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>the desks were just planks of wood on cinderblocks from the hardware store While used as an example of bootstrapping, I have to say that one of my favorite de

>the desks were just planks of wood on cinderblocks from the hardware store While used as an example of bootstrapping, I have to say that one of my favorite desks ever was a solid-core door on cinderblocks. You can adjust the height to your specifications with bricks or wood shims; the cinderblocks can become cubbies for holding various bits and bobs; you can paint the door whatever color you want cheaply; it can take a huge load, as I had two giant 20" Radius monitors on it. I even experimented with giving the desk a slight upward angle with shims, which worked pretty well.

manwe150 5y ago
Solid-core doors (new) seem to be a bit north of $250 at the lower end: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Masonite-30-in-x-80-in-Roman-Smooth-2-Panel-Round-Top-Solid-Core-Primed-Composite-Interior-Door-Slab-24935/202769008 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Masonite-30-in-x-80-in-Roman-Smo... I think I have seen standing desks for not much more At least the cinder blocks don’t add much cost at $2 each retail
- askafriend 5y ago
  Seems cheaper and better to just pay $500 for this: https://www.fully.com/standing-desks/jarvis/jarvis-adjustable-height-desk-bamboo.html https://www.fully.com/standing-desks/jarvis/jarvis-adjustabl...
  - showerst 5y ago
    I have a desk that's a set of Jarvis legs with a $20 Ikea hollow core table top that I've had for about 7 years. It cost less than $250 (at the time) and it has held up really well.
- micromacrofoot 5y ago
  You can usually find them second-hand, though that might get harder as wood prices continue to skyrocket.
- brianwawok 5y ago
  You can get doors from a salvage store for a few 10s of dollars
- deltarholamda 5y ago
  This was something like 25 years ago, so the economics were different. Since you don't have to support giant CRT monitors anymore, unless you're one of those people, a hollow-core door does just as well now. Not that they're much cheaper. Nowadays, you have to haunt building demo sites and go dumpster-diving.
- jasonwatkinspdx 5y ago
  When a company I was a part of did the door desk thing, we got them from a place that trades in reclaimed building materials. I wouldn't be surprised if Derek went to the exact same place in Portland actually.
- exdsq 5y ago
  I don't understand these prices - 28x80 is more expensive than 30x80 but cheaper than 32x80
truted2 5y ago
You forgot to mention the door knob hole is perfect for cable management.
thoraway77f 5y ago
In 2011 I bought $300 in various lengths of 1/2” plumbing pipe, couplers, and flanges, and one sheet of smooth plywood. From it I made a standing desk, and a seated desk, both on four legs. In my current home the same desks are now supported by two legs in front, with the back edge screwed to 2x4 mounted on the wall. Moving again this year and will take the pipe but replace the plywood as it has a lot of screw holes, ugly holes for cables I made in a rush. Maybe, we’ll see. Seems like I’d have issues securing it since the holes are in just the right places already, but I might have a go in order to keep my desk budget at $300 in 2011 dollars. The pipe is so sturdy I expect to never need to replace one piece of that.
nkozyra 5y ago
I used the door + two filing cabinets system for years. I've since found the next best thing, which is the Malskytt solid birch table top on top of their $15 solid pine trestles. It's a visual upgrade. I have two, giving me ~ 9ft of solid wood workspace for ~ $200. I've also made my own custom desks but I got obsessive about them and built every feature known to man into them. The only thing I've done with these is drilled grommets for the cables. In reality all I need is a solid workspace that will last.
- munificent 5y ago
  I did a similar DIY solution: 1. Bought two long butcher block countertops from Home Depot. Stained and sealed them myself. 2. Bought some IKEA bookcases and desk legs. Finishing the wood was a lot of work. I ended up doing about six coats on each piece. But for a very good price, I know have an enormous 8'x8' L-shaped desk that looks gorgeous. I wish it was a little deeper since countertops aren't quite as deep as most desks (24" versus 30"), but it's mostly fine. Pic: https://imgur.com/FFBpMAc https://imgur.com/FFBpMAc

manwe150 5y ago

Solid-core doors (new) seem to be a bit north of $250 at the lower end: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Masonite-30-in-x-80-in-Roman-Smooth-2-Panel-Round-Top-Solid-Core-Primed-Composite-Interior-Door-Slab-24935/202769008 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Masonite-30-in-x-80-in-Roman-Smo... I think I have seen standing desks for not much more At least the cinder blocks don’t add much cost at $2 each retail

askafriend 5y ago
Seems cheaper and better to just pay $500 for this: https://www.fully.com/standing-desks/jarvis/jarvis-adjustable-height-desk-bamboo.html https://www.fully.com/standing-desks/jarvis/jarvis-adjustabl...
- showerst 5y ago
  I have a desk that's a set of Jarvis legs with a $20 Ikea hollow core table top that I've had for about 7 years. It cost less than $250 (at the time) and it has held up really well.
micromacrofoot 5y ago
You can usually find them second-hand, though that might get harder as wood prices continue to skyrocket.
brianwawok 5y ago
You can get doors from a salvage store for a few 10s of dollars
deltarholamda 5y ago
This was something like 25 years ago, so the economics were different. Since you don't have to support giant CRT monitors anymore, unless you're one of those people, a hollow-core door does just as well now. Not that they're much cheaper. Nowadays, you have to haunt building demo sites and go dumpster-diving.
jasonwatkinspdx 5y ago
When a company I was a part of did the door desk thing, we got them from a place that trades in reclaimed building materials. I wouldn't be surprised if Derek went to the exact same place in Portland actually.
exdsq 5y ago
I don't understand these prices - 28x80 is more expensive than 30x80 but cheaper than 32x80

truted2 5y ago

You forgot to mention the door knob hole is perfect for cable management.

thoraway77f 5y ago

In 2011 I bought $300 in various lengths of 1/2” plumbing pipe, couplers, and flanges, and one sheet of smooth plywood. From it I made a standing desk, and a seated desk, both on four legs. In my current home the same desks are now supported by two legs in front, with the back edge screwed to 2x4 mounted on the wall. Moving again this year and will take the pipe but replace the plywood as it has a lot of screw holes, ugly holes for cables I made in a rush. Maybe, we’ll see. Seems like I’d have issues securing it since the holes are in just the right places already, but I might have a go in order to keep my desk budget at $300 in 2011 dollars. The pipe is so sturdy I expect to never need to replace one piece of that.

nkozyra 5y ago

I used the door + two filing cabinets system for years. I've since found the next best thing, which is the Malskytt solid birch table top on top of their $15 solid pine trestles. It's a visual upgrade. I have two, giving me ~ 9ft of solid wood workspace for ~ $200. I've also made my own custom desks but I got obsessive about them and built every feature known to man into them. The only thing I've done with these is drilled grommets for the cables. In reality all I need is a solid workspace that will last.

munificent 5y ago
I did a similar DIY solution: 1. Bought two long butcher block countertops from Home Depot. Stained and sealed them myself. 2. Bought some IKEA bookcases and desk legs. Finishing the wood was a lot of work. I ended up doing about six coats on each piece. But for a very good price, I know have an enormous 8'x8' L-shaped desk that looks gorgeous. I wish it was a little deeper since countertops aren't quite as deep as most desks (24" versus 30"), but it's mostly fine. Pic: https://imgur.com/FFBpMAc https://imgur.com/FFBpMAc