This is a picture of my current desk, I will give you the different steps I followed so you can build your own. It is important to know that there is a wide range of ready to use standing desks on the internet, the purpose of this article is to present you with a cheaper method by doing it yourself, there is nothing really complicated just a little time to spend.
A little background
The job of a software developer implies sitting for long periods of time, this can quickly bring its share of problems such as back pain or sedentary lifestyle. To counter this, it seemed obvious to me that investing in a standing desk could save me a lot of trouble in the future. I didn’t want to have to spend a lot of money on something so “simple” but I also wanted to have a quality and practical product. Some research quickly led me to the Ikea Crank Handle model which I feel has the best value for money for a complete standing desk. With a simple turn of the crank, the desk is able to go up or down. It’s easy and inexpensive. Despite its advantages, I had my doubts about its ability to last over time and remain stable even with a heavy load. It is by continuing to look for solutions that I was able to see that for a price quite close, it is possible to make its own desk with electric legs customizable at will and of much better quality.
Building the desk
Necessary elements:
- Electric base, I personally use this one but I was able to get it on sale for 270€, you can find a one motor equivalent model instead of two but it works the same way for a much lower price.
- A desk top. You can find chipboard trays at very low prices like this one but for your desk to last over time I advise you to take a raw wood tray. In terms of size, I find that 160x80x22 is a perfect size. It is better to avoid a width of 60 to have a sufficient distance between your eyes and your screen, a width of 80 is advised.
- Sandpaper to smooth the surface of the wood a little bit and round off the edges, this will be more pleasant to touch and to use.
- A wood stain for aesthetics, the wood will take a very nice color. The walnut stain is extremely effective for this and is not expensive. It is not mandatory to apply this product if the base color of your board is suitable.
- A wax to protect the wood.
The first step is to prepare the wooden tray, allow a day or two depending on the weather, the drying of the products on the wood may be affected. You will have to prepare the tray so that it is pleasant to the touch and that the edges are rounded so as not to hurt you. For the edges, start with coarse sandpaper until you feel it’s enough, then finish with fine sandpaper in the direction of the wood grain to remove scratches and smooth it out.
For the surface, if your tray does not have too many imperfections you can directly start with fine sandpaper always in the direction of the fibers to avoid scratches. Once it looks smooth, you can start using the products!
The application of the walnut stain will allow the wood to take a nice darker color than the natural one, for that you just need a cloth, soak it with walnut stain and then pass it evenly on the whole surface of the tray. Be careful to apply the same amount of walnut stain everywhere, otherwise there will be color differences. Wait a few minutes between each application and continue until you are satisfied with the color.
To finish and make the tray finally ready for use, the application of a wax is necessary to protect it properly. You will have to repeat the same steps as for the walnut stain but with the wax and a different cloth while waiting for the wood to absorb the wax between each layer.
Here is the final render of the wood for my case
You can finally connect the top to the electric base and enjoy a standing desk made by your own hands.
Desk layout
Now that your desk is ready, you can arrange it to your liking. I have a few tips in store for you on this part. I’m a big fan of minimalism and I think it’s an important step to get a workspace that is conducive to concentration and reflection. You will have to find ways to reduce the visual load on your desk as much as possible.
I personally made the choice to put my computer on the desk for an aesthetic aspect and to protect it from the dust which could be found on the ground. This choice was confirmed by the fact that the computer is equipped with a nice case with leds and added a touch of light on the desk. It’s up to you to choose what suits you best.
Concerning the screen, a stand can be interesting to get rid of the default screen stand and thus have much more space on the desk. I recommend the Arctic Z1 Basic stand for its very good value for money, it also comes with cable management. This one will allow you to carry a single screen, if you need a two screen stand, go for the Arctic Z2 Basic.
It is also possible to go for this type of object if you want to keep the stand of your screen, the price will be much higher but the style is also very different.
One step that is also the easiest is to hide all the cables. I recommend you to take velcro cable ties because they are as easy to install as to remove, you will be able to find points to hang under your desk on the base.
Finally, a nice plant will be a good investment to add a natural and lively touch to your office.
