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This question is much like: how to "float" a large desk (3000mm x 720mm x 40mm) between walls but somewhat different (mainly, significantly wider).

I want to build a desk that is 13ft wide, supported by cleats (lagged to wall studs) at the back edge and at the ends. I don't want to try to make the top stiff enough that NO support is needed along the front edge (the "torsion box" described in other questions). I simply want to reinforce the front edge with a piece of steel angle (already in hand), and perhaps some additional wood, and support that in the middle with a single strong leg (in order to have as much clearance as possible under the desk).

The top will be made from two pieces of 3/4" furniture-grade (hardwood) plywood. I'll cut some curves into the front edge, to make two somewhat separated work spaces. (Cutting those curves smoothly enough to allow applying edge-banding is probably beyond my skill level, but I have a carpenter friend who can easily do it in his workshop). It'll look something like this:

enter image description here

My question is about how to support the front edge. Is simply bolting my piece of steel angle (2 x 2 x 1/4" by 7ft long) to the underside of the top, near the front edge, and supporting the center of that angle with one leg, sufficient ? If I think of the two ends of the angle (from either side of the leg) as cantilevered beams of 42" length, a 100lb point load at the end gives about 1/4" maximum deflection; that's a bit more load that leaning hard on the edge of the desk with both elbows, and it doesn't include the rigidity of the plywood itself, so I think I can live with that. (I realize the entire 84" of steel can rotate slightly off the top of the leg, so modeling it as two separate 42" cantilevers isn't that accurate, but hopefully in the ballpark).

Then there's the deflection of the unsupported section of plywood between the end of the steel angle and the end wall, about 35". I'd like to compute the deflection of a point load (let's say 100lb again) at the center of that 35" span of plywood, but I'm not sure how to compute that (nor the shear on the plywood). So perhaps some extra wood support along the front edge would be in order. This shows a 2x8 board near the front edge. It would be laid flat (even a 2x4, in the normal joist configuration, would provide too much obstruction under the desktop).

enter image description here

With a 100lb load at the center of a 35" span of laid-flat 2x8, I compute a max deflection of about 0.04" (seems counterintuitively low, but it's what I get using the formula FL^3/48EI, with E = 1.15*10^6 lb/in^2 for #2 SPF lumber, and I = 2.04 in^4 for a flat 2x8).

Another idea was to make the desktop two layers thick, with the base layer made from 3 pieces ripped from a sheet of BC plywood. It has the added advantage of supporting the top layer between the back wall and the front edge, although I doubt that is needed. It would look something like this:

enter image description here

So, which of these three ideas for supporting the front edge of the desk is best ?

  1. The piece of steel angle alone ?
  2. The steel angle plus a laid-flat 2x8 ?
  3. The steel angle plus a base layer of 3 chunks of BC plywood ? (Each with a single leg in the center of the front edge).

Also, for appearance sake, the front (curved) edge of the furniture-grade top will hang off whatever support is underneath it (option 1, 2, or 3 above) perhaps 2" where the desktop is only 28" deep and 10" where it is 36" deep. I wonder if that it too much cantilever of the desktop ? Do I need to bring the support 28" out from the wall (won't look so good) and/or reduce the depth of the curvature of the front edge to 6" instead of 8" ?

RustyShackleford
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    Take a look at my answer to another desk question. https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/114905/what-is-the-ideal-method-of-supporting-a-27-deep-floating-desk-across-10-feet-o/114952#114952 The Brackets come in large sizes. 24” x 29” - https://businessfurnitureshop.com/workstation-brackets.html – Alaska Man Apr 02 '21 at 20:13
  • How thick is the "furniture grade plywood"? – Jasen Apr 02 '21 at 20:17
  • Is the desk supported at the back? – Jasen Apr 02 '21 at 20:18
  • 3/4" furniture-grade (or hardwood) plywood. Supported at back and ends with cleats lagged to wall joists. Will clarify OP. – RustyShackleford Apr 02 '21 at 20:19
  • @AlaskaMan That looks like a nice solution (though those brackets are pricey). How many would you think I need ? And what size (given the dimensions I want) ? Can typical wall studs handle the kind of torque the cantilevered top is going to put on them via the brackets ? I could minimize the number of brackets (they do present SOME obstruction) by just putting one at each end of my angle, but then those two have enormous torque on them. – RustyShackleford Apr 02 '21 at 20:27
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    @RustyShackleford - 24” x 29” My desk is on a knee wall and there has been no problems for 4 years, on a full wall it would be plenty strong. I would put one bracket at least ever 2nd stud, (32"), You may get away with 48". The bracket is thin so the "obstruction" is minimal and perpendicular to the front of the desk as opposed to the angle that is parallel. I used only the brackets, no angle. You can probably find a better deal on the brackets. I found some for $40.00 ea. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=work+station+support+brackets&t=ffsb&ia=web – Alaska Man Apr 02 '21 at 20:48
  • Ok. Still $200 or so just to avoid that one leg. Have to think on that. Thanks for the suggestion though. You recall where you got 'em for $40 ? – RustyShackleford Apr 02 '21 at 20:50
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    https://www.counterbalanceshop.com/counterbalancer-workstation-bracket.html of coarse there is shipping. I have a specialty hardware store in town that carries them, perhaps you may also. – Alaska Man Apr 02 '21 at 20:51
  • What about fabricating one's own brackets from wood (2x4) ? Shouldn't be too hard - three short pieces and a few screws, maybe a carriage bolt. Something like: https://www.instructables.com/Heavy-Duty-Shelf-Brackets/ – RustyShackleford Apr 03 '21 at 00:53
  • Thanks for all the useful ideas folks. I have come to the conclusion that I can ditch the steel angle and just use a laid-flat SYP 2x8. I'll use a little IKEA drawer unit for support in the middle. With a 67" span from each side of the drawer unit to the wall, and a 100lb distributed load, I compute a max deflection of a little over 1/8". The 100lb seems pretty conservative, for the main load along the front being something like leaning my 165lb body on both elbows. If I decide this isn't good enough, I can easily use a 2x10 instead, at no cost other than the $ cost of the board. – RustyShackleford Apr 04 '21 at 17:23

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Attach the angle to the plywood and put the 2x8 behind the angle where it doesn't use up any extra height. you can screw through the vertical part of the angle into the edge of the 2x8.

put extra plywood under the seam where there is not already angle or 2x8.

Jasen
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