Large Writing Desks – Madison Large Trestle Desk
The Madison Large Trestle Desk is a large (height: 29 inches; width: 64 inches; depth: 30 inches) and solidly built writing desk. While there may be better large writing desks in the market, or cheaper writing desks, or more elegant writing desks, there are none that combine all three strengths in the same desk.
Advantages
The Madison Large Trestle Desk looks good. Its lines are clean and simple. There are no fancy details or over-complicated decorations. Its functional simplicity gives it a certain elegance.
This is actually one of those DIY kit writing tables/desks. You have to assemble it yourself. Now, don’t panic – the assembly instructions are simple and clear. The instruction sheet uses large 64-point type and pictures spread out over three pages. There is even an 800 number for you to call if you run into any problems. Many customers say that they can put everything together within 30 minutes.
Unlike normal writing tables/desks, there are no drawers. However, it is a trestle design, with a large table top resting on top of a pair of trestles. Each of the trestles is actually a shelf in its own right, giving you plenty of storage space. These trestles/shelves are solidly built and can easily be filled with heavy reference books and computer peripherals (if you use the Madison Large Trestle Desk as a laptop writing desk.)
This large writing desk is very solidly built and very stable. This fact is reflected in its heavy weight – around 100 pounds. Of course, this is fairly light when compared to old-fashioned oak writing desks, but considering that it is really a discount writing desk … In any case, if you are worried about the table being flimsy because it is cheap, don’t be. You can prove it yourself – if you climb up on the table you will notice that it does not wobble at all … at least not if you assembled it correctly. It is certainly sturdy enough for you to put both your desktop CPU and two monitors on the table top without any worries.
University and college students will really appreciate the large working area offered by this table. At 64 inches by 30 inches, you can certainly work on quite a number of projects at the same time. This is really great for all those end-of-semester projects that the professors like to toss at their students. This large writing table will also be appreciated by parents who want to do their own work while keeping an eye on their kids to make sure they complete their homework.
Disadvantages
The Madison Large Trestle Desk is a good writing desk. However, its very strengths also lead to some obvious problems. The first is its solidity and heavy weight. At around 100 pounds, it is not easy to transport. Couple this with the fact that it is a discount writing desk, and you will realize that the store will probably skimp on its packaging and transportation. A number of customers have complained about receiving damaged goods.
The second issue is that this writing desk is not made from real wood. Mind you, it feels very solid, so solid that most people can’t tell that it is not made of real wood. This large trestle table is actually made from wood composite (or MDF). This material is made from softwood, broken down into powder and then mixed with resin. The mixture is then molded into boards and finished by baking it in a high pressure, high temperature oven. Mind you, if you keep in view the price you pay for this table, you should realize that it couldn’t possibly be made of real wood.
Yet another issue with the Madison Large Trestle Desk is that assembly is required. This could be a problem if you are an invalid. Otherwise, it should not be a problem if you are sound of body and mind. Female customers say they have no trouble assembling the desk by following the attached instructions. Male customers who go by instinct complain that they need to drill their own holes for the screws.
Now, sometimes it is not the customer’s fault. Sometimes the store which sold this writing desk failed to provide the correct instruction sheet. For this case, take note of the following points during assembly:
- You never need to drill holes. If a hole is missing, flip the piece over – the hole is on the other side.
- The trestles come as a pair – the right trestle and the left trestle. Mix up or interchange the pieces to these and you may find that the screw holes are missing.
- Make sure you are alert and sober when assembling the desk. Too many people like to grab a drink or two before they start work.
The original paintwork for this writing desk is easily scratched. This is especially obvious if you buy the Madison Large Trestle Desk with the black-colored finish. Being a budget large writing desk, the finish is also sometimes inconsistent. Some areas may have thicker paint while others have thinner paint.
Some customers who use this large writing desk as a computer table commented that there is not enough room in between the left and right trestles to fit a pull-out keyboard tray. Another point to keep in mind is that this is a large table – many people have said that it is larger than it looks in the catalogues. If you do not measure your available space carefully, it may not fit in your room. If you live in a small apartment or your study room is small, you may be better off buying a small wood writing desk instead of this giant.
Miscellaneous
This tip will make your life easier – ask the deliveryman to leave the crate outside. The crate is big, bulky and heavy. You do not want to struggle removing it from your house once you are done assembling the writing desk. Anyway, once you open the crate, carry each part to where you want to put the table and assemble it there. Remember that this large desk not only weighs around 100 pounds but is very big – you do not want the assembly point to be far from the final placement.
The Madison Large Trestle Desk is solid and will last you a good many years. So if you want it to look good and keep looking good, you should think about stripping away the original paint job and refinishing it yourself. You should also consider reinforcing it to make it last even longer. Go to your local hardware store, pick up some brackets and screws then reinforce those places where the table top joins to the trestles. You may also want to go the extra step for overkill and brace the back edge of the table top with a 64 inch long 2″ x 2″.
This Madison Large Trestle Desk gives you a lot of bang for the buck. It is cheap considering its solidity and durability. It is large and gives you a lot of space to work with. And its clean simple lines looks really good (at least to those who go for minimalism).