School Room Built-ins

3,065 Views | 21 Replies | Last: 11 hrs ago by txag2008
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Part 2 of an effort to increase our book storage and school space. Going to add some desks and shelving to our dining room stained and in the same style as the Library I built last year. My goal was to make this look like it could also be a built-in buffet/hutch. We've got a huge nook that we use for dining, but keeps options open if we ever sell our house.

Plywood was bought today, and I still have enough oak from the Library for all the face frames. All the planing & jointing was done, then, too.

Going to have to install the desks first, then have a granite installer place the desktops, then come back with the shelving above the desks.



Taped it up yesterday to give us a final look before cutting up plywood. My wife knows when the tape comes out that things are getting serious. It's the equivalent of the mating dance that the Bird of Paradise do.



Might be slow going, but I'll share progress as I can.
txag2008
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AG
Nice. Should supplement the cool stairs build you did.

I wouldn't pay the cost to have the granite installed. It's easy enough to place a 3x4' (or similar size) and level on you're own. You're no doubt handy enough to do it.
BenTheGoodAg
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Thanks!

Interesting. I'm sure it would be easy enough to install, but I've never thought about asking what kind of discount that would bring. Pretty small market here - there are only a handful of countertop places and they all give you a total cost/sq ft rate. But I'll look into it. Obviously they'd still cut it and probably deliver it. I would have expected the labor savings on these pieces would be pretty small since there are no sinks, no backsplash, etc. Each is 25"x43" - hoping to find a remnant big enough for both.

We've considered going for a full slab since we've got some other built-ins upstairs that are laminate. I bet the labor savings would be better if we went that route.

ETA - You're from this area if I remember right. You'd probably know as well as anyone.
StockHorseAg
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Is that a WTAMU degree I see?

There is a granite place in Canyon that looks like it always has some scraps out front that are pretty large. It's called The Ultimate Surface.
10andBOUNCE
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Kind of a similar concept to my office when we had our house built. Had the carpenter build shelving up the sides of our french doors to the ceiling and then across the top as well. I like the built in desk look.
SoulSlaveAG2005
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AG
My first thought, until I figured out the first image was a 3D print mock up..
Is that a book case for ants?
BenTheGoodAg
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Yup - my wife's. I'll check that place out
1988PA-Aggie
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As a cabinet guy, I have done small granite pieces/projects myself many many times. Usually templating it myself, delivering the template to the shop, then picking up the stone and installing it...would save around $300-400 I imagine? A shop is usually going to charge $150 or so for each trip; one to template, one to deliver, then any extra time needed on site. Depends on how much that money is worth to you?

Keep in mind those pieces will probably weigh around 125 pounds each.

I usually make the template as early in the process as possible and get it to the shop so that when I am ready to install the cabinets, the stone is ready and I am installing it all together.

Let me know if you need any tips on templating or other. Good luck.
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Thanks for the info!
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
A day in the shop beats any day in the office.



Not a lot of progress, but got the sides of the desk broken down. I bought a Makita track saw and started to use it for the first time on this project. I like it, but not sure if I've figured out how to fit it into my workflow very well yet.
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Got the desk carcasses glued up yesterday and pulled in for a test fit this morning.



All the edges that mate with the floor look really good. I'll stick a piece of baseboard on the back bottom. Need to cut out the outlet holes while I've got them here.



Next step will be to work on the face frames. We've debated whether to install pencil drawers (I'm not a fan), so I decided I'll make the face from for the drawers with pocket holes and attach after staining everything else. That way, they can be removed later, if needed. A single drawer will be about 32" wide. Thought about going with two drawers, but don't think I will.
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
I spent some time on & off over the last few days recreating a fluting jig that I used in the past. I can't believe how finicky it is to get fine tuned, but zero-ed it in tonight and got a test piece that I'm happy with for the desk faces. I write a lot of instructions on my jigs so I don't forget when I come back to them:



Just a test piece. The 4 actual pieces will take much less time than the jig took to set up:



This jig would be easier if I wasn't trying to detail the bottoms and top, but I think the detail is worth it.
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Did get the bottom trim done today. It's almost sad how many hours these 12 grooves have taken if you include the set-up time. I got them attached to the desks and went over them with a flush trim bit to match the boxes.



I also went and checked out that place in Canyon you mentioned, StockHorseAg, but nobody was there. They had a ton of remnants and some good options sitting out front. Sketchy as hell, though. I'll probably have to call the guy.
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Got some staining done tonight

BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Some updates:

- Finished polyurethane on the desk bodies
- Found a granite remnant that I think will work out really well
- Attached blocks to the floor to hold the outboard supports in place:


Attached the desk bodies:


Desks are super stout with the blocks in place. Next steps:
- Complete electrical
- Cut scribe rails, extra baseboards, bottom blocks, etc. Stain and install
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Got the granite installed today and I think it pairs really well with the wood finish.



I ended up using StockHorseAg's guy and just paying him to do it for $680 total. Lots of good recommendations from above posters about doing it myself, but I've been traveling a lot so it helped me out a lot. And I thought that was a good price, tbh. That also includes the backsplash pieces, which I didn't install, but bought 'just in case' my shelves don't really work being flush with the surface.

Now I get to start working on the tops.
BadMoonRisin
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AG
Looks real nice. Man I wish I had the shop (and the talent) you have.
TMoney2007
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AG
BenTheGoodAg said:

A day in the shop beats any day in the office.



Not a lot of progress, but got the sides of the desk broken down. I bought a Makita track saw and started to use it for the first time on this project. I like it, but not sure if I've figured out how to fit it into my workflow very well yet.
I see people getting a 1/2" sheet of pink insulation foam and using that as a spoil board for cutting stuff with the track saw. Seems like it would help so you don't have to worry about the offcut falling off or cutting into whatever you're using as a work table.
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Thanks man!
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
That's a good idea. I'm guessing it would add some tearout support as well. I've been using some bench cookies, which works pretty well for standoff, but that might be better, depending on the cut you're making.
BenTheGoodAg
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AG
Poll for the board on this one. For the crown molding, I've debated a wrap-around look vs a straight look with some kind of standoff.

Wrap-around:


Straight:


I actually prefer the wrap-around, but I've got to use the crown I pull off the ceiling, so the cuts have to be perfect. I'm sure I could find some existing crown that's the same species - the local pine won't do. I'm think it actually may be Fir. If I do go wrap, I need to find a back-up to have on hand before I start making cuts.

I don't think the straight looks bad, and if I picked either one, I'm sure nobody would ever notice the different. Any strong opinions out there? I'm sure nobody on the internet is willing to share their opinions
txag2008
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Looking great.

The wraparound version looks nice & fancier, but I'm not sure it's worth the PITA factor. And probably no one but yourself would notice it. I'd opt for straight.
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