Floating desk install

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33coupe

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#324894 9-Jun-2026 10:13

I've just received a quote of nearly $2k from builder/joinery company to install a desk in a small office. I'm sure this is something I can do, but just need a bit of advice on the technical side.

The room is 2.8m wide and wanting desk entire width for two persons. 800mm deep desk. There are 3 walls so I can install batons around there, but need something to support the middle (not a leg though).

I was originally thinking a big (or multiple) L brackets in the studs (behind gib) into desk.

Chatgpt suggests a horizontal support closer to edge of desk (with bracing like a deck), I'm not 100 sure how to execute this though.

Anyone have easy solutions to this please?

Thanks in advance

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#3501498 9-Jun-2026 10:59

Is it for aesthetics that you want it to be floating and without a leg?

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Stu1

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#3501501 9-Jun-2026 11:09

I did something similar, I brought an old table from a charity shop cut it down to size. You can buy tops from Bunnings as well. We put support brackets around all three walls . We then attached a steel bar to the front of the desk for support . It’s been fantastic

eracode

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#3501513 9-Jun-2026 12:30

@Stu1 's approach looks good. However 2.8m is a very long span - much longer than his. Would require a reasonably strong steel bar even though not a lot of weight is likely to be put on it. Bunnings sell steel angle - say 50x50mm - but not in lengths longer than 2m and it would probably need to be one piece for the full length.

I think your overall approach with the large L-brackets you mentioned would be fine.

Brackets something like this?

I know you don't want a leg but, sorry to second-guess, how about something like this set as far back towards the wall as possible, to reduce the optics of the leg? Or this smaller one?

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Stu1

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#3501516 9-Jun-2026 13:08

eracode:

@Stu1 's approach looks good. However 2.8m is a very long span - much longer than his. Would require a reasonably strong steel bar even though not a lot of weight is likely to be put on it. Bunnings sell steel angle - say 50x50mm - but not in lengths longer than 2m.

I think your overall approach with the large L-brackets you mentioned would be fine too.

Brackets something like this?

I know you don't want a leg but, sorry to second-guess, how about something like this set as far back towards the wall as possible? Or this smaller one?

prob do need a leg at the back for that length I’m lucky mine is for only me :)

eracode

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#3501518 9-Jun-2026 13:11

Stu1:

eracode:

@Stu1 's approach looks good. However 2.8m is a very long span - much longer than his. Would require a reasonably strong steel bar even though not a lot of weight is likely to be put on it. Bunnings sell steel angle - say 50x50mm - but not in lengths longer than 2m.

I think your overall approach with the large L-brackets you mentioned would be fine too.

Brackets something like this?

I know you don't want a leg but, sorry to second-guess, how about something like this set as far back towards the wall as possible? Or this smaller one?

prob do need a leg at the back for that length I’m lucky mine is for only me :)

I was thinking more to support the front. He can put a horizontal support along the wall, screwed into studs, to support the rear edge.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

mdf

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#3501520 9-Jun-2026 13:38

2.8 m is a very wide span. Most off the shelf sheet goods will be smaller than that. So you have two potential issues:

You may need fixings to join board(s)
You need something to stop flexing/sagging in the middle of the span

As others have said, the easy answer is a leg(s) in the middle.

Failing that, you will need probably some kind of beam. You might be able to get away with a single bigger beam across the middle but I would probably aim for something front and back.

Brackets along the back wall might help with the sagging, but not joining boards. Addionally you potentially have some torque pushing down against the bracket (though that will be offset by the side mounting). Gib is relatively soft so your desk pushing down will end up compacting the gib, which may lead to wobble (and gib dents). Even then, you're going to need a pretty big bracket and most will probably have some kind of gusset (a diagonal support). And probably look quite industrial.

Given all that, personally I'd be inclined to just go with the easy answer and put a discrete leg or dividing board in. Or drawers in the middle that take the weight?

Or lean into it and make it a feature: have two sit stand desks next to each other? I love my sit stand and would never go back.

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wellygary

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#3501524 9-Jun-2026 14:17

eracode:

@Stu1 's approach looks good. However 2.8m is a very long span - much longer than his. Would require a reasonably strong steel bar even though not a lot of weight is likely to be put on it. Bunnings sell steel angle - say 50x50mm - but not in lengths longer than 2m and it would probably need to be one piece for the full length.

Mitre 10 do "metal mate" tubes @2.4m.. so its getting closer,

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/metal-mate-galvanised-steel-square-tube-25-4x25-4x1-6mm-x-2-4m-silver/p/372592

If you ran two wooden beams across the diagonal from the front corners towards the back wall you could then mount the steel beam between them .. It would be 200mm from the front of the desk, which is probably fine unless you are dancing on the front edge of it...

mdooher

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#3501574 9-Jun-2026 14:39

this is 65x35 heavy wall steel. Note there are welded brackets bolted into the wall hidden behind the wooden cleat. This is only 2m across and holds my wife's sewing machine and overlocker. it works well.

I would think at 2.8m you would need to put the steel the other way up (watch your knees) unless you use nonflexible glue on top of the beam. This will put the wooden top in compression when weight is applied preventing it from bending.

i.e. use physics not brute force to hold it up.

Matthew

Stu1

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#3501587 9-Jun-2026 16:35

mdooher:

this is 65x35 heavy wall steel. Note there are welded brackets bolted into the wall hidden behind the wooden cleat. This is only 2m across and holds my wife's sewing machine and overlocker. it works well.

