If you’re a gamer, you know that having a good setup is important. That’s why many gamers choose to build their own computer desks, instead of using something pre-made. If you’re thinking about doing the same, here are some tips on how to do it right.
Choose Your Desk Location Wisely
Having your computer desk near an outlet is important because the power supply will always need electricity to run. It’s also a good idea to place your desk near the television or computer monitor that you’re using for gaming.
Build The Frame First
Building the frame of your computer desk is easy, and it’s a good idea to get this done before building the actual desk. This way you know how much room you have to work with. You can use four pieces of wood that are about 2 feet long by 1 foot wide to build the frame. Just make sure your measurements are accurate!
Add Supports
Once you have the frame built, it’s time to add support beams. You can use 2x4s for this, and they’ll need to be the same length as the space between your two side pieces of wood. Make sure these are placed near the top! This will prevent your computer desk from breaking under stress.
Add Compression Supports
Now you’ll want to add some beams along the top of your computer desk frame. These are known as compression supports, and they help prevent your monitor or television from rolling off your desk during an earthquake. The best way is to drill these into place, but this can be hard without a drill press (and not recommended because of the risk of injury). You can also use nails or screws, but you’ll need to make sure they’re in tight.
Add The Desk Surface
Now it’s time for the top layer of your computer desk! You can use one sheet of plywood for this step. It should be about 2 feet by 4 feet and it’ll need to be cut down to size. Use a saw, and make sure your cuts are straight!
Add Your Cable Management System
Cable management is important for any computer desk, but especially if you’re putting all this work into building one! The best way to do this is by using cable raceways, also known as grommets. These will help keep your cables organized and out of the way, so you don’t feel cluttered by them while you’re sitting at your computer desk.
Add Your Desk Surface Texture
The top layer of your computer desk isn’t complete unless it’s painted or stained! Make sure you sand down your desk first and use a paint or stain that matches the rest of your room.
Add Your Accessories
Once your computer desk is complete, you can add all of your accessories to it! This includes using cable ties, zip ties, velcro straps, plastic clips, and anything else that will help you get the job done. Just keep in mind that these items will be visible to anyone that uses your desk, so think about what they might find unattractive and try to avoid showing off all of your extra pieces with them!
Add Your Computer
Now comes the time when you finally set up your computer on the desk itself. Just make sure you’re plugged in and ready to go before setting everything up, because if you miss a step here your desk could be ruined! Once everything is plugged in and working properly, you can stand back and admire your handiwork.
Now that you’ve built a computer desk for gaming, it’s time to sit back and enjoy your new desk! This may take some time to get used to, but once you do this will probably become one of your favorite computer desks that you’ve ever had.
If you would like to see more information on anything mentioned above, please feel free to ask me in the comments below. I respond right away!
How do you turn a desk into a gaming desk?
What are the steps involved in turning a simple desk into a gaming desk? Follow these instructions to learn how you can build your own computer desk for gaming.
- Clear the desk. If you have a lot of clutter on your desk, clear everything off in preparation for building your gaming computer desk.
- Decide on a desk design. While you can use any desk for this purpose, it’s advisable that the desk be one that has a raised monitor shelf and a pull-out keyboard tray. Once you’ve decided on this type of setup, you can start constructing it.
- Place the tabletop. The first step of preparing your desktop computer is to place the tabletop over the drawers.
- Screw in the cleats. Locate the vertical pieces of wood, usually 1×2 or 1×3 inches in width, and screw them into your tabletop and drawers.
- Install the support under the desktop. Find an additional piece of wood that is 1/4 inches thick and approximately 3-4 inches wide and long to use as a spacer. Screw this piece onto the drawers, directly under your tabletop.
- Install the top shelf. Place the 2-by-4 inch top shelf on the cleats.
- Place the computer tower on the desktop. Place your computer case on top of your desk where you would like it to go. It will most likely be a few inches from the back of your computer desk so that all of your cables can reach from inside your computer to the outside of it.
- Add the keyboard tray. Place the keyboard tray on top of the tabletop and screw it into the top of the desk using a screwdriver.
- Add the monitor stand. Place your monitor on top of the keyboard tray, atop the desk. Use your desk lamp to help you center the monitor over the keyboard tray.
- Add the CPU stand. Once your computer tower is placed on the desktop, screw it into the desktop with a Phillips head screwdriver.
- Add your computer components. Once your CPU stand is in, you can add the rest of your computer components.
- Add decals/stickers (optional). If you plan on customizing your desk, you can add decals or stickers to the desk in whatever design or pattern that you would like.
Conclusion
After you have built the frame of your computer desk, you can add support beams. These are known as compression supports, and they help prevent your monitor or television from rolling off your desk during an earthquake. You can use 2x4s for this, but make sure they’re in tight. The top layer of your computer desk isn’t complete unless it’s painted or stained! Make sure you sand down your desk first and use a paint or stain that matches the rest of your room. Now comes the time when you finally set a computer on your desk itself.
