I’ll beg your pardon for this post being generally off-topic, but my hope is that it will be helpful to those considering a standing desk while finding some options too expensive and others too complicated or unsuitable.
Considerations
I wanted a cheap standing desk solution that had plenty of room for multiple computers that I could also sit at (alternating sitting and standing is a more healthful option that doing both all the time). I also wanted one shaped like a ‘corner desk’ due to the way my office space is configured, and I took the actual dimensions into consideration.
To know the height at which I needed the desk, I measured from my elbow to the floor and used that as a baseline. I’d also used other standing desks at length before, so I knew this would be about right, so long as I could make some granular adjustments.
One blessing here is that I didn’t have to worry too much about normal aesthetics—our loft is an old mill, so the floors and ceiling are concrete (the floor is black, polished), we have exposed pipes and massive columns, and so on. So, concrete and such fits right in, whereas you might need to get a bit more creative to suit your office’s ‘style’.
Materials
For the desk itself, I went to the ever-affordable IKEA.
(1) VIKA AMON Table top, black-brown (47 1/4″ x 23 5/8″ x 1 3/8″) – $19.99
(1) VIKA AMON Table top, black-brown (39 3/8″ x 23 5/8″ x 1 3/8″) – $10.99
(8) VIKA ADILS Leg, black (27 1/2″, somewhat adjustable) – $3.50
To raise the desk to the proper height, I went to Home Depot, but any home improvement store will work.
(7) Concrete Block (8″ x 12″ x 16″) – $1.97
(1) 1″x8″x8′ board (cut into eight 1′ pieces) – ~$8
(Remember, when calculating your desk height, to include table thickness. So, here, it’s concrete block + board + leg + table thickness.)
For two essential components of a standing desk, I went to Amazon and Home Depot, respectively.
(1) Chrome Drafting Stool with Tractor Seat – $48.21
(1) Anti-Fatigue Vinyl Foam Commercial Mat (24″ x 36″) – $16.97
That’s about $146 without taxes or shipping. And, seriously, don’t skip the mat or a higher-rising chair.
Assembly
Well, this was not hard to assemble, as you can imagine—the not-made-in-‘Merica chair was probably the most difficult. The legs to the tables install with about five screws per leg (the table tops come pre-drilled). I put the tables next to each other to make an ‘L’ shape, which allowed two legs to share a concrete block.
And then, I, um, put the table on top of the concrete blocks and wood piece and adjusted the legs for stability. Done.
I got our cat to inspect the structural integrity of my work, as you can see in the lower left corner of the picture. He approved, though he noted it smelled curious.
Thoughts and Further Refinements
I’m quite pleased with the setup. Perhaps the only change I’ll make going forward is to replace the concrete blocks. They work just fine, but they take up quite a bit of space under the desk. I’ll probably build get someone to build wooden risers at the proper height.
I knew I’d love this setup because I’ve used one before, but I encourage you to consider it if you haven’t. There’s plenty of research out there on why standing (at least some) is a better alternative than sitting all day—even if you exercise—but, I also find it affects my workflow positively. It’s easier to walk away when I should take a break, and also quite a bit more convenient when I need to look something up quickly.
Feel free to leave any questions or comments here. It was a fun project that certainly didn’t take long, and was worth the savings over the $1,000+ options.
Update
To do this, I went back to my home improvement store and got:
(4) 10-foot PVC Pipes (1 1/2″ x 10′) – $4.81
I just had these pieces cut to the height I needed (41.5″ in my case) and slid them right over the table legs. They work great! I also grabbed some bushings to put on the bottom, but that’s not necessary.