Types of desert

There are 5 types of desert according to the landscapes :
Sand desert --- a wavy sand sea
Stony desert --- gravel surfaces
Rock desert --- bare rock surfaces with huge pavement that kept clear of sand or gravel by wind
Plateau desert --- rocky plateaux , deeply eroded wadis, buttes or inselbergs
(for details, please refer to Action of Rain
Mountain desert --- bare and arid arrays of jagged rock peaks
( The above landscapes can be found quite close to each other, like the desert complex in North America )

Deserts can be classified is " Hot deserts" and " Cold deserts".
Hot desert --- It has high daytime temperature for the whole year, though rather cold at night as temperature may fall below 10oC (50oF) or even below the freezing point When the maximum daytime temperature is above 40oC (104oF).
Examples : Sahara, Namib/Kalahari, Arabian, Iranian, Atacama, Australian and in North America: Sonoran, Mojave and Colorado.
Cold desert--- It has hot summers but extremely cold winters.
Examples : the desert complex in Western North America (Great Basin), Patagonian, Turkestan & Gobi Deserts

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/desert/types