Today I'm sharing an idea for getting the most out of a small 8' x 10' bedroom that has been converted into a home office with multiple functions. The challenge for this room is creating two workstations plus a worktable without the room feeling cramped.

Another challenge is that we have a maximum budget of $400, limiting the option for furniture purchases. To accomplish these goals we built a wall-to-wall DIY space-saving floating double desk with two workstations and the room actually feels larger now.

DIY Wall Mount Double Desk

It all started in March during lockdown we decided to spend our time stuck indoors painting the interior walls of our home. Of course, it didn't stop there and every room ended up getting a mini-makeover with a maximum budget of $400 per room.

To see the home office makeover reveal and the other room makeovers you can catch up here on our Budget Home Improvements page. It includes the DIY home decor projects for each room as well.

The function of the two new workstations is that one is designated as a computer desk and the other a craft zone with a permanent home for my Cricut Maker.

Having one long wall-mounted desk rather than two regular desks really opened up this space and it's quite comfortable to work in. Rather than drawers, everything is accessible and easy to reach with wall mount office storage systems.

We also modified an old boarding house writing desk into a handy Farmhouse Style Worktable (not pictured) to match the built-in desk. It will sit between both workstations to use as a portable sewing table, craft table or a place to set papers while hard at work.

What Else Could A Double Floating Desk Be Used For?

A dual floating desk would also be a handy for a shared children's room so each child has their own homework station, especially useful with so many doing virtual learning right now. It would also be great in a kid's playroom for arts and crafts. In a sewing room it offers a station for the sewing machine and one for a serger.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to build the dual floating desk, almost all of the DIY projects shared here at Interior Frugalista have step-by-step tutorials so why not get your budget DIY on and subscribe. You can also follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

How To Build A Double Floating Desk

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Floating Desk Wall Bracket Installation

We measured 28 3/4 inches from the floor for the pine 1" x 2" wall brackets. First checking to make sure the line was level, then the supports were secured to the wall with 2 1/2-inch wood screws in the wall studs.

DIY Center Support Shelving Unit

To support the 10-foot long desk in the center we designed a small shelving unit to house the sewing machine and my laptop when not in use. You'll notice in the photo below that we didn't build it the same 24-inch depth as the desk and we did this for two reasons.

One, the items stored towards the back would be difficult to access, especially so low to the ground. The second reason is for the power cords to pass through from one desk to the other and have the power bar concealed behind it. In hindsight, we could have gone 14 inches for a little extra depth.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the building process because Mr. Frugalista had the shelving unit built before I had the chance to take photos. You can get a good idea of how it was put together from the photo below.

Floating Desk Specs

Here are the specs for building the desk and I hope you find them helpful.

• Built with 3/4-inch MDF, wood glue, and particle board screws.
• The shelving unit is 20" wide x 10" deep (regrettably wish we had gone 14")
• The bottom shelf is 16-inches high and the top shelf 7 1/2-inches high.
• The curve on the bottom skirt profile was traced from a mason jar and cut with a jigsaw.
• A hardboard back was attached later with 3/4-inch finishing nails.

Floating Desk Wooden Top

The top of the desk is made with two 5-foot pieces of 3/4-inch aspen plywood with a 24-inch depth, butted together in the center of the shelving unit. It is set and glued on top of the wall supports and attached to the middle shelving support.

The exposed front edge of the plywood is finished with 1" x 2" maple trim routered with a quarter-round router bit. It's attached with wood glue and 2-inch wood nails that are countersunk and filled with wood filler.

Now that the desktop is installed, the wood was sanded smooth with 150 grit sandpaper and followed with 220 grit. After wiping the top with a damp cloth and removing any fine dust particles with a tack cloth, the top was brushed with a coat of Minwax water-based pre-stain wood conditioner.

Now it's time for the fun part, the finishing touches.

The shelving unit is painted with three coats of Pure White Behr Ultra Semi-Gloss Latex Paint.

On the wood top, I used my favorite water-based gel stains to create a weathered grey finish. It dries fast so I worked in rows, starting from one end to the other with the grain of the wood. First I applied a thin coat of White Magic gel stain with a microfiber detailing applicator. After an hour I applied another thin coat.

Once the white stain was dry I applied a thin coat of Up In Smoke gel stain, followed by a second coat another hour later. The grey was looking a little too dark so I thinned some white magic to a milk-like consistency.

Again working in sections, I applied the thinned white gel stain and immediately wiped it with a lint-free rag to remove the excess. This toned down the dark grey nicely.

What We Would Have Done Differently

I could have avoided that final step had I immediately wiped the second coat of grey stain while it was wet.

Now we're ready to protect the weathered stained finish but you should wait at least an hour after applying the last coat of stain. I let mine dry overnight.

The following day I lightly sanded the stained top with 220-grit sandpaper before applying my favorite satin clear coat applied with a sponge applicator. I applied the second coat an hour later.

Last but not least a round hole was cut with a hole saw drill bit in the back center of each workstation for a power cord desk grommet.

I've been using both workstations for a couple of weeks now and I absolutely love the new setup. I have so many work surfaces now for everything from computer work to crafting to sewing and even gift wrapping.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope you were inspired by this handmade desk idea. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

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