How to Build a Built-in Desk in a Kitchen

Place the measuring tape inside the space, where you plan to mount the built-in desk. Measure the total length of the space and the width from the wall to the front, so you know how long and wide the desk must be to fit the space. Write the figures down.

Lay the plywood sheet on the floor. Draw the outline of the desk surface using the length and width measurements from the previous step with the ruler and a pencil. Ensure the lines are straight and even on the wooden sheet.

Cut the rectangular desk surface using the circular saw. Sand the edges with sandpaper, so you don't get splinters when you mount the desk. Add a layer of stain or paint to the desk surface piece using a paintbrush, if you wish to change the color of the plywood sheet. Let the paint dry before hanging the desk in the built-in space.

Place the level on the side of the cabinets or walls to determine how high you want the desk to be. Mount it higher, if you want to use a bar stool with the kitchen desk. Mount it lower, if you have a standard office chair for the desk. Draw a straight pencil line horizontally across the wall or cabinet on both sides of the desk's ends to indicate where the desk mounts. Use the measuring tape to ensure the lines on both sides are the same height and use the level to ensure the line is straight.

Take one shelving bracket and place it up against the line drawn on one cabinet or wall. Connect the shelving bracket to the wall or cabinet using a screwdriver and 1/2-inch long screws. Repeat this step on the other side of the space, lining the shelving bracket up to the pencil line drawn in the previous step.

Lay the plywood desk on top of the shelving brackets, so it fits into the space between the cabinets or walls. Attach the desk to the shelving brackets by inserting 1/2-inch long screws through the shelving brackets from the bottom upwards, so they reach into the 1-inch thick plywood sheet.