Make a Plank and Chain Desk

Supplies: 

Plank of wood 

Heavy chains 

Screws

What do you need? A desk for yourself? One for your child? Maybe you need a work area for you or your child. Possibly, all you want is a handy bench in an area where there's no room for chairs. Whatever your personal scenario, it's easy to build a work table, desk, or bench, by using just a couple of things. A plank and chain desk or work table is an easy build and won't cost a lot of money.

A smooth plank of wood works well as a desk, bench, or work table. The desk or table can be for school work, for a professional job, or just as a storage area for toys or other things. Take stock of the area where the plank desk will go and you can decide on the length that you want. The plank should be thick, and wide, but not necessarily really long. You can decide on the length after measuring the area where you want the desk or table to go.

Paint the plank of wood or leave it in an unfinished condition. If it isn't perfectly smooth on the top, sand it, and it'll be much more appropriate as a desk, table, or bench. When the plank is ready, decide where you want to hang it, and proceed.

Besides the plank of wood, you'll need a couple of pieces of chain, and some screws. The chain should be very strong. Buy the chain at a hardware or home improvement store and they'll cut it for you - usually, without charge.

You can quickly hang the desk by holding the plank up so that one long side touches the wall. Get someone to help hold it level or set the plank on a chair or other lift. At one end of the bench, put a screw into the first link of a chain, and screw it into end of the bench, near the front. Do the same to the opposite side.

Bring each chain piece up to the wall above the plank desk and secure it with a screw in the wall. Use a stud finder, initially, and mark the two areas where the chains will go. After screwing the chains into the wall, all that is left to do is to set your laptop, craft supplies, or other things on it. The plank can be a folding table in the laundry room, a vanity in a child's room, a work bench in the garage, or an unusual table in a very small home.