Upcycled offfice desk, part one

Last Sunday I found this office desk left out in the street.

I have been scouring the junk shops and markets for ages for something to replace my battered old Ikea table top and trestle legs and, although I wasn't looking for something that needed QUITE as much TLC, I've decided to give it a go.

The drawers are okay but the top of the desk was really badly damaged, and there was quite a sizeable chunk knocked out of one corner, so I decided to repair it and sand the desk down and paint it rather than keep the wood veneer finish and varnish it.

I've built up the damaged corner using two-part wood filler and my own patented "two plastic rulers and sticky tape" method.

Unfortunately, I've lent my sander to someone, and cannot remember who on earth it is, so I had to sand the whole thing down by hand – what a mucky chore that was.

Now it's primed and ready for its first gloss coat. After that I'm planning to replace the original blotter sheet (which has one corner mysteriously cut off) with a new piece of oilcloth.

I'm itching to get on with it but now – how irritating – I have to stop and get on with my work.