shop and Worktop Express for a few lengths, depending on who had the cheapest price on eBay at the time. Excellent service and quick delivery from both. I went with a 38mm worktop over the 27 as I thought the 27 looked a bit too thin. Getting the 3m length up a flight of stairs and round a corner was interesting though, it weighed an absolute ton!
 
Street said:
I used Chippy Shop and Worktop Express for a few lengths, depending on who had the cheapest price on eBay at the time. Excellent service and quick delivery from both. I went with a 38mm worktop over the 27 as I thought the 27 looked a bit too thin. Getting the 3m length up a flight of stairs and round a corner was interesting though, it weighed an absolute ton!
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I can imagine the struggle to get it up the stairs already haha - I'm tempted to use their bespoke service to get it cut and pre-oiled for an extra £40.50, would be nice if I could get a long rectangular cutout around the back to let heat up from the radiator and wires go down rather than a circular cutout however it doesn't seem like I'd be able to do that there.

Something like this: (Black being the walls and brown being the desk)
 
If you will be using it a lot, working from home is the 620mm depth sufficient , as soon as you have a keyboard and monitor there is little depth for notepad/resting-hands,
a shorter span with more depth is what i was looking at, but you seem to have to buy the worktops for islands - 760, 920 depth.

I thought the concern about heat bowing it, could be legitimate too, without intemediate support or under bar like rexehuk's.
(had a smaller desk with staved construction, where laptop heat i think, contributed to some stave separation)
not sure how much lighter the ikea boarding might be too, vs solid to reduce warp under its own weight.
 
I'm not too sure about depth, my current desk is roughly 50cm deep which has done up until now, I'd like a little bit more but 72cm (The next size up offered by Kitchen Express) may be a bit too much.

I could always add a couple of metal bars beneath the desk to support it a bit more - planning on using two Ikea Gerton Adjustable Legs spread 1m in from either side to support it a bit too.
 
Looking around at some different oak worktops currently - next question, what would you lot prefer? 27mm thick but with 40mm staves or 40mm thick with 20mm staves.

Also, does oiling the oak make it much darker?
 
are you considering maple or beech too ? oak can have quite a large grain and be easier to dent/softer ... quite like whiteish maple myself.
 
I'm not too keen on the colours of Maple and Beech, I believe my dad has a beech wood desk, I'd like something a touch darker (I've seen oak the perfect colour) as I am going to be painting the room a blueish grey colour.

As for Kitchen Express I sent them the design and they returned to me with a whopping quote of £305 for the cuts and oiling. Looks like I'll be ordering the wood and cutting it myself really although I'm still unsure whether to get a thicker desk or a thinner one with wider staves.
 
If you want the oak a tad darker then i can recommend the Osmo acacia worktop oil. That's what i used on mine and i'm very pleased with the results. Adds a nice golden brown colour and is the perfect mid sheen finish. It's a little harder to apply than the clear oils though.

Osmo Top Oil 3061 Acacia is a lightly pigmented / coloured version of Osmo Top Oil. This variation adds colour to worktops for an elegant finish.
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I'm still unsure whether to get a thicker desk or a thinner one with wider staves.
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Definitely go for the wider staves, they look much better than thinner staves imo. 27mm thick is still quite hefty and will be solid as long as you support it.
 
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