Cheap Standing Desk 2023

Madiyar Ismagulov
4 min readApr 4, 2023
custom diy standing desk
My home custom DIY Standing Desk

In our post-covid times, many people still work from home anyway. Some are comfortably seated on the couch, some work at an expensive standing desk and some sit in a cafe. The only thing that remains unchanged is the fact that most of us are coding while sitting and for very long periods of time. We used to sit in kindergarten, we sat at a desk from morning till night at school, then at college or university, and now we sit behind the steering wheel and in the office. Of course, sitting long hours is not healthy. It’s unhealthy and unproductive. Fortunately clever people, of which I do not include myself yet, have long since invented ways to combat this. About one of them I will tell you now.

Have you seen the prices?

I think they all came as a big surprise. A standing desk that can go up and down automatically at the touch of a button can be very expensive. But they are really good quality. These usually have cable management on the back side of the desk in advance, which adds even more unique charm to an already very good looking desk in the home office. But nevertheless they are very expensive.

Since you decided to read about it at all, you probably decided to save some money. It can be done, but you have to sacrifice a few features and spend an evening assembling such a homemade desk.

What is not in such a table:

  • Button height adjustment
  • Cable management
  • Desk wood top

Yes, the desk wood top will have to be purchased separately. My desk is from Ikea. Most of the time this kind of desk is sold without a top, you only buy a frame that is adjustable in width and fits mostly tops up to 2 meters.

My standing desk is one of the simplest. It’s black (take the white one, you can’t see the dust on it), it’s mechanical but very high quality and solid.

DIY Standing Desk in sitting option
DIY Standing Desk in sitting option

Assembly

Assembly is usually very simple, the box comes with instructions and everything fits into place without any problems. With the cables is however when installing the PC you have to tinker a little bit. I bought the Braided Cable Sleeve and the Hiraya J Channel Desk Cable. Very cheap and high quality, you can’t see any wires unless you deliberately look behind the desk.

DIY Standing Desk in standing option
DIY Standing Desk in standing option

Desk is Mechanical

This kind of desk is mechanically adjustable. That is, you will have to get under the desk and raise the top of the desk one step at a time from one side to the other because such tables are usually not synchronized on both sides. I personally do not feel much discomfort in this process. From Monday to Friday the table is in a standing position and on weekends I put it down to play video games.

In conclusion, working from home has become the new normal for many people, and with that comes the challenge of finding a comfortable and healthy way to work for extended periods. While expensive standing desks with advanced features like cable management and button height adjustment are available, they may not be affordable for everyone. However, with a little bit of effort, it’s possible to create a simple standing desk setup at home that is both functional and cost-effective.

Here are some key takeaways:

  • Sitting for long periods of time is unhealthy and unproductive.
  • Expensive standing desks with advanced features are available but may not be affordable for everyone.
  • It’s possible to create a simple standing desk setup at home that is both functional and cost-effective.
  • The desk wood top will have to be purchased separately, but it can be found at many furniture retailers like Ikea.
  • Assembling a standing desk is usually straightforward, but cable management may require some additional effort.
  • Simple and affordable cable management solutions like Braided Cable Sleeves and Hiraya J Channel Desk Cables can help keep your workspace organized and tidy.

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Madiyar Ismagulov

23 y.o. expat and traveler, coder and designer, tech enthusiast and young entrepreneur. Follow me as I explore the world and create amazing things.