A Desk That Allows You to Stand or Sit

I built my own for $200. Mine has a treadmill underneath it too.<p><a href="http://blog.8thlight.com/articles/2010/2/25/walk-and-code" rel="nofollow">http://blog.8thlight.com/articles/2010/2/25/walk-and-code</a>

I've been using the steelcase airtouch adjustable desk for about 3 months and I can tell you that it has made a huge impact on my workday. This desk has improved my productivity significantly because I'm no longer bothered my my back or by the low desk/high chair combo I was confined to.<p>It's not just the standing that helps-it's the ability to switch back and forth easily. Before this desk, I could feel my back start to tighten up after about 3/4 of my work day. Now when I feel a twinge of a backache, I switch to a standing position and things feel much better. Another underrated benefit of the desk is the ability to change its height <i>while I'm sitting</i>. In the cases when I either lean lower and sit straighter than usual, this desk allows me to move the monitor to eye level without much effort, thus preventing neck aches.<p>One problem with the steelcase, however, is that it doesn't go high enough. I have a colleague that is 6'2" and he finds that the standing height of the desk is too low for his tastes. I'm shorter than he is, so this isn't as big of a problem for me. Now if only I could afford to buy one of these for home.....<p><i>edited: clarity</i>

Here in Denmark motorized desks are the norm rather than the exception. I am always surprised when others speak of them as a curiosity.<p>I tend to stand for about 25-50% of my time working. It really relieves the back to get up and shift around for a bit. Helps to burn a little calories too, during what would otherwise be sedentary office time. I also seem to work more focused when standing up. Finally, it is a lot easier to do pair work with a colleague while standing - no jostling chairs around for position.<p>A sit/stand desk is a condition of employment for me, nothing less.

I have been using such desk for the past 5 years and will never go back (maybe like switching to Dvorak + Typematrix). Anyway, in Europe, you can buy just the electrical part and mount your own desk on it.<p>I bought my one here: <a href="http://www.bueromoebel-werksverkauf.de/inwerk_bm/sofort_lieferbar__steh-sitz-tisch-gestell_ohne_platte___elektrisch_hoehenverstellbar_von_630-1300mm_gestell___inwerk_dynamik___in_breite_variabel___zum_nachruesten_oder_fuer_individuelle_tischplatten-bm17063.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.bueromoebel-werksverkauf.de/inwerk_bm/sofort_lief...</a><p>You can find it through other dealers (this one is in fact a drop ship company specialized in office stuff). It is cheap but the start/stop of the motor is a bit rough, better not to have a full cup of coffee on your desk at the same time. I had one in Denmark with a very soft stort/stop but it was way more expensive (1500Eur+).

I got an artist's stool. Instead of adjusting the desk height, I merely hop on and off the chair as necessary.

I made an adjustable height desk recently, using the frame of a GeekDesk and a salvaged door:<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/psmith/4491882894/in/set-72157623646834487/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/psmith/4491882894/in/set-721576...</a><p>The door is from a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. It was ~$25. I sanded, stained, and sealed it, and mounted it to the desk frame.<p>The frame was $550 so not the cheapest solution but I love the extra space, flexibility, and plan to have it a while.

I'd like to get one, but at $750, it is way too expensive!

<a href="http://pic.rossradford.com/SetUp01.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://pic.rossradford.com/SetUp01.jpg</a><p>The shelf and wall mounted display work for me, I can't go back. Originally I set this up to counter the constant hunched posture I get at work. For anyone who tries this:<p>- You will need to adjust the height of your keyboard at least once.<p>- Get a foot rest, I plan to build one into the wall.<p>- Opposite that wall is a couch. With some nice speakers you can have a decent home theater going. My 24" Westinghouse has a great one touch brightness adjustment. It might seem small, but native 1920x1200 resolution makes even blueray movies look good.

Here's an old post from the Make blog on how to build a stand-up desk on the cheap:<p><a href="http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/06/diy_standup_desk.html" rel="nofollow">http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/06/diy_standup_desk.ht...</a>

I have been looking into drafting tables for this very purpose - used ones can often be found in the local buy &#38; sell for quite cheap. Being adjustable by design, they look ideal (not sure about weight capacity though). Anyone have any experience using one of these as a computer desk?

