Studio Designs Wood Drawing/Drafting Table with Pencil Ledge - 42" W x 30" D - Whitewash - Tilting Top Adjustable Desk

I love this drafting table. Initially I was on the fence about this one versus a similar one from a different brand, because this one didn't have the adjustable leg height. But you really don't need that at all. I'm so glad I went with this one. I'm an artist and love all the room I have. I use masking tape to hold reference pictures and the piece I'm working on with no problems. I love the bottom pencil holder. Just the right size. This table is so beautiful and well made. My husband and I had it built in under 30 minutes. It is easy to move around. Super easy to change the angle by myself. Love that it can go 90 degrees for storage or room. I bought the matching stool which is very comfortable and well made. It is easy to adjust the height to this table and is seriously a must buy if you get this table. It was also easy to build. I will have this table for the rest of my life and it will make a great heirloom for my artist daughter some day. Best purchase I've made in a very long time! They shipped it with excellent protection. It arrived unscathed.

I purchased 42 inch wide version of this desk as it was one of the nicest looking in that size while also less expensive than others on Amazon. Assembly - Took me a little over an hour to complete, but was pretty simple from a series of 3 exploded view panels in the instructions. It seemed to me that so long as you use the right screws or dowels, which are pretty clearly labeled in separate bags and noted in the instructions, it would be hard to put this desk together incorrectly or in more than one way. The instructions say that the only additional tool you need is a Phillips head screwdriver as a small hex key/allen wrench is included in one of the parts bags. However, driving some of the screws into the base was made easier using our electric drill. You might also want to have a flathead screwdriver on hand for a certain step of the process, but I got by without one. Other reviewers mention that holes were missing, but I did not find any. Most of the major part attachments were done with bolts, not screws, and pilot holes were predrilled for the joins that required screws (because screws generally actually bite into wood, so if you drilled a full hole they'd have nothing to grip onto.) Usage - The desk is quite spacious (again, I am using the 42 inch version) and feels pretty solid considering that it is adjustable in angle and it has two legs, not four. I personally like that it is designed with two legs, as that means that if I need to I can tilt it to the about 90 degree mark and take up less space when not in use. In this "folded" position having two legs also means that the table is very easy to carry between rooms as you can carry it by the uppermost crossbar. I haven't weighed the desk, but it feels like it's around 30-35 pounds, perhaps a little more. If you plan on using the desk for technical drafting, there are no bumps or anything else that might interfere with the use of a T-square along the sides of the desk. I would advise against using the pencil bar at the front of the desk for aligning a sheet of paper horizontally with reliable accuracy, because the pencil bar does not sit at a perfect horizontal along its entire length when compared against my 42 inch T-square. Angle adjustment: The desk is, again, stable when the adjustment knobs are just slightly snug and the table adjusts in angle easily enough but with enough friction that it doesn't seem like it will swing free if you have a little bit of weight on it during the adjustment. Perhaps it might have been nice to have the pins that sprung into the holes along the metal wheels. As it is the only real way to tell if you're absolutely in one of the angle holes is if the knobs spin down all the way. If you can't tell by the picture, those holes are what determine what angles the desk can be adjusted to with the most stability. You could probably tighten down the knobs halfway between those holes, but you might damage or dent the metal at that point (I haven't tried, and the angles available seem fine.) Comment on height of the desk: I am 6 feet tall, and when the table angle is flat the desk is perhaps an inch or two below the height of my waistline. This means that for me it should be comfortable enough to use as a standing desk for the occasional project that requires that. The crossbars at the base of the desk serve as a sort of foot rest, which is nice. Build quality - The coloring of the wood stain seems even, though one or two corners look like they might have been made with darker wood or with a little extra stain (not very noticeable. All of the edges seem straight and well sanded. And, for the third time, the desk feels solid when I put some of my weight on it. Overall - I think I will very much enjoy using this desk for my Industrial Design projects as well as my personal projects. I have envied the desks on campus with their ample workspace, and now I have one of my own that looks very nice and didn't cost a fortune compared to the other options I've seen on Amazon and a nearby art store's website.

