Hi all :)

Apologies, I know this isn’t a woodworking question, but I don’t know of a better place to ask about restoring a desk like this.

It’s an oak desk, but it looks like there used to be a felt inlay, or maybe vinyl. The top of the desk has an inlay of plywood, with a small raised edge to the oak, of maybe 2 - 3mm. Staining or varnishing doesn’t seem to be an option, as the style of the plywood doesn’t match the rest of the desk, so I’m looking for ideas for the top.

Felt or vinyl would be the obvious options, but I’m hoping to hear some other ideas. It’s going to be used as an office desk, with two computer monitors and a keyboard and mouse, but also for writing, mostly notes rather than anything serious.

The underside of the plywood has oak planks running from front to back, so there’s the option of removing the plywood and putting in another piece of wood, but I don’t want to spend too much if I can help it.

Does anyone have any suggestions or feedback please?

Thanks in advance :)

EDIT: Sorry if I’m a bit slow to reply tonight, I’m having a mad dash to tidy up and make room for the new desk. I’ve managed to plan everything backwards (again…)

Note for myself - the lip is 1mm and the plywood is 3mm, as best as I can tell without dismantling anything

    • TipponOP
      6•1 year ago

      Glass or metal would probably cost a bit more than I want to spend, considering I would have to get it cut to fit. It’s definitely an idea for the future though.

      I hadn’t thought of neoprene or leather, and it’s a great idea, thank you :)

      • AFK BRB Chocolate
        5•1 year ago

        My guess is that originally it would have been something that is good for under a piece of paper that you’re writing on. Felt would have been too soft, the pen would punch through the paper. Leather or vinyl, backed with wood, would be perfect for that.

        Neoprene wouldn’t be a good choice if you’re putting monitors on it - it compresses too much and the monitors would be unstable.

        I wonder if you could get a sheet of plexiglass the right thickness - either a dark opaque or paint something thin to put under it.

        • TipponOP
          3•1 year ago

          That’s a good point, thanks for mentioning it. The top is about 1mm thick, so it would be quite soft too.

          Everything I’ve looked at has either been prohibitively expensive, or won’t get delivered for at least a week, so for now I’ve painted the plywood in a blue that I think contrasts the wood, and will choose something permanent once my wife is back from her holiday. That gives her the chance to decide too, so when I inevitably make the wrong decision, she can’t blame me 😁

          • AFK BRB Chocolate
            2•1 year ago

            Stakeholder buy-in is important!

            If the blue looks good (and you’ve smoothed any edges that stick up) you could try just applying a thick varnish to it - that would probably be a pleasant working surface and should be durable.

            • TipponOP
              2•1 year ago

              That might be the plan, assuming that she likes the desk. I’ve got some yacht varnish here ready, but didn’t want to apply it in case I need to strip it back again :)

      • @[email protected]
        3•1 year ago

        The problem with neoprene is that it’ll absorb dust, skin cells etc and you’ll see a color change really fast. you want to wash a mouse pad every now and then and if its glued into your desk you wont be able to do that. Water will seep through into the wood below if you try and give it any kind of decent wash too.

        • TipponOP
          1•1 year ago

          That’s a great point, and one that I hadn’t thought about, thanks :)

  • @[email protected]
    9•1 year ago

    The cheaper option that would still look great would probably be to find a big sheet of oak veneer for the desk top. If it were me though, I’d probably try and remove the plywood and install some oak if you want it to match, or maybe a darker wood like walnut if you want a little contrast

    • TipponOP
      5•1 year ago

      I didn’t think of veneer, that’s a good idea, thanks :)

      I’ve just been looking at vinyl, but the shops here only seem to have the flooring patterns, so they’re not doing it for me. I love the idea of replacing the plywood, but I’m trying to talk myself out of it before I get it wrong :D

        • TipponOP
          4•1 year ago

          Oh, wow, that’s really helpful, thanks :)

          I’m in South Wales, so they deliver here, and the prices are much better than I was expecting. They can do next working day delivery too, which is fantastic.

          I’m having a tidying up session tonight to make room for the desk, but I’ll check the depth under the plywood tomorrow and see where to go.

          Thanks again :)

          • @[email protected]
            2•1 year ago

            If the recess isn’t exactly the depth of available plywood, unless you have a plunge router and are comfortable making a sled to route the recess slightly deeper, this might be a more difficult job than anticipated. Veneer would be more doable because they’re super thin

      • @eaterofclowns
        3•1 year ago

        So, not much of a woodworker myself but it looks like the top is in three panels? You could use that as an opportunity for contrast as mentioned above and make the whole project look like it has some design intentionality.

        Maybe a darker maple walnut veneer for that center panel as mentioned above and leather for the two smaller outer panels as mentioned elsewhere?

        • TipponOP
          2•1 year ago

          That’s a good idea, I’ll have a look at some different materials and colours, thanks :)

  • @[email protected]
    6•1 year ago

    As it is an old desk, the inlay was most likely linoleum, which is similar to the PVC mostly used nowerdays for floors, but, however, is made from eco-friendly material.

  • @Surp
    5•1 year ago

    3 27" monitors at 144hz and a flight stick. Play some elite dangerous:)

    • TipponOP
      2•1 year ago

      If it was mine, I’d be with you, but it’s for my wife

    • TipponOP
      3•1 year ago

      Thanks, but epoxy is way outside my comfort zone for now. I have the kind of luck where I’d have a leak at one end, and bubbles everywhere >.<