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The inspiration for this desk project was from one photo that had the most interesting pattern to look at.
Step 1
- Draw out your pattern for the puzzle desk top.
- Be sure to number all of your puzzle pieces as you go, and write them on the back of each one.
- I ended up cutting out 24 pieces in total.
Step 2
- Cut the pole wrap puzzle pieces using the inspiration picture as guidance.
- Frog tape prevents the wood from splintering. Especially if you’re not an experienced cutter.
- Use a straight edge for improved accuracy.
Step 3
- Sand the edges of the pole wrap along the cut line to make it good.
Step 4
- Cut an 18mm thick hardwood board to size.
- Start assembling the puzzle pieces on top of the board.
- It’s important to align the pieces on a board before cutting the next puzzle piece.
Step 5
- Glue the puzzle pieces down using No More Nails.
Step 6
- Glue the edging in place.
- Secure with a nail gun.
- The edging needs to be strong as it will hold the resin in place.
Step 7 & 8
- Seal around the edge with waterproof sealant to ensure a good seal all the way around the edge. Otherwise, the resin will pour onto the floor.
- Fill in all the gaps in the puzzle with oak coloured sealant to make the surface good.
- The best colour match for the pole wrap was the No Nonsense oak floor sealant.
Step 9
- Mix up the resin and paint on a thin sealing coat.
- This will take 24 hours to fully cure.
Step 10
- Sand the table with 120-grit sandpaper and give it a clean before applying the final pour.
- The GlassCast resin is self-levelling but just check your desk is level before you start to pour.
Step 11
- Add barrier tape around the edge as an extra precaution before pouring the resin.
Step 12
- Pour the resin and spread around with a notch spreader.
Note: Be sure to STIR THE MIXTURE PROPERLY. This is essential for success.
Step 13
While the resin is curing you can get to work on the cabinets, which will form the base for your desk:
- Cut off any bulky excess wood pieces for a more streamlined look.
- Sand.
- Prime.
- Paint the cabinets and additional pole wrap sheets to finish either end.
Step 16
- Drill a hole through the resin for the cable tidy.
Recommended but non-essential step
- Sand the resin through the grits starting at 120 up to 1200 grits.
- It is always best to wet sand resin, so mist with water first and use waterproof sandpaper.
- After you have sanded the resin, you must polish it to go from the matt sanded look to a glass-like finish.
Note: Always wear protective eyewear, a mask and gloves as the sanded resin particles are hazardous.
Before & After
Not My First Desk
I think it’s important to acknowledge that this is my 2nd desk project. If I hadn’t made desk one, I wouldn’t have improved with desk two.
I love the phrase, “the majesty of trial and the tortures of error”. Everything that I achieve in DIY is learnt through trial and error. I’m completely self-taught, so I’m going to make mistakes. And I’m comfortable with that.
Commonly Asked Questions
Funny you ask! Yes I have – but I much improved version two. Visit @SurreyHouseDIY
GlassCast have a calculator on their website, but it is 2kg per square metre of resin you will need. You can calculate this by weight at a ratio of 2 to 1 (resin to hardener).
Mix part A (the resin) with part B (the hardener) for 3 minutes. Pour the resin into a clean pot (IMPORTANT) and stir again for 3 minutes – this will ensure the resin is fully mixed.
Wood is a porous material, and if you go ahead without one you run the risk of air being drawn out of the wood, and into the resin forming air bubbles.
You will not be able to make an impression with your fingernail.
There is no easy answer here – it means that the sticky area was a patch of unmixed resin and there is no “hardener” mix in it and it will not cure. Dig out the soft resin and mix more.
Yes, wet sanding is best as dry sanded resin particles are hazardous. GlassCast have some great instructional videos on this on the website www.glasscastresin.com
GlassCast sell a polish called NW1 that is specifically designed for hard plastics like cured epoxy resin. For an optional extra step – add GlassCast’s Top Finish for a mirror like finish.
The NW1 is self-diminishing, so as you add more polishing compound it will start from its most course state. What does this mean in layman’s terms? Each time you apply the polish, make sure you are covering the whole area and work it down, so it disappears.
There is a story highlight named “DESK” on Instagram at @SurreyHouseDIY that documents the entire process – INCLUDING THE MISTAKES made on desk 1.
Materials used:
£37.00 – 18mm Hardboard (cut to size by B&Q) (used ½)
£159.80 – 4 x rolls of pole wrap (£39.95 each) – gifted
£11.94 – Square edge pine edging (£5.97 each)
£5.00 – No More Nails (280ml)
£5.09 – Wood Flooring Sealant Oak (No Nonsense 310ml)
£91.75 – GlassCast 3 epoxy coating resin (5kg pack) – gifted
£4.50 – Barrier tape (10m x 50mm) – gifted
£7.99 – Desk cable tidy grommet (60mm)
£10.95 – Frenchic Al Fresco paint – Blackjack (dinky tin)
£10.00 – Furniture wax
£25.20 – Ironmongery Experts 4 x gold handles (£6.30 each) (polished brass knurled t-bar, no longer available)
Total = £369.22
Tools Used:
Frog Tape
Pencil
Stanley Knife
Spirit Level
Rafter square / speed square OR ruler
Electric sander / sandpaper
Jig Saw
Mitre Saw
Notch spreader
Stirrer