This desk is beautiful. I absolutely love it. I bought the 42" wide version and it is the perfect size. I was originally going to buy the 36" size, and I am glad I didn't, it would have been too small limiting the types and size of projects I could work on and not the size drafting table I am used to working on. If you have the space, go for the 42" size, those 6" make all the difference. Amazing quality for the price. I was eyeing a similiar one on RH and it was just too expensive. I hemmed and hawed over ordering this one because of the mixed reviews, but after reading about the excellent customer service the manufacturer gave anyone with problems, I ordered it. I am so glad I did. I should have ordered it years ago when I first saw it on Amazon.com. It was easy to put together, arrived in perfect confition and all parts were there, clearly labeled. For those who say in their reviews that the holes are not drilled all the way through, they are not supposed to be - the screws need some wood to grab onto when putting the desk together. Other people said it was too low to use when tilted all the way down - this is a drafting table, not an easel. If you need an easel to be able to work on a vertical surface, you have to buy an easel, which is a different animal all together. Makes me wonder if those people ever used, worked on or owned a drafting table before. All in all a great purchase. I am thrilled and the desk is beautiful, real wood, not veneer or plastic laminate like some reviews said. This desk will look great in any room in the house. I am planning on buying a side tray that attaches to the desk for my art supplies and a clamp on lamp. I highly recommend this drafting table- go ahead and buy it, you will be glad you did. Love, love, love.

Got the 42''W x 30''D Oak drafting table. For the money, nice art table. It is all wood, the facing parts finished. Looks very nice. I thought directions were fine--I'm an old chick but did it, no issues other than I may have placed the top/table incorrectly. The top will go down to about 90 degrees on one side, the other side, about 35 degrees. I can work with that no problem. I wanted a table where I could place the top down to 90 degrees to make room. I also wanted a table that was light, not heavy. Not relative to me, I'm really short but if you're tall you have no ability to raise the table. If you're sitting with an appropriate chair it should be fine I believe. If you're tall, it won't be a standing easel. Too low. HOWEVER, I'm looking at it right now I just assembled it and it looks inviting and I'm ready to use it. In terms of significant piece of furniture, it is not a collectable but is functional and actually will make you happy for buying it because that's the surface you need to make your work. If you need an art/drafting table for your work, this is it. Again it's low to the ground without the ability to raise it. It looks nice. Check it out. I am a fine visual artist. Update. I didn't place the table top correctly. It does go down 90 degrees on both sides. The U brackets have low tinsel strength, they possibly can be bent if you run into them, keep it out of a pathway. The actual drawing surface is 38" wide 26" long. Again I wanted something light that when "collapsed" had minimum footprint and just provided a drawing surface. And it looks nice. All these other drawing tables with drawers and attachments seem to be superfluous & appear to be problematic, just get a taboret or have a smaller table near by you with your supplies. Actually if I wanted a real professional drawing/drafting table, I wouldn't look through Amazon but look for drafting supply stores in my area. Anyway, I like this guy that I bought, no regrets whatsoever although still haven't used it but anticipate no problems for my needs which is just drawing. Will tape a mat board down on it considering drawing surface, don't want to draw on a wood surface that may have bumps.

It arrived without any dings in the box. I put the table together within an hour (that includes the time to use Gorilla Wood Glue to strengthen it). It went together easily. All the holes lined up perfectly and it was easy to assemble. The small holes in the top were fine for the wood screws that holds the metal brackets to it (where the legs attach). Another reviewer said the company didn't drill important holes. That is not true. Theholes are there. They are just small so the screws can bite into the wood as they should. The tilting assembly works great. It is sturdy and it is made of REAL WOOD (not particle board). Also, the bolts go into metal inserts in the legs, so the threads did not strip. It is really well made. There was a small dent on the edge of the top. I sent the company an email and they offered to replace the top at no charge to me. That is AWESOME customer service!! A standard-height desk chair would be fine when the desk is tilted, but when it is horizontal, a chair with a bit more height will be needed. So, I purchased the height-adjustable stool (also made by Studio Designs) to go with it. I did get a desk protector to cover the wood surface and protect it from scratching (did I mention it is real wood?) as well as their swing arm lamp to illuminate my work. I will be using it for all kinds of craft work including polymer clay work, drawing, and painting. I am very pleased with this purchase and highly recommend it.

