Pc Built Into Desk: How to Build a Custom PC Desk

The idea of a pc build into a desk may seem far-fetched, more like out of this world. But when you look at the results, you’re going to love it – a station built specifically for you that houses and showcases all those lovely components under the glass top. With LED lights, small upgrades, and some expandability, you can create a formula of a nice PC built into desk according to your requirements.

It’s fantastic and worth trying if you’re one of those who spend most of the day in front of your computer screen. So, if you believe in yourself that you can create something unique to amaze your mom, this is the place you can learn how you can do it.

But before we move on, let’s see the pros and cons of these custom-made desks.

Pros

• See-through glass top exposing all the components
• Shows your talent to play with technology and amaze your friends
• Tailor-made according to your requirements

Cons

• Size can be trouble; occupies more space than you think
• Can’t move to other location
• Once done, it’ll become difficult to upgrade

Now, let’s get right into it.

Building Your Custom PC Desk: Considerations

If you think you can do it on your own, you can try this idea of building a DIY pc desk at home. This is the reason why PC built into desks came into existence. There are many examples out there you can find, but most of them are too familiar.

So, first, we have to consider different plans for built-in pc desks.

Plans for Built In Computer Desk

There are two ways to do it:

• Draw your plan for DIY desk PC
• Go for custom-made tables, which is less time-consuming and less risky.

If you want to have a desk of your own, you can draw a plan using 3d modeling software. Since you’re making your plan, measuring each computer component to its precise length, and ensuring its proper place is vital for your custom-made pc desk. If you’re prepared to spend that much time on the ‘Trial and Error’ method, you can go for it. 

However, as we mentioned, there are plenty of plans available on the internet that you can follow easily. With a bit of adjustment to the original method, you can make your unique PC built into a desk. 

Follow Someone Else’s Build Log

You can find some interesting posts (both in written form or videos) to go through the details on how to build your DIY PC desk. For instance, Linus Tech Tips is a popular build log for you to try.

Buy Professional Computer Desk Plans

You can start with professional PC desk plans, although there are very few on the internet. You can either buy plans from there or take inspiration from the ones available on this website. 

Off note: the plans seem relatively cheap, plus, you can also get details on add-ons as well. 

What materials you need to build your DIY PC Desk

If you don’t want to buy plants for your computer desk, you can draft one yourself. And this list is going to help you with some insights. We’ve listed essential things needed for your pc built into the desk. 

So, let’s get started!

MDF

MDF is a medium density fiberboard used by many builders these days. It is well-compressed sawdust that looks exactly like wood. The benefit of using MDF over natural wood is, you can manipulate it easily compared to the hardwood. That means it’s easier to cut, and you can also create shapes and circles with ease. 

Essential Tools

You’re going to need some power tools to construct your PC desk. And not to mention, you have to allocate substantial space for your DIY PC desk. These are the essential tools:

• Measuring tape
• Screwdriver
• Skill saw
• Wood glue
• Framing square
• Safety goggles
• Electric drill

 Then you might these for making your building process a lot easier:

• Drill press
• Table saw
• Clamps
• Miter saw
• Finish nailer

If you think you have that much space to fit in all these tools, you can start building your DIY desk right away. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting your time getting the cuts to the precise measurement. 

Attachment Items

You’re going to need essential items like nuts, bolts, screws, and glue on an as-needed basis. Depending on the thickness of the wood used in different locations, these items should have different lengths. So, make sure you have enough of them while building your PC desk.

Glass Top

Since you’re constructing a PC built into a desk, the glass top is the most prominent component. It allows others to view the internal details of your computer. Some people might not opt for a glass top, but in that case, a DIY computer desk would be useless. You can buy a simple case that you can hide somewhere. 

Fans

You can’t have a PC built into a desk without fans. There should be sufficient air moving inside to keep all the components cool. To that, you might need more fans than you have in a branded CPU as it features all the components pretty closed to each other in a small case. It makes sense. The more space you occupy, the more fans you’ll need.

Water Cooling

While this is optional, but it gives an excellent appeal to your DIY PC desk. As said, you can set it up to your likings; you can think about water cooling to make this project as unique as it gets.

Custom Buttons

You wouldn’t want to lift the glass top and touch the right pins on the motherboard, would you? To overcome this hassle, think about adding custom buttons (especially the power button) on the outside. It’ll give your desk a more professional feel. And that’s probably you’ll be thinking about already.

System Performance Screens

Here’s another tip to make your project look futuristic and trendy. Install tiny screens that’ll keep you updated with the system’s current performance – temperature and current status of different components. But that depends on your design, whether it allows for tiny screens on the original set up or not. 

4 Best PC Desk Solutions Online

Now that we’ve mentioned all the essential things you need for your DIY desk PC, it’s time you do a bit of research on the desks online to cut down your time and effort. You’ll only need to make small adjustments to convert these desks into a custom-made computer desk.

Remember, the products listed below will only offer you the necessary structure to build your dream computer desk. So what you should be looking at is how much room each of them contributes to getting the right customization. If you’re not sure about the style and where to start, these multi-purpose desks will surely help you out.

So let’s dig right in!