I would think at 2.8m you would need to put the steel the other way up (watch your knees) unless you use nonflexible glue on top of the beam. This will put the wooden top in compression when weight is applied preventing it from bending.

i.e. use physics not brute force to hold it up.

That looks really good , nice job 👍

33coupe

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#3501588 9-Jun-2026 16:41

Thanks for the replies, some great knowledge and ideas / examples given. I was hoping to get away with just l shaped brackets & batons, but a support beam across the front middle would provide good support/ reassurance.

I did find some heavy duty brackets 600mm long which look pretty robust (not cheap though) https://www.visualhardware.co.nz/shop/product/724384/utilitarian-heavy-duty-stayed-bracket-3-sizes/?variantId=3943807

Stu1

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#3501728 10-Jun-2026 08:39

33coupe:

Thanks for the replies, some great knowledge and ideas / examples given. I was hoping to get away with just l shaped brackets & batons, but a support beam across the front middle would provide good support/ reassurance.

I did find some heavy duty brackets 600mm long which look pretty robust (not cheap though) https://www.visualhardware.co.nz/shop/product/724384/utilitarian-heavy-duty-stayed-bracket-3-sizes/?variantId=3943807

Be great to see the end results , it’s a fun project

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pdh

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#3501753 10-Jun-2026 11:33

This sort of deflection problem is pretty straightforward - but you do have to specify the load you want to support !

Assuming you will need to have less than 100 kg on it (worst case of you standing in the middle) - then if you support it on each side & the back - 2800 isn't a huge challenge.

If you used a glued-up panel of hardwood or bamboo - 40mm (or better 60 mm) thick, you would be fine. 28mm would not be.

Options depend on where you are in NZ, most kitchen counter-top guys could do something for you.
Cypress Sawmills (Dairy Flat, north of Auckland) would do you a custom 'clear' Seligna glue-up (40 mm) or Ash or Macrocarpa (40 or 60 mm) for 1300 to 2000 $. Depends on choice of wood & thickness. Go and have a look at their stuff (if you are near enough).

You could do it for a good deal less money - using three sheets of 3m x 12mm plywood (150 $ each from PlyMan) and a big bottle of glue.
Rip the three sheets down from 1200 to 800 wide (leaving offcuts of 400).
Then glue them up as a 4-layer (48mm thick) sandwich, using two of those offcuts as the 3rd layer.
Sand the edges and bobs your uncle...
Bit ugly and a bit of work - but you could stain it (and never worry about the odd scratch).

It may be more of a problem to get that big of a panel into your room.
Even in a 2.7 stud house, it'll be tight carrying it (almost) vertically - so is your pathway from driveway to final position going to allow an (un-bendable) object of that length to manoeuvre into position ? If it's marginal - go and buy a bit of cheap 50x100 and try it. For a really accurate simulation, tape some cardboard to the 100x50 to simulate the panel width.

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#3501821 10-Jun-2026 16:22

pdh:

You could do it for a good deal less money - using three sheets of 3m x 12mm plywood (150 $ each from PlyMan) and a big bottle of glue.
Rip the three sheets down from 1200 to 800 wide (leaving offcuts of 400).

I long time ago I got some plywood from Plyman and they had a CNC machine (or equiv) and ripped it down into my desired shapes for not very much more money at all. And did a far better job than I would ever have been able to

33coupe

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#3501842 10-Jun-2026 19:52

Thanks all, great info.

The plan is to wall mount the monitors, so only a laptop, keyboard and mouse will be there along with my skinny arms and not so skinny gut 😄).

I'm based in Christchurch. 1 piece solid wood prices seem out of budget so I'll be looking at either laminate benchtop (cabjacks), timber panels from Bunnings, or plywood. The latter two needing some DIY

Looking at the house plan (new house build) I should be able to get it in ok

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#3501971 11-Jun-2026 08:53

Scott Brown (kiwi carpenter) has a YT video in which he installed a floating vanity. Different application, but some similarities to what you're proposing (concealed brackets etc) and worth a look. The cost of his brackets (316 s/s) may horrify you, though.

Have a look at c-strut/uni-strut for concealed longitudinal stiffening. You can recess it into the underside of your desk (router, drill and threaded inserts required) assuming it's thick enough. People use it for keeping solid timber slabs square. Depends how much woodworking you're up for.

As others have suggested, a support beam across the front is a great idea.

2.8m is some distance and you could consider making your desk as a torsion box - internal grid framing with thinnish sheet (ply) top and bottom (precludes using uni-strut). An aircraft wing is an example of torsion boz. Torsion boxes are quite stiff because the skins act in opposition to each other.

For it to sag, the top skin has to be stretched while the bottom skin is compressed. You would align your brackets with internal framing. You'd join your ply along a cross-frame, but have the top and bottom joins in the ply off set from each other. This option also depends how much woodwork you're up for. It would be reasonable amount of work, but there is nothing complicated. You'd do this with basic tools - circ/table/panel saw, drill, driver, screws and glue. Probably take about 12 hours to build the desktop. You'd also have the option to apply a laminate if you wanted to.. You might even be able to get rolls long enough to cover the whole 2.8m.

Making it out of timber boards is an option. This is a much-woodworking option and I assume beyond scope. If you're interested, I could provide some detail.

Mike

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