Sit/Stand Desk Hardware and Design

[Patrick Kane]

Now that work will be flexible forever, im giving a lot of consideration to replacing the Target/Ikea desks in our spare bedroom. I think they are the only store-bought pieces left in the house. One way or the other, i think im going to move forward with the project. The question is, do people enjoy standing part of the day? Do you notice an appreciable difference in your wellbeing? Ive read the articles and results seem to be a little mixed. I think there are benefits to not sitting for a full 8+ hours a day, which has me considering it. Now, for the actual transition of work surface heights, has anyone seen a product that can be built around/hidden? I dont want to buy a Varidesk convertor and slap it on top of my beautiful walnut top. I could also make the desktop a split top and physically move my monitors to each platform for the times i am sitting or standing. Ive searched Etsy and other sites and have not seen anything stand out thus far. A lot of electric raise/lower desk bases with a live edge top screwed on top.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I have a Varidesk at work, and two sit/stand desks at home (built with my own top surfaces and drawers, and using a commercial base like this: https://www.titan.fitness/organize/standing-desks/adjustable-frames/black-hand-crank-adjustable-sit-to-stand-s5-desk-frame/403027.html). That Titan base is insane - something like 85lbs.

The thing I like about the Varidesk is that I can go from sitting to standing in 1 second. My home-built ones have manual cranks, and it takes ~30 seconds, which often makes me feeling too lazy to do it. I'd recommend the electric ones for that reason. Also because I find I'm very particular about getting/keeping the height at exactly the same position (so if I have to count up/down 42 cranks, that gets messy).

The other somewhat-related thing I have is a saddle stool. I end up sitting on this 95% of the time.

[derek labian]

Hi Patrick,

I have tried a bunch of these solutions including the Ikea desk, versed, and even sit/stand pogo-stick seats. I ended up building my own desk for my office, and buying a prefab for home. In both cases I went with Uplift, I know many people who have purcahsed from them.

https://www.upliftdesk.com/

For my office, I bought the leg kit. I don't see it anymore, but they do sell entire frames now. You can build your own top for.

https://www.upliftdesk.com/adjustable-height-frames/

My desk is about 7 hears old and I've not had any issues. It lifts my kids just fine. Attached are pictures from my old office.


466329466330466331466332466334466335

[Erik Loza]

Jarvis standing desk user for several years now. I bought the legs and then built a top for it. Triple-monitor stand, screwed directly through the table top. If you go for a standing desk, I would strongly suggest the dual-motor option. I believe that is standard on Jarvis but not sure about others. I played around with a Varidesk converter at an office furniture place but the ergonomics never felt right. YMMV.

I basically got thrown into the deep end of the pool on the whole standing desk-thing at a place I worked at several years ago. They had no conventional desks, LOL. I purchased an anti-fatigue mat, which helped. Also, something like a little box or other object you can put one foot on, helps. It took me about 6 months to really get acclimated but now, I find it more comfortable to stand than sit. My advise is to ease into it. I have a drafting chair that I still use once in a while, just to give the legs a rest. Hope this helps,

Erik

[Tom Bender]

Eric may be onto a good solution, make it a standing desk and provide yourself adjustable height seating.

No longer working we do jigsaw puzzles a couple hours a day. We stand about half the time at a really nice high table with the ability to walk all the way around. We have a couple of tall stools. These have stretchers at one height on the sides and a different height on the other sides. Gives us variable seating.

[Jim Becker]

I went to a sit/stand desk setup here at our new home for my office, repurposing the natural edge slab style table top that was our kitchen table at the old property into my desktop and using an electric sit/stand base from Amazon. I haven't used it as much in stand mode as I likely should, but it's really nice to have the flexibility.

https://snz04pap002files.storage.live.com/y4m0B_Fex-Cb-8Hpdo2G37rBqtIwd35-iQvY610BEE7vLQ9JVkY0pQ5yST7lzezjCjZhAk-QFz_SbF4X8gDGMPmHsGDXs8fb1LkTjle3qfeIci03irShZ_RI6 RspNePbnSsklQ_POMgFGl8fHs6w6J8MOBiqkHy7c0hQEiu10ZQ mXtLRGrvIRzOcmrM3wO3Xa7W?width=660&height=495&cropmode=none

https://snz04pap002files.storage.live.com/y4mjRwuj649rw7C34p9TNv7A1TBlZFIkFKkRDiN_gVVl9co4LT QwsdTgROnbWCYHZFxLtzlH3xgUpyhCSlzZAr4DI-ydv_X2d1HpkWGlAngvgbyC6EWlb1bL_IAyIjCt6dZpOBB1eO2S imHRHiupk0ykEfB9B2VL85Fs8usZXmaFO9N23PBw9kHZ-8Ja_oIaYLt?width=660&height=495&cropmode=none

https://snz04pap002files.storage.live.com/y4m57baCjvAenDiE9TjfHlA47WUJBK48Qi0pHSb4_yYdGTOGfY QllnP2Uc4BImxV2l3GVonndhsXj7AdjnHCjJW3_tu1l1rSY0sp MezkzhDH1fA2LLOdIPwiaaMY4lPruzpceIHP7UhjPJ09Q3FaRm ZT1Z6JzUvEfejTgsSmOk2K9OYYiTAlfaoy7TOyAI5_3X7?widt h=660&height=495&cropmode=none

