reinforce a desk?

[Shibathedog]

I have a computer desk that is starting to bend in a little bit. So I'm looking to reinforce it for cheap until I can get a new sturdier tabletop/new desk altogether. What would be the proper way to do this? Here is a shitty paint drawing I made to illustrate what seems to me like the best idea. Really I have no idea what I'm doing though. The Red things are the legs, You are looking at the table upside down. I was thinking of doing a cross, but then it seems like I would have to either cut the boards making them not really reinforce anything, or put small blocks to fill gaps and find some REALLY fucking long screws. I guess I really wouldn't mind the desk being higher up though.

 

[emsley]

Your "play" may be coming from the the current screws after basic ware and tear.

You could try "plugs" undo the screw them plug em into the wood to fill the void where the play is coming from, but if you undo the current screw there is no garentee you will get them back in, or the head of the screw wont just rip and make it impossibile to get the fuckers out.

 

Im not entirely sure if you can plug wood and screws.

 

Your idea is to put 2 by 4 wood across the bottom of the legs?

It will most liekly add strain from screws fighting each other at each end of the table and make it worse...

 

i would try nipping the current screws up a bit tighter and see if that levels out the play. (dont go mental just nip them up a little) If not the threading where the screws is has "gone" and my lug idea probably wont work either.

[ken_cinder]

Flip the desk top upside down for the time being. May look funny if it's unfinished, but it will do the job until it straightens itself out again.

 

This depends on the way the legs mount of course, such as screwed right through. But if you can do it...it's the best solution.

 

he means the table top is warped downward, probably from the weight of a monitor on it. My last desk did this.

[emsley]

Ahh not much cure for a warped desk...

[veristic]

Where is it bending? just in the middle? I used to use a glass plate on top of my desk when i used to use my heavy crt monitor, took some of the load off.

[emsley]

I stil got an old CRT mines laced the the left though and not in the middle...

[Shibathedog]

hmm I dunno if I have a glass top that big. I can see what I can find. I'm not sure if I want to flip it because then there will be holes. I guess it doesn't matter if I eventually replace it though.

 

Basically the legs have 5 screws that go through them. I could either get 5 longer screws to go through the boards and the legs at once (seems ideal) or get 10 screws, 5 to screw the board to the top and 5 more to screw the leg into the board.

[Krosigrim]

So it has play, its malleable? I envision a desk and the center bends down from the weight of the monitor as Cinder suggests.

 

If so, Id not unscrew the legs, Id just make a brace that screws in. Looks like you were aiming to use the existing holes from the legs, youll need to work around that. You have the right idea with the braces, just bring them in or out a bit to miss the legs altogether. Or place them right between the legs. Removing them would just be a pain it the ass, along with the added height. You can either glue or nail/screw them in place. If you glue, youll need to place something heavy on it to secure it.

 

Edit: well thinking about it, if you were to lay the 2x4 sideways, and use longer screws... That would work I guess. Im not liking the added height, but thinking about that... it may be less of a hastle. As Emsley says though, this depends on the condition of the screw holes left in the legs. If they are shot, what I first said, if they are good, longer screws would be fine. And no, no 10 screws. Screwing through the boards will make less fail points. It will be sturdier.

[Shibathedog]

So just screw some boards in between the legs? That seems like it would work. I like the idea of screws better than glue. It seems like the boards could come off if it bent enough with glue.

 

It is bending in the middle. I tried to put my tower/monitor as close to the far edges as possible but it seems to not be helping much. I would just put my tower on the floor but it's probably not a good idea with a 3 year old running around. I keep imagining him pouring a cup of water into the top or something.

[ken_cinder]

You could always just go real ghetto and cut two 2x4's long enough to push the board up straight and just wedge them under in the middle, one at the back and one at the front. No scres, nails or glue required.

 

Problem solved!

 

If you want it really steady, connect the 2x4's together across the top and bottom with two more screwed together, like a square.

[solidius23]

1emu has become This Old House with Bob Villa lol