How to DIY your Gaming Desk with the SmartDesk Kit Frame

We understand that building a DIY desk frame for gaming desk on your own could be a hard task but possible with the right guide. If you’re a pro-gamer, just any desk won’t do, not even a normal standing one. Therefore, you need a dedicated gaming desk that would improve your gaming experience and at the same time accommodate all your PC accessories.

As such, your desk should be designed to accommodate a substantial amount of weight and provide enough space for multi-player mode. Most gaming desks are built to accommodate up to 2 dual monitors as well as gaming desk setup gadgets such as speaker, keyboard and mouse at the same time.

Getting a gaming desk is as easy as walking to the furniture store next door, however, a complete gaming desk costs more than other desks. For this reason, most gamers prefer a DIY standing desk

The majority of smart standing desk comes with a base that's either made from metal or steel pipes and attached with clamps to improve height adjustment. For a gaming desk, just any base won’t do.

Attaching your desktop to an electric base gives more sturdiness and personalization. However, some smartdesk DIY kits may not be what you want, instead why not pocket that extra cash and set to work by building one on your own.

For the record, an average smart desk such as the Autonomous SmartDesk Core (Home Office) cost as much as $499 which is quite a lot to afford for average gamers.

However, if you still want a gaming desk that provides the same experience as professional ones, there’s a way to go about it.

DIY Gaming Desk with SmartDesk DIY Kit Frame

We've experimented a bit in our workspace and have been able to come up with table designs that provide the same reliability as commercial ones. Building on your own gaming desk reduce expenses, it will cost you no more than $500 dollar. However, you will have to get the SmartDesk frame kit.

In total, you won’t be spending more than $319 because you can get a SmartDesk base such as the Autonomous SmartDesk DIY kit for as low as $399. After building your desktop, all you have to do is pair the desk to the Autonomous SmartDesk kit base and you have a complete DIY gaming computer desk already.

Before even proceeding further, it’s important to understand that not all gaming desks are designed to fit into the Autonomous SmartDesk kit base. Since you will be pairing your standing gaming desk with an Autonomous SmartDesk frame, there are things to consider before setting out to work.

1. Surface material type

One of the first things to consider when using a DIY gaming desk surface is the nature of the material. When it comes to choosing the right material to build your own gaming desk, the options are really endless but it all depends on your needs. Plastic and wood are the most common build materials and also the cheapest. Laminated woods can accommodate and support significant among of weight but the same can’t be said of plastic.

Plastic isn't suitable to pair with a SmartDesk frame. Ultimately ruling them out for this tutorial. If you don’t plan on using a mouse pad, plastic desks may not be an ideal surface for you. It isn't smooth and may reduce mouse movement.

2. Hardware for surface attachment

If you go for the frame-only option, most brands are likely to include hardware for mounting your desk surface. However, this hardware was designed for the specific brand, so you need to determine the length of the hardware and the thickness of your surface if you want the desk to come out well.

Most times, gamers make the mistake of going for hardware that isn’t compatible with their surface but once a hole is drilled on the surface, it won’t be the same again. Too many holes certainly won’t affect the thickness of your desk but creates an opportunity for further damages through water issues or peeling off.

The recommended thickness for most desk surfaces is 3/4", most length of screws will work for this surface without creating unnecessary damage.

3. Select Surface that Suit Frame Size

Pairing a frame with the surface is necessary to select the correct size for your frame as well as the surface. However, it comes down to your preference. Basically, you need to make sure the frame size is as wide and deep as the dimension of your surface but to avoid errors, we recommend overhanging 5” on each side of either the frame or surface.

When pairing a frame that’s wider than your table surface, there are other things to consider.

The First is the strength of your tabletop and the second is the rigidity of your base.

Between the legs of your Autonomous frame, there are bars added to reduce bowing of a desk surface as it spans towards the legs. Therefore, when a surface overhang from the frame, it can be assumed that the frame extends past the leg.

We wouldn’t want you making the same mistake that will see your surface bend. That's why we've made this tutorial.