This photo shows the base better...at the old house and with a piece of my original Ikea desk system as the top prior to moving. (narrower desk for a short period of time)

https://snz04pap002files.storage.live.com/y4mRh1qx4UXEuT7wI7rVKMfJGLYOhYmihYvL5JiIsp0YsPfA-FOAkMJ_FA_n9KvB869froS9VLoib23fiRobOlXVQGMHTjuZiU8 HstF3dq-VJxFVKUXNLb2StbcVb-i5QpnEx3H_sgZ5FNWL-pFqswqrzHwm3XAFchUZitxKaKEBYu8Kxosyumrct2qjhAQaW3z ?width=660&height=495&cropmode=none

[Matthew Hills]

What are folks liking for workstation chairs (when they aren't standing or saddling up)?

Matt

[Patrick Kane]

This is something to think about. Thanks for the link to the hand crank desk, that is something i had not found myself. The look i am going for is a solid wood desk with some drawers/cabinets of some kind on the bottom. Unfortunately, the majority of these designs are bare/open metal bases with a wood top.

Matthew, the end all be all in my opinion is the Herman Miller Aeron. Mine is 7ish years old and still in fantastic shape. Furthermore, my mom's is 15+ years old and i just ordered her replacement leather arm pads. Everything on the chair is replaceable, and it will have support for decades to come. It is partly why i am skeptical i will ever use the standing feature of the sit/stand desk. My chair is too dang comfortable to sit in.

[Jim Becker]

You could certainly build some kind of cabinet/storage under one of the commercial sit/stand bases if you want to. It would just require that you accommodate the legs within your design. I gotta be honest, I've always had an "open" desk setup for decades with only a small rolling cabinet for paper clips, etc., back when I actually used paper clips. :)

[Patrick Kane]

I know, i know, office supplies are for old geezers. This spare bedroom that doubles as office space is mostly used for storage and my current desk has batteries, envelopes, scissors, tape, and other random house stuff. Stuff that i cant necessarily get rid of, and doesnt have a home anywhere else. Also, i have about a dozen fountain pens and a bunch of ink bottles sitting on the desktop that would be better suited in a small drawer when not in use.

[Jim Becker]

Hah...my comment was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Sorry about that! :o I know everyone's needs are different. Given your actual needs, as mentioned, you can embed the hardware you choose in something that meets your storage requirements. This is the base I used...the important feature is that it has motors on both sides for smooth operation.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08C2LC3H2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[John Lifer]

Another option if you don't want to source a top is these Home Depot Husky brand workbenches.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-46-in-Adjustable-Height-Work-Table-HOLT46XDB12/301809931
Three width options now, and a couple of colors.
I've a 52" with two drawers for storage. They do come without drawers.
Bought a year or so ago for my shop, but it now holds my laptop, monitor and my 50w Fiber laser.
adjust a bit, but I had it and it works well. Yes, handcrank for up and down, comes with casters and fixed feet. 26-39" with fixed feet. up to 42" with the casters.
And just as cheap as the amazon base above.

[Jim Becker]

John, that Husky hand-crank setup is only $50 less than the full electric sit/stand base I linked to...

[Erik Loza]

Took a pic of mine:

467218

Erik

[Aaron Liebling]

Here's a not great photo of mine - it uses the Freedom base from Imovr (https://www.imovr.com/imovr-freedom-standing-desk-base-diy.html) which has worked beautifully.

467221

[Jim Becker]

Took a pic of mine:

467218

Erik

I think you need more screen space, Erik :) :D

[Derek Meyer]

467232

How about a big monitor? This one is 43" 4K.

[Bill Conerly]

I have both sitting and standing workstations. Started with a built-in L shaped desk. Wanted to stand for Zoom presentations (more energy, better background). Built a simple stand on one leg of the L. There's a monitor on the stand, and two more on the low desk. A simple switch changes the video feed from monitor on the low desk to a monitor on the high stand. (Used to unplug and replug the monitors.)

My focus has been on work productivity. My setup is ugly (off camera); but a creative person could pretty it up.