I have the sister to your desk. My desk is 4' long, and I used a 30" piano hinge, a 5/8" x 16" x 4" long piece of pine or the cheapest wood in that size, and 2 Gate house Folding Support hinges for the side support. I did not put any legs on it and I have had no problems with it. I have done a king size quilt without any problems. I don't use it for cutting though, if I did I would add legs for more support. I have been using the extension on my table for about 1 l/2 years now. I plan on painting the whole desk and extension when the weather is warmer. I did it all myself so you should be able to do it too, If you need to cut the wood, the people at Lowes will cut it for you. I would like to add photos, but can 't figure out how to add them