The Easy TikTok Desk You Can DIY With A Couple Of Old Cinder Blocks And Paint

Lots of people are working from home these days. If you find yourself in that lucky boat, your bedroom office space or dedicated home workspace should be as comfortable as possible. Finding the right desk is as important as your back and posture. The last thing you want is a severe back ache from being hunched over for hours working on your bed. Buying a new desk, especially an ergonomic one that's specially-designed for comfort and stability, can cost well over hundreds of dollars, but you don't need to spend all that money. Per a TikTok video by @shecreates.co_, you can craft your own ideal desk and make it just as stylish as any other using a few painted cinder blocks to hold up a long board of wood.

Choosing the right type of cinder block is important because you don't want to accidentally bring home one with uneven notches on it like a jamb block. The cinder block used in this hack is hollow or cored, but you can use a solid block instead, if desired — just don't expect it to have the same look and flair as the hollow one. One Besser block costs about $3 at Lowe's, and you'll need at least four for this hack (you may need more, depending on how you create the desk). For the tabletop, you can get a suitable board from American Wood Moldings for less than $2 per foot, which you can cover with paint or leave as-is.

The first step to creating your affordable new desk is to prep your cinder blocks for paint. If they're old, remove any dust, cobwebs, and debris. Then, prime the blocks with KILZ 2 All-Purpose Latex Primer from Walmart that costs $13 to seal all the porous gaps in them. Concrete expands and contracts with the heat and cold which would cause the paint to crack, so you have to make sure they're properly primed. Then, you can cover them with Seal-Krete's $36 Concrete & Wood Satin Paint, also at Walmart.

Once all your blocks are painted and have dried, you can go ahead and stack them up vertically, two on each side. You could stack them horizontally instead, but that means you'll need more cinder blocks to achieve a suitable height. You could also attach the cinder blocks together with mortar before painting for an extra-sturdy design, but this isn't necessary. Place the board across the two stacks to create your very own home office setup for a fraction of the price of a brand-new desk. You can leave the board as it comes for a contemporary rustic look, but if you want to zhuzh it up even more, smooth out the edges and paint it. Further, while the hollow crevices in the cinder blocks will make your desk stand out, they're also useful as storage spaces for printing paper, supplies, or even small decorative succulents.