How to Make a Gaming Desk

Do you like aiming your sniper rifle in Call of Duty? Or do you love winning the race in Need for Speed?

After sitting in front of the screen for hours, you probably end up with a bad back, tired legs, and strained eyes.

If you do not have a proper setup for your gaming hobby, it can take a toll on your overall health.

So, what's the solution? Build your own desk for gaming. 

In this article, you will discover how to make a gaming desk at home. 

We have also thrown some light on choosing between homemade gaming desks and store-bought desks.

How Do You Build a Gaming Desk?

A gaming desk is not very different from a regular desk. Where they differ is the height.

Gaming desks are higher than standard desks so that you maintain your eye level with the screen without bending or raising your neck.

There are not any fixed rules on building one, too, which means you can get creative and make the layout according to your needs.

More than anything, a large tabletop that can accommodate all your gaming gear is an important feature you shouldn't miss.

To build your own gaming desk, you would need to gather a few supplies and equipment first.

For this, you can look up online or hit a hardware store.

Afterward, you can always accessorize it and put some lights to make the ultimate gaming setup at home.

What Do I Need For My Gaming Desk?

It depends on how you want your homemade gaming desk to look. 

You can go simple with a bare wooden tabletop and table legs.

Or, you can add shelves, wire trays, and drawers to the desk and paint it with a color that goes with your room’s interior.

The Materials:

It is better to choose wood for the tabletop because it is easier to work with.

For the table legs, you can choose either steel or wood, as both are durable materials. 

You will need:

• Two wooden workbench tops, both measuring 48 inches long and 30 inches deep (101.6 x 76.2 cm).
• Four steel table legs with screws for attaching
• Three drawer units (two similar units and one with a larger storage area)
• 12 pieces of desk risers

You can get these materials from any furniture shop, but buying them online is a better option.

The Equipment:

• Drill machine
• Power jigsaw
• Paintbrushes and paint roller
• Finishing wax
• Wax brushes
• A few pieces of lint-free cloth
• Latex paint
• 180/200 grit sandpaper
• Measuring tape 

How to Make a Gaming Desk

Here is a step-by-step DIY computer gaming desk guide to making an L-shaped layout.

You can follow the instructions precisely and fetch the materials as mentioned because we have made a desk that would easily fit anywhere.

Alternatively, you can change the size of the materials according to your requirements.

Step 1: Choose and Set the Location

First off, you need to decide where you want to make your gaming setup.

Although it's a personal preference, bedrooms are where you probably like it. You could also place it in the basement or your living room.

Since this is an L-shaped gaming desk, it would be best if you set it up in a corner. 

Prepare the location first by removing all the furniture and wall hangings from that area. 

If you want to create the perfect gaming zone environment, paint your walls the same color you want your desk to be, preferably black or gray.

These colors will help make the entire corner give off a professional gaming zone vibe.

Step 2: Assemble

When you have collected all the gaming desk materials, it's time to start the assembling process.

First off, you need to measure the depth of your drawer unit.

Here, we use a 58-centimeter-deep drawer unit, so we will be trimming some wood off the workbench (about 18.2 centimeters) to make their depths equal.

Use the measuring tape and mark the point across the workbench's depth at 58 centimeters with a pencil.

Next, use the power jigsaw to trim off the excess wood along the entire length. You can work by placing the hardwood on a stable surface for balance.

Once done, use the sandpaper to smooth the edges.

Arrange a layer of newspapers where you will do your painting to save your floor from paint drips.

Keep two stools of the same size on it several feet apart and balance the workbench over them. 

Now, paint the wood black. Start by sanding the workbench top with sandpaper. You don't need to go too hard; do enough sanding to smooth out the wooden surface.

Paint it with a brush for the sides and use the roller for the surface. Let it dry for about 20 minutes.

Then, wax the painted surface with a wax brush, covering a small area at a time and using light strokes.

Afterward, clean it with a lint-free cloth. This will push the wax into the wood grain.

Let the wood dry completely until you don't notice any sticky surface. Repeat the entire process for the second workbench top.

Drill the desk risers onto the corners of the drawer units, four on each. Make sure you don't drill too close to the edges.

Then, drill all table legs in a group of four, each about a foot apart. Adjust them to a height that matches the drawer units along with the risers.

Place this workbench top across the wall with the table leg’s end towards the corner side.

Slide the drawer unit with the larger compartment below the tabletop, on the opposite end, to make a desk.

Put the other two drawer units across the adjoining wall so that one lies where the edge of the first benchtop is. And the second unit, about 40 inches away.

Lay down the second workbench top on both the drawer units. This is your main desktop. 

One end of this tabletop should be touching the edge of the first one with no gaps in between. Your L-shaped gaming desk is ready.

Note:

We used drawers here to maximize storage space. With drawers, you can keep gaming gear and store snacks and drinks.

You can use the large lowest compartment in one of the drawer units for storing water bottles and beverages.

Step 3: Accessorize

Now that you have learned how to make a gaming desk, things will get even more interesting when you accessorize it.

This is the part where you can get creative and set up your gaming zone according to your taste.

Here are two ways how you can set up your gaming desk.

First Setup:

• Clamp-on the LCD monitor desk mount in the center of the main desktop.
• Stick on the LED light strips on the backside of the monitors across all four borders.
• Then, attach the two monitor screens on the desk mount.
• Place a mouse pad on the desk, in front of the screens.
• Arrange speakers beside the screens, one on each side.
• Put down the CPU, either in the corner of the desk or place it at the end of the desk, leaving plenty of space in the middle for you to move.
• Lastly, situate your gaming chair in front of the screens.

Second Setup:

• Clamp-on a desk mount for a single monitor on the main desk.
• Place the monitor screen on it and arrange the mouse pad and speakers similar to the first setup.
• Put a wall mount on the adjoining wall, about half a foot above the desk. 
• Place the second monitor on the wall mount and arrange the mouse pad and speakers like we did in the first setup.
• Keep the CPU below the desk anywhere you prefer in this setup.

Since you don't want a tangled mess of wires peeping from below the desk, you can use cord hiders to keep the cables well hidden away from view.

Is It Cheaper To Build or Buy a Desk?

You might be wondering, Is a Gaming Desk Worth It?

Although building your own DIY computer gaming desk is rewarding, and you get the chance to be innovative, buying a gaming desk from the store might be the better option.

Why? Because the tabletops alone are going to cost you around $470.

By adding the costs of legs, drawers, and risers, the number rises to about $870!

This total amount does not include the money you will be spending on getting the paint supplies and the machines if you don't have them at home already.

So, instead of breaking your bank trying to make it yourself, get a gaming desk from the store.

It is a lot cheaper and will only cost you around $159 to $199.

You can use the money you save on getting accessories for your gaming desk.

If you want to save even more cash, you can check out the best gaming desk for under $100.

Moreover, you will also be saving a lot more money for accessorizing your gaming zone with more expensive gear.

Conclusion

Your gaming desk can be an excellent socializing point, too.

If you add a couch and a coffee table near it for your friends to chill, you’ve got your very own spot where you can relax as you enjoy your hobby.

Add a couple of RGB lights in the corner, and you are ready to roll!