“Hundreds of people have downloaded my plans for the Hideaway Desk. As with any wood working project, the plans will need tweaking depending on what type of hardware you use. In an effort to simplify, I am displaying below the hardware that I used for this project.
I have designed this desk to last for 100 years so it is very over-engineered. Many of the brackets are not needed if you desire to build a 10-25 year piece. Likewise, the 316 stainless steel hardware can be substituted for other material that would cost half the price. Furthermore, the cherry stain and 2-3 coats of oil based spar varnish can be substituted for a single coat product that would save 2 weeks.
If you want to build this, you should build it your own way and that includes the hardware that you select. The section below just shows what I used so you can decide how closely you want to follow my design.”
Screws – 316 stainless steel philips flat sheet metal screws. I didn’t use wood screws because I wanted threading along the entire fastener shaft.
Cup Washers – I was only able to get 304 stainless steel so hopefully they won’t oxidize too much over the next few decades. None of the cup washers are in visible areas. I always tried to use cup washers with the screws to increase the fastening strength.
Lock – I used a 316 marine grade circular cabin lock. This holds the desktop down while in use.
Latches – These are Marine anti-vibration latches. I used two latches to secure the desk in the closed position.
Center Circular Hinges – These are decorative hinges that could be substituted for low profile butt hinges. I chose these hinges because I wanted the bright-work to kick you in the face.
Side Hinges – These are also decorative. I used four of these hinges. They are high profile so you will need to countersink them for the desk to close properly. I talk about this in the hinge guide pdf.
2″ Hinges – These butt hinges are used to support the brush and pencil holder as well as the corner desk top support. This design has three hinges in use.
1.5″ Hinge – The design calls for the desk top to be supported by two large hinges but the lumber that I used for my desk top had a problem with warping so I went with four of these hinges. This helped flatten the desk top surface.
Optional Items
L Brackets – This is not required, but I hope it will help this desk last a few decades longer than without it. I used 316 stainless steel, brushed finish (as my preferred mirror finish was not available).
Mending Brackets – I put two of these under the desk top to back up the tongue and groove joint in case the glue ever fails.
Hinge Guide – Here is a PDF with a guide to the hinges that I used in this desk.
