How to Convert a Closet Into an Office

In smaller homes or apartments, having a room that can perform multiple tasks provides added functionality and is a real bonus. One way to make a guest or spare bedroom perform extra duty is to turn a closet in the extra room into an office or workspace. While finding a closet that isn't already full can be a challenge--once you've got your closet picked out--it's relatively easy to turn it into an office. Here's how.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Wrecking bar or crow bar
• Sander
• 100-grit sandpaper
• Spackle
• Putty knife
• Drop cloths
• Latex paint (in a light color)
• Paint roller
• Power saw
• Tape measure
• Bevel gauge
• Stud finder
• Level
• Sheet of plywood
• (3) 1-by-2 inch cleats
• Quarter round

How to Prepare the Closet to be an Office

1. Clear out your closet. Start with the doors and remove them along with the hinges or tracks and any hanging bars or shelving that's built in. You can use your screwdriver to remove screws, but you may need to use a wrecking bar or crowbar to get shelves out.

2. Once you've totally cleared out the closet, use your putty knife and spackle to fill in and repair the holes left behind, then wait for it to dry.

3. Smooth the newly repaired wall of the closet using your sander and 100-grit sandpaper, then vacuum or clean up the sanding dust.

4. Protect the area around your new office with drop cloths and apply a coat of your chosen paint color to the walls in the office. This is also a good time to apply a coat of paint to the sheet of plywood, the quarter round and the cleats, so you won't need to paint them once they're in place.

How to Transform a Closet Into an Office

1. Once the paint has dried, use your tape measure and measure the depth of your closet on both sides, as well as the width across the back. It's unlikely your closet will be square at the back corners, so use a bevel gauge to get the proper angles for the back corners.

2. Layout the measurements for your desktop on the sheet of plywood and cut it out. (If you want to have a hole in the back corner to accommodate power cords and cables, now is the time to drill a hole for them using your power drill and spade bit.)

3. Measure up 29 to 30 inches from the floor on all three walls and mark the height. Now use your stud finder to find studs in the wall and mark their locations. Use your level to ensure the lines are even and make any minor adjustments required.

4. Install your 1-by-2 inch cleats, 5/8 inches below where you want your desktop to sit, using screws to fasten them into the studs.

5. Lay your cut-to-fit desktop on top of the cleats and fasten it in place with screws down into the cleats.

6. Finish off your desktop by installing the quarter-round trim around the edges of the desktop using brads or small nails, then fill in the holes with spackle to cover up any gaps and give your new office desk a nice finished appearance.

Tips & Warnings

• Converting a closet into an office doesn't require advanced carpentry skills, but you do need patience. Take your time to measure accurately and wait for paint and spackle to dry before moving on. The project can easily take a weekend or more.

• A home store may be able to cut your desktop to size if you don't have the tools.

• Rounding off the back corners of the desktop with sandpaper may help you slide it into place.

• If you can't find studs in your walls, you could use Molly bolts or toggle bolts to hold your cleats in place.

• Always wear appropriate eye and hand protection when working with tools.