I decided to build a computer desk. I began by modeling out my idea both on paper and also in Google Sketchup.
I took the plunge and bought the wood I would need. Total price was $320. I had hoped to spend less than $200 on wood, but the boards only came in 6 foot lengths, rather than 8 foot lengths. Had I taken more notice of this in earlier shopping, I might have been better prepared, but I was able to grab what I needed without too much rethinking of plans.
My wood options were rather limited, the only two options I was given were Pine or Aspen. (I could have gotten oak, but it was far too expensive and would have required much more work.) I had already decided to go to with Aspen.)
I bought 10 boards,
3 – 1″x24″x6′ boards,
6 – 1″x12″x8′, and
1 – 1″x6″x8′.
(My original plans were more along the lines of
3 – 1″x24″x8′ boards,
3 – 1″x12″x8′, and
1 – 1″x6″x8′.
This means that I will be needing to glue some of the 12″ boards together to obtain more 24″ boards.)
I brought the boards home and began to stain them. My original vision was to have a lighter colored desk, more golden in color. We didn’t have this type of stain, though, and rather then buying something new, I decided to use what we had at home and went with a walnut stain.
It’s darker than imagined, but the grain on the wood is amazing. It looks wonderful, and I am very happy with it thus far.
I stained all of the boards on one side and a stained the most boards on the second side as well. Tomorrow I will finish my staining and should be able to start cutting out the pieces.