I'm adding photos to show how it looks just out of the box (since there is a lack of those with this product page). I'm very glad I measured my old drafting table top before ordering, because the 42" is practically the same size I'm accustomed to; the 36" would have been too small. The product in its original/shelf box with a packing slip on it is what I received (another way of say there wasn't another shipping box it was packed in). It was pretty easy to take downstairs to my studio (if you have a carpeted staircase, it's even easier -- guide it with both hands and let gravity help you take it down, slide it across the carpet -- why strain yourself; it's the desk you're keeping, not the box :). I opened the package and its contents carefully in case I needed it for a return (stuff happens!). I inspected the pieces as I took them out. The only thing that was a slight concern: the upper right corner looked like it met a brick wall a couple of times before it was put in the box (I read on another review of similar damage). Thankfully, that's something I can modify just fine with sand paper and stain; everything else was assembly-ready. It took about two hours to put together, however, I'm meticulous on what I work on because I want it to last me a very long time, and I enjoyed putting the desk together. I made sure all parts were included before I started working by counting and checking them off with a pencil in the manual. The instructions are all visual (no step-by-step) over three pages, but that's up my learning alley. Afterward, it's very sturdy. Suggestion: I custom cut a desk mat (Desktex Anti-Slip Polycarbonate Desk Protector, Embossed Surface, 29 x 59 Inches, Clear -- think a chair mat type of plastic, just a few layers thinner; easy to cut with tin snips like this: http://amzn.com/B000R8HSOG ) to protect the table top from all the art I'm going to be doing. By the way, you don't have to use the holes provided to keep the table angle where you want it. Just make sure to tighten the side screws in to the U brackets enough. (Oh, the U parts stop making noise when you tighten the handles down, so you don't have to worry about hearing those when you work either.) So here is my experience and some photos to help you decide. I hope you have a great experience and enjoy your new table once you've assembled it.

I was a little anxious after ordering as I have a similar drafting table in my home office that I spent twice as much on from World Market but needed one for my business. Thankfully, those concerns ended up being without merit. Assembly was relatively straight forward and while there was a small support piece on the underside of the table top that was broken in shipping, it affects nothing and I am not worried about this table not holding up. It is a little lower to the group than my World Market one but I prefer it since I can use my regular office chair and not need a higher stool. The metal tracks for the angle feel a bit chincy but, in practice, they are definitely sturdy enough for regular use. While I do prefer my World Market one a little more due to better build quality, I would not hesitate to buy this one all over again. It looks great (and I prefer the color over the WM model), is very sturdy, and does exactly what I need!

Absolutely LOVE this drafting table. I must confess, I don't actually use it for drafting - not even writing. I covered a piece of plexiglass in felt to place on it and use it as my jigsaw puzzle table. The felt allows me to tilt the table while holding the pieces in place. The pencil bar at the bottom holds the plexiglass in place. I suppose I could have just covered the table itself, but I wanted it to be a multi-use table and didn't want to ruin the finish by gluing felt to it. If I hadn't had the plexiglass, I probably would have just used clamps to hold the felt in place when I needed it - so it would still be removable. Anyway, this solves the issue of not being able to reach the top of your puzzle and having to get up and go to the other side of the table to see if a piece fits. For those questioning the height, be advised that this table is short enough that when it's tilted, you can sit in a standard office chair. The only time you could really use a taller stool is when the table is flat. This is because the tilt axis is in the middle of the table, instead of in the front like some other tables. Very easy to put together. I did it myself with no help. I used a table to bring it up to working level to save my back. I did have one issue where one of the nuts was just a hair too small for the bolt to go through. Luckily, it wasn't a major issue, so I was still able to use the table while waiting for a replacement. When I called, I was under the impression that they were going to send just that one part. They sent a whole new hardware set - ALL of it! No complaints here - at least that minimizes the chance of them sending me the wrong part. :)