How to Make a Portable Desk

Lap desks keep your work supplies organized on the go.

Portable desks provide a stable, cool foundation for your laptop, a hard surface for drawing and writing and a small but organized place for kids to keep puzzles and coloring books during long car trips. Many office supply stores sell ergonomic lap desks with padding on the bottom, but they’re expensive and may not fit your needs. By making a desk at home, you save money and have total control over the shape and size of your desk.

Things You'll Need

• Precut wooden board
• Sandpaper
• Varnish
• Fabric
• Scissors
• White rice
• Staple gun
• Decorative edging
• Hot glue

Instructions

1. Lightly sand a wooden board precut to your desired size. Many hardware stores cut wood for you at no extra cost. For a portable desk, a board 1/2 inch thick and about 18 inches by 15 inches works well.

2. Varnish the entire board and let it dry for about two hours. Add a second coat of varnish and let it dry overnight. The varnish shows the wood grain and creates an easy-to-clean surface.

3. Cut a piece of fabric about 2 inches larger than the wooden board. Spread it out with the wrong side facing up.

4. Pour about 2 lbs. of white rice into the center of the fabric and gently pat it into a neat rectangle. The rice provides cushioning for your lap and molds to your legs to keep the desk in place.

5. Place the board on top of the rice. Fold over 1 inch of the raw fabric edges and bring them up to the edges of the wooden board. The fabric should be taut around the rice and the edges of the board. Adjust your fold if necessary.

6. Staple the fabric into place all around the edges of the board. Cover the staples with hot glue and the edging of your choice. Ribbon, cord and leather strips all work well.

References

• Simple Organic: DIY Kids’ Travel Lap Desk
• Making Friends: Travel Lap Desk with Wipe-Off Top