DIY Lap Desk for Bed

This DIY lap desk is so easy to build and makes working from home so much more comfortable and convenient! Get all your work done without so much as having to leave the relaxing comfort of your bed! Build yourself a DIY lap desk for your bed and give one as a gift to a friend for so cheap!

After finishing my beautiful four-poster bed last week, and not wanting to leave my bed with all the rain we are having😅…I decided to whip up this super easy DIY lap desk for a bed that can be built out of scrap wood, and now I can be working while resting!! I love that I can now get work done in the time that I would normally just watch tv. I have to admit, I feel pretty cool using my lap desk too! 🤓 So, I’ll show you how to throw one together…I mean I don’t want to be the only cool one around here!😂😜

Isn’t it cute! It’s heavy-duty too! Lol! It literally only took me an hour and a half from start to finish! I LOVE projects like that, so quick and easy to build but yet, I have used this lap desk in bed EVERY DAY since I built it!

It has plenty of legroom too!

Do you want to build your own lap desk and work from bed, too? Let’s do it! The one drawback to this build right now is the cost of lumber! A 2x12x8 currently costs $30 here, but it was 40 bucks just last week, lumber is on its way down it seems!!

One board will make 2 laptop desks, so if you have someone you need a gift for, what a perfect opportunity to give yourself something great and someone else! But if you don’t have scrap wood to use up as I did, then if you just wait a month or so, they should be FAR cheaper again! Talk about happy dancing, I CAN NOT WAIT for lumber prices to fall!! Lol!

If you want to wait for lumber prices to fall, PIN IT to save for later!!😊

Like the nightstand beside the bed? I built that DIY nightstand and have free plans available! Also, I have tutorials on the DIY wall tapestry and the DIY tall blanket ladder if you are interested as well!

Gathering Supplies for the DIY Lap Desk

Materials for the DIY Lap Desk:

***Note: Amazon links below are affiliate links. Affiliate links pay me a small percentage if you make a purchase after clicking a link, at no extra cost to you! It helps me keep providing plans for you at no cost! That is a win-win if I have ever seen one! 😉

• 1 – 2×12 @ 40″
• 1 – scrap piece of 1×2 about 18″ long or two small pieces about 9″ long
• 1 1/2″ screws – these are my FAVORITE screws because they get started without any problems, every container comes with a bit, and I think they look good too! They are cheaper at Home Depot, I just shared the link so you can see which ones they are!
• miter saw or table saw that can bevel
• wood glue
• sander
• stain of your choice – I used Old Barn Living Stain in Weathered

Cut List for the DIY Lap Desk:

• 1 – 2×12 @ 22″
• 2 – 2×12 @ 8″ ends beveled at 10 degrees off square, ends parallel
• 2 – 1×2 @ 9″ ripped down the middle at 10 degrees off square (creating 2 1x1s beveled on one edge at 10 degrees off square)

Building the DIY Lap Desk

Get your pieces cut to size! If you look closely at the 1x2s you can see that I had already run them through the table saw to rip them down to a 1×1 beveled on one edge at 10 degrees off square.

I sanded everything before putting it together!

Each 1×2 will be kept as if it wasn’t ripped, then slid apart 1 1/2″ to hold the leg at the 10-degree angle and screwed into place. I set each one in an inch or so and centered on the board, put some glue on it, marked it to make sure it didn’t move, and screwed it into place!

I used the leg in between the two boards while I was screwing the mate in on the other side.

Here’s what it looks like once all the boards are in place!

Now you can keep the legs separate to where you slide them in and out and take them apart to store, but I screwed mine in and made it permanent!

I used glue on the top of the leg and screwed through the sides of the same 1×2 boards to keep it in place. Plus, as I said, I LOVE the look of the screws! They add the perfect little touch of character to it! (Especially when they are even!😂😂🙈)

It’s built and you are ready to work from BED!!! The best spot to get all the work done! I’ll never work anywhere else! Lol!

So easy to build this laptop desk, and will make such a great gift idea for yourself or anyone on your holiday list, mother’s day, father’s day, or when anyone’s birthday comes around! I know both of my kids have asked me to make them one! LOL!

Want to share this with someone who may love it as much as you?!

If you make one, I’d love to see it! Happy Building!

Wanna save this DIY lap desk for later?! PIN IT!