I have a similar looking one to the geekdesk model, but it was from a local company at a cheaper price.<p>Had to add some improvised shock absorbers and place it against the wall because my monitor would otherwise shake when typing...<p>Did investigate several other options after that, up to 1500 euros and they all shake (the expensive one even more so).<p>Does the geekdesk model also shake?<p>That said, with my shock absorbers (just two pieces of memory foam), and sliders under the desk to move it against the wall, it works just fine and a great investment for general health.<p>Also have a mini stepper to do an hour of stepping in the early morning, whilst I read my email and check my RSS reader.<p>I may upgrade to a treadmill later, see <a href="http://officewalkers.ning.com" rel="nofollow">http://officewalkers.ning.com</a> for inspiration

A lot of comments miss the point that the table should allow you to stand OR sit - standing all day is probably as hard on the back and legs as sitting. That rules out most of the DIY options. I also wouldn't trade away a properly crafted desk plate with a nice finish, bezel, body contour etc.<p>Really, these desks aren't that expensive considering what people are ready to spend on other gear and gadgets with a life span of one-two years. (I would personally trade in my Aeron for a motordesk if forced to choose).

I'm a huge fan of the Biomorph desks (<a href="http://biomorph.com" rel="nofollow">http://biomorph.com</a>), particularly the Personal desk in maple. I've got 4-5 in various places I work.<p>They're expensive ($2K), but I keep a standing Google search for them and buy them used ($400-600). Very well made and quite worth it.<p>You can crank 'em up and down but that's pretty tedious. Best to just leave 'em all the way up.

I love this concept - not everyone realizes that the original design idea behind the cubicle was exactly this kind of feature: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Office" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Office</a><p>We lost the idea along the way, but I am glad we're getting back to it.

"Drafting table? / But that was in another country; / And besides, the bench is dead." (apologies to Will.S.)<p>Large wooden drafting tables, and tall four-legged drafting stools (with foot-rest cross-bars, topped by a square seat sloping slightly forwards), used to fill many of the classrooms in the engineering school I knew many moons ago.<p>Alas, it mostly got 'updated' to standard tables and plastic chairs. But those unpadded high seats still strike me as healthier than hunching in a chair.<p>An old furniture store might have some around - a cheap alternative to expensive desks.

That article got me to Googling for lecterns and podiums. Wow, some of those are very, very expensive. And the ones that are more stand-like than furniture don't look like they'd stay upright if a cat jumped on them (as you know a cat will!).<p>This is the cheapest I found locally -- just $15! -- but it's not local enough for me to get there economically efficiently. If you're in the NY/NJ area, though ...<p><a href="http://cnj.craigslist.org/fuo/1700842957.html" rel="nofollow">http://cnj.craigslist.org/fuo/1700842957.html</a>

I have one of these, I bought it because I was having back issues. I have the mini version that I used with my own desk top. I alternate back and forth during the day standing and sitting, usually a few hours at a time either way. It took a little getting used to, but it has definitely helped my back. An added bonus that isn't immediately apparent is that you can easily adjust the desk height when you are seated, which I find helps my back quite a lot.

Buy a second monitor $300 Buy a second keyboard $15 Buy a 4-way USB $15 then add a little stand to the existing table, $50.

I have the geekdesk or something that looks exactly like it. I love it. I sit in the mornings and after lunch switch to standing mode. Occasionally if I have to really focus or type a lot I will switch back to sitting mode, but it definitely helps to get me move around more / feel healthier.

I feel like making somersaults in front of my desk but I usually just end up in unusual sitting positions e.g. with my legs on the wall or one knee in my face as right now. But I don't think I could ever stand standing. That makes me tired and wanting to lie down just thinking about it.

I just have 2 desks at work and two monitors. Works pretty well for me.<p>If you don't want to buy two monitors (hint I didn't) then you could always make a desk with a hand crank. That wouldn't cost too much, it seems like a motor and controls is the expensive part of that desk.

Question for those with standing/adjustable desks: How long does it take to get used to standing for long periods of time?<p>Maybe it's all the sitting I do, and maybe I've atrophied a few muscles, but I feel like I'd get tired pretty quickly..

I just stick my laptop on top of a filing cabinet at work that's sitting right in front of a window. It could be a little taller but it's close to the right height and I get an upgraded view

<i>An inner-tube accident as a teenager left Mr. McNutt with a bad back.</i><p>I wish they had elaborated a little more about this tantalizing nugget. Inner-tube rafting, blowout on a bike,... ?

Is this newsworthy? Where I work, all desks are motorized. Some even store up to three different heights, for easy access without fiddling to get the right height.

Can anyone who uses an adjustable height desk comment on the impact it has (if any) on their productivity?<p>For some reason, it sounds hard to procrastinate standing up :)

Wouldn't it be great to have a classical church pulpit to rest your laptop on, then have your Holy Code propagate to the masses?<p>Maybe at 0800-RENT-A-CHURCH ;-)

Does anyone know the rated spec on these for max weight? That is, what is the motor capable of lifting without damaging the desk?

Cool. I've seen and used stuff like this at peer's company in Stockholm, in 2000, just before the dotcom crisis.

Both have horizontal bars underneath. I prefer my knees and shins nonbashed when I have the choice, thanks.