At 4'11", standard desks don't provide proper ergonomic support. The solution was a fold-away table standing at 37", the perfect elbow height, mounted on an awkward stretch of wall. It makes for a great mini office that tucks away flat at the end of the day.
Materials & cut list
- Table top: (1) 34 x 16 x 0.75"
- Backer board: (1) 32 x 3 x 0.75"
- Side pieces: (2) 1 x 14 x 0.75"
- Lip: (1) 34 x 3 x 0.75"
- Triangle braces:
- Mitered at one end: (4) 11 x 1.5 x 0.75"
- Mitered at both ends: (2) 13.625 x 1.5 x 0.75"
- 1" wood screws, 3" wood screws, wood glue
Construction
- Backing board assembly: joined pieces with pocket holes, spaced several across the length and two on each side
- Attach side pieces: fastened the 1" side pieces with screws, taking care not to split the wood
- Add lip: screwed the lip along the length of the assembly
- Sand: sanded all components to 220 grit with a random orbital sander
- Assemble braces: glued and clamped the mitered pieces together
- Cut piano hinge: divided a long piano hinge into 4 smaller pieces
- Attach hinges: positioned two hinges under the lip to attach the table top, predrilled and screwed
- Mount brackets: used spacers to position brackets along the side pieces, predrilled and screwed
- Add spacers: positioned spacers between the braces and table with wood glue, weighted down while curing
- Wall installation: measured 37" from floor to table top, checked level, and secured with 3" screws into wall studs
Result
The design lets you prop the tabletop up for laptop work, then fold it flat against the wall to keep the room looking clean when you're done.