Computer Desk with 2 Drawer – Home/Office Workstation

Have a small space? No problem! This computer desk is tailor-made for small spaces. You can set this up in your bedroom or small workspace. Apart from being budget-friendly, this Maple wood table features plenty of room for you to customize it according to your needs.

With dimensions 47″ x 23.6″, the tabletop is large enough to place all the computer components in one place. Also, it offers sufficient legroom beneath the desk. The desk if almost 30″ high, which means you can store other things there as well. 

You can replace the maple wood table top with the glass top, or if you don’t want to reveal the internal components, it can hide all the components. The computer desk features a metal frame that speaks for its sturdiness and long life. The structure can be closed with fiberwood, and you can also add shelves to place your headsets and other essential accessories in there.

What I liked

• Spacious top to place the components
• The simple structure allows for customization
• Plenty of space underneath the table offers legroom and storage space
• Simple square frames enable quick and easy wiring

What I disliked

• Meant for small spaces
• Doesn’t have a strong base 

Linea Italia Metal Computer Desk with Wood Top

Available in three different colors and sizes, Linea Italia Metal Computer Desk with Wood Top is another option worth considering. It sports a metal base and a wooden top. You can easily replace the wooden lid with a glass alternative. The computer table offers substantial space to add a wooden panel, and underneath the main desk to place the internal components. 

The Linea Italia Computer Desk features 36-inch width, 24-inch depth, and 30-inch height. That means there is sufficient enough room for you. What’s more, enticing? The 30-inch size is ideal for customizing it according to your liking. 

So, if you have a small space and want a perfect solution for a DIY PC desk, this one’s ideal product under $200. It also features wheels and leveling gliders so that you can move and balance it according to your requirements.

What I liked

• Meant for small spaces
• Simple design and structure offers room for customization
• The metal structure offers sturdiness

What I disliked

• A bit expensive
• It’s not an immovable table.

Dland Home L-Shaped Computer Desk

If you’re looking for something spacious that can sit at the corner of your room, this L-Shaped standing desk is right for you. It’s already spacious enough to support you like a laptop and writing table and holds your essential things too. But if you want to customize it into a built-in PC desk, there’s plenty of room in it.

To start with, you have two large desks featuring dimensions of 59 x 21.7 x 30 inches. So it’s up to you to convert the entire L-shaped top into a glass top of leaving one of them as it is. Moreover, you’ve got a lot of space to spread your legs and hide those wires underneath the table.

The Dland L-Shaped Computer Desk is the best table under $150 and can provide a good foundation for you to work your way around and build yourself an attractive PC desk.

What I liked

• L-shaped design with lots of surface area for the internal components
• Sturdy metal base that takes minutes to assemble
• The wooden top can be replaced with a glass top
• Offers space to add shelves drawers
• The large room provides more customization options

What I disliked

• Metal frame requires special equipment to fix the additional shelves or desk
• Large space needs more fans to cool the internal components

Ameriwood Home Franklin Writing Desk, Soft White

Moving on to the next option, we’ve got a spacious writing desk for you. This Ameriwood Writing Desk is made of wood, which means transforming it into your DIY PC desk won’t be too difficult. The structure of the desk suits small spaces, and there’s plenty of room for customization as well.

The wooden PC desk is 30 inches high, 35.5 inches wide, and 18 inches deep. That means it can hold all your essential computer components inside. To add, the drawers make it easier for you to place your computer’s internal components without too much effort. And if you need to replace the wooden top with a glass top, that’s also doable. 

Finally, this desk weighs just under 80 lbs, which means it’s sturdy and hard to move. And oh, this model is available in plenty of colors as well. So, pick the one that suits your purpose.

What I liked

• The wooden table doesn’t need special tools to customize it
• Offers plenty of space to fit additional accessories
• Spacious enough to keep all the computer components
• Provides ease in cable management
• The tabletop can be replaced with glass top

What I disliked

• A little expensive for those tight on budget
• Difficult to move

This is way to easy to turn these into your PC desk. You need to cut some wires, make a few holes, or maybe, add some shelves, and it’ll be ready. Here’s a video by YetAnotherTechChannel showing how they threw in those computer parts into a desk. Or watch this video by Linus that shows how you can mount the computer components to the underside of the desk. So, there will be some useful Linus Tech tips in there as well.

Common Questions

What’s the cost of the PC desk?

It depends on the materials you’re using. Also, the cost can change dramatically if you bought a bare desk. But if you’re building right from scratch, you have a wide range, between $400 and $2000.

What if my desk gets dirty?

Your computer built into a desk will catch dust and dirt over time. So make sure that the tabletop is easy-to-remove. Alternatively, you can use air filters on the desk to prevent the dust from entering. Don’t forget to clean those filters regularly.

What is the best material for my DIY PC desk?

As we mentioned above, MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) is perfect for building PC desks. You can manipulate the material and cut it to the precise measurements.

Can I hire a skilled person to help me with this project?

Yes, it’s a good option, mostly when you haven’t done any carpentry before. You’ll find someone to help you out. You can ask people for recommendations.

Conclusion

Now that we have shared all the details to help you build a PC desk, it’s up to you whether you should go for a unique design or choose one of the solutions from our list. If you want a pc desk built right from scratch, be prepared to spend a lot of time, money, and effort. On the other hand, you can spend a little amount and turn a ready solution into your PC desk. 

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