Build a quick laptop riser for desktop from scrap wood. This piece is super easy to build, and requires only 2 tools! And having a laptop stand riser complete with cellphone and keyboard storage is a bonus!

Like many of my projects, this laptop riser stand came as a need more than a want. As I type this today, we’re in the midst of the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. I’m officially working from home frantically converting all of my student’s work to be available online. Building this laptop stand not only solved my little work problem, but it also gave me an excuse to go into my garage and decompress. I was also motivated by one of my favorite woodworkers online Jen Woodhouse, who challenged us to #buildathome using only materials that we have available without going out to buy more.

As you can see, Duane and I share a home office. He works from home, and now he gets yours truly as his full-time office mate. We won’t ask him how he feels about that 🙂 I built two hairpin desks for us a few years ago and while I love them, the desk size doesn’t compare to what I have at the university, which left me craving a little extra space. I also use my laptop as a desktop (with a side monitor) and scrolling between screens was cumbersome because the screens weren’t parallel with each other. I needed my Macbook to sit higher. That’s when the idea of a mobile laptop stand came to mind.

In a hurry?

Check out the video tutorial at the bottom of this post.

Hands down my favorite part of this laptop desk riser is the cell phone/mouse cubby hole. When I’m finished for the day, my full-size keyboard can slide underneath it. And what’s also great is that my cellphone has a place to park (slightly out of the sight) while I work. This is a good thing because if you’re anything like me, I get distracted by my phone a LOT!

I chose to paint the laptop riser black to go with the rest of the room. I’ll give you a hint. When you paint it, if you want the hardware to -pop-, paint the wood before you put the hardware on, OR you can spray paint the hardware first in a metallic color before you use it to join the pieces. I actually thought about painting the hardware gold, which would’ve looked awesome in contrast with the black laptop riser, but I was a minute too late and opted to paint it all black.

Because I have a farmhouse style entryway (with a side of modern in the office) black kept it simple.

Are you ready to build this super simple computer stand for desks? Let’s do it!

DIY Laptop Riser: Materials Needed

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Step 1:

Cut 1 x 8 s to size according to the plans. You will have 5 pieces total.

Step 2:

Attach the 2 pieces that make up the cubby hole part of the monitor stand. You will do that using wood glue and attach the two corner braces with a drill. The cool part about these corner braces is that they come complete in a little package of 4, with 8 screws.

Step 3:

Separately, assemble the other two pieces that make the length of the laptop stand in the same way. Easy peasy.

Step 4:

Put both pieces together and ….bada-bing!…., your laptop riser is built and ready to paint.

Step 5:

Now, do you get what I mean about the hardware? If you want to showcase the corner braces, make sure you spray paint them beforehand. As for me, I finished up this piece by giving it a little sanding with my battery-operated sander. Because if I have to sand, I gosh darn well don’t wanna do it by hand. Then some black spray paint -and done and done.

Here are a few more pics of the finished piece. Make sure you pin it right now so you won’t forget it!

And if you want to build this in the future, make sure you download the plans now!

And hey, if you need this laptop stand like…. yesterday, and don’t care to build it, shop some of these awesome laptop risers for desktops.

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