Cheap computer desks are easy to come by – you just have to be a little creative and willing to do some hunting. So, if you’re looking for an affordable workstation, keep reading for a few great hints and tips on where you can find innovative and creative desks on the cheap.

Hardware Tool Tables

Shop and tool tables make a fantastic computer desk substitute. They’re durable, inexpensive, ready to work and even have a unique, industrial design. To increase your makeshift desk’s longevity, throw on a few coats of protective varnish to prevent rings or spills from staining the wood surface.

Build on your workshop style and put up a workman’s peg board over your desk. You can then use it to hang your whiteboard or work and computer supplies like network drives, hubs, and other computer peripherals and accessories.

The Build it Yourself Desk

You will be able to make your own desk easily and simply. Using a basic pattern for a table or a specific desk plan, you can construct your DIY computer desks with a single sheet of plywood and for well under $50.

Try the website Free Woodworking Plans (freeww.com) for links to a number of free carpentry and woodworking plans that you can use.

If you don’t own a power saw or are uncomfortable doing your own cutting, you can often have your wood cut for you free of charge at your local hardware store. That means you’ll only be dealing with the final construction and finishing of the desk. Keep in mind though that most hardware stores, to ensure employee safety, limit their cuts to pieces that are at least 12 inches long.

The Recycled Desk

Who says a desk has to be a desk and a table has to be a table? Get creative with your work surfaces and transform a vintage 1950s table into a cool desk or a classic antique flea market find into a traditional office work surface. And yes, you can even buy a used desk and benefit from it too.

To score some great finds of old desks or tables, keep your eye on local garage sales. While consignment stores, charity shops, and flea markets may have good finds, they often don’t have the great deals you can pick up at garage sales.

Options at Ikea So, it may not be as fun as building your own desk or digging through garbage for a gem, but Ikea offers a huge selection of cheap computer desks. While their desks aren’t made from the finest materials or to the highest standards, they are affordable and capable of filling a short term need.