You might spend hours at your desk making calls, answering emails, reviewing presentations, creating spreadsheets, reading memes or buying NFTs.

But do you love your desk? If you are exploring investing in a new workstation, there are many elements to consider. This article will help you ask the right questions when designing your perfect custom desk so you can be the most effective doer.

The first step is to choose the right spot for your desk. Where in your home will your desk go? Take a look at the space, and measure it twice. Remember your chair will need to fit too. When working, your chair will extend out beyond your desk about 20 – 35″. When not working at your desk, your chair might tuck in to 10 – 20″ beyond your desk.

Now let’s dive into the questions you need to ask when designing your custom desk.

Sizing is the first consideration when designing your perfect custom desk. Do you want your desk to be the maximum size for your room or do you want your desk to be the minimum size with just enough space for the necessities and no place for distractions?

The sturdiness, strength, and durability is the next variable to consider. How sturdy to you need or want your desk to be? There are several distinct quality levels of desks which correspond to their sturdiness. The least sturdy desk will be a “no tools required” desk. This style of desk will often be made from round pipe legs that screw to fasten to the desktop and will require frequent tightening. One tier up from this will be particle board desks. Particle board desks are made from tiny wood chips glued together with a resin. Particle board is strong but will sag and droop over time if constant pressure is placed on the desktop without specific cross beam supports. A step above particle board is hardwood plywood. Plywood is made from layers of wood which allows it to share some properties of a solid wood desktop. Although it doesn’t lend itself to staining well, when finished and sealed properly, plywood is a strong choice for a desktop. The sturdiest desks are made from solid materials such as wood, metal, or stone and have solid wood or metal legs fastened to the desktop with either wood screws or machined screws. How the legs are fastened to the desktop is a crucial design element to explore because this is frequently a point of weakness that can make even the nicest looking desk wobbly. How important is sturdiness for you?

Next you should consider the ergonomics of your desk. How much time do you spend each day at your desk? Numerous scientific studies have shown that standing desks reduce lower back pain and increase physical activity during the workday and even influence and increase physical activity behaviors after the workday. Standing desks will be the most ergonomic choice but if you can’t work effectively while standing or you do not like the styling of standing desk legs then a custom height desktop will still be an ergonomic option. The ability to customize your desktop height will allow your body to maintain its most ergonomic and comfortable form and will positively impact your health and comfort. The calculator below can help you select a desktop height that is perfect for your body height.

Desktop Height Calculator: https://www.omnicalculator.com/everyday-life/desk-height

The next step to designing your perfect custom desk is to decide the desktop material and color. Wood, metal, glass, and laminate are the top choices and each offer unique advantages and disadvantages in terms of strength, styling, customizability, durability, and touch, and all will influence your mood differently. Decide what material has the advantages you need and which type of material you will want to sit at for extended periods of time every day.

The legs are the next crucial design and functionality element. Are metal legs or solid wood legs right for you? Do you want the uniform classic look that wood legs provide, or do you like the industrial or modern look which metal legs create? Is your floor uneven and therefore do you need legs with leveling feet? Do you need legs with caster wheels so that you can quickly slide your desk out of the way to make room for your yoga mat?

The last component of your custom desk is the accessories. Which accessories can help you stay focused? Do you need charging on the desktop or under it? Where do you want your wires to run from and to? Where do you like your electronics to be on your desk? Where is your desk going to plug into the wall? Which outlet and which side of the desk is this outlet nearest? Make sure your desk has cable mounts to cleanly run all your wires so that your desk looks sharp and so that your feet don’t fight power cords all day.

This article is meant to bring to mind important questions to consider when designing your custom workstation. If you have further questions, we’d love to hear from you!

Finer Desk helps workers of all types build their perfect custom workstation. Finer Desk allows you to choose your size, wood type, stain, leg style, leg color, desktop height, and accessories. We invite you to explore our webstore or to contact us at [email protected]