In this Article, we will be dishing out a detailed guide on how to construct a DIY gaming Desk and pairing with a SmartDesk frame kit in a short period of an hour even if this is your first time.

How to DIY Gaming Desk using this DIY SmartDesk Kit

1. Gather your materials and tools

Building a gaming desk with a plan isn’t hard as long as the necessary materials are available. Key materials such as the desktop surface are easily available. For the base, we will be making use of the Autonomous SmartDesk frame kit.

While we will be making use of wood for our desk surface.

So let's get started...

2. Cut your top

For the top, we will be making use of plywood. This is because it is readily available in most furniture stores and less expensive.

For your table surface, you have to determine the width, depth, and thickness. Like we mentioned earlier, it's better to make your wood 3/4" thick for the frame bar to fit in. But the width and length depend on individual preference.

You can measure the size of your desk based on the numbers of gadgets that will be sitting in. If you tend to build a desk for gaming with a single monitor you can personalize your desk based on this but it is always better to add more space to accommodate other concerns.

Once your plywood is cut, trim the edges with sandpaper and ensure the desk surface is as smooth as possible. This is to ensure that your mouse doesn't get stuck during game action. Once you dust the wood particles off the surface, apply lacquer to finish it off.

Ensure you dry off with sandpaper after applying the first coat and allow to dry before applying lacquer for a second time.

Now you have your Gaming surface, the next step is to fit into your frame kit. At this point, we assume that you also have your frame ready as well.

3. Follow the steps listed below to do so

Once you have assembled the surface and frame, the next question is how to pair them together. Most users are worried about the absence of pre-drilled holes needed to align the frame and the desk surface together.

The most likely alternative is to drill holes with a drill bit but that isn't advisable because you may likely drill holes far into the surface which may create holes all through which may result in further damages.

Fortunately, all SmartDesk DIY kits come with self-tapping wood screws that easily pairs with a cordless drill when in use. Before attaching the surface to the frame, it's recommended to assemble the frames and build first.

This makes it easier to attach the surface to the frame by simply flipping the surface and frame upside down or with the help of a straight wall.

Ensure you center the frame in line with the width of the surface especially if you want to use the same surface measurement on both sides. This method allows the frame and surface to align together without the surface spanning down when the leg is bowed.

However, aligning the surface to the frame is a bit tricky but easier with the help of a wall. Instead of pinning to the ground, align by pushing the surface and frame up to the wall. Using a straight wall makes it easier to fix the frame to the back edge of the surface.

When you finish all the steps above, your DIY gamer desk is ready for you to setup and decor. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about building your own gaming desk. 

FAQs

Is a standing desk good for gaming?

Many physical issues such as back pain, neck pain, poor posture are decreased by standing. Standing desk also offers gamers with these benefits like support to enhance focus and engagement in the game, naturally limit the playing time and customize gaming setup, driving to healthier and happier gamers.

Is it cheaper to build my own gaming desk?

Getting a gaming desk is very easy as you just need to walk to the furniture store and take it, however, a complete gaming desk costs more than other desks. For this reason, it is better and more affordable for most gamers to have a DIY standing desk.

Is it easy to build my own DIY gaming desk?

Actually, building a DIY desk frame for a gaming desk on your own could be a hard task. However, it would be possible if you do it with the right guide shown in our blog.

Bottom Line

If this looks like a whole lot of work, you can get a low-cost table from online stores but be sure you will be spending heavily when the shipping cost is added. The worse part is that you may end up with something out of your preference. For that reason, it's better to build one yourself even if it won't come out perfect.

Adding a SmartDesk Kit frame gives you personalization. The Autonomous SmartDesk DIY kit comes with adjustable features which allow alternating between sitting and standing in addition, you can adjust your desk height to four preset by simply pressing the button underneath and return to a neutral position afterward.

You can get the complete Autonomous SmartDesk for $429 but only the frame kit will surely cost less - just $319 and pairing with your own DIY desk frame is a big steal.