How To Build Your Own Cheap, Easy DIY Standing Desk!I

I have since improved this setup by attaching the power bar to the upper table leg with small bungie cords

Stand up desks are a great idea to improve our health, since sitting is literally killing us all! A Canadian meta-analysis of 47 studies has revealed that our risk of disease (including the most prevalent killers such as heart disease and cancer) increases greatly with every hour spent on our behinds. In addition to getting up regularly from out work stations, regular exercise is highly recommended. However, here is another idea – stand up to work for at least part of the day!

In researching different options for a standing desk, I found that they are very pricey, costing hundreds of dollars. Then, I stumbled on this idea – a very inexpensive solution requiring little know-how and using components from Ikea. I think you could utilize a small end table from Goodwill or something you already have as an alternative and then just buy a shelf and brackets from a hardware store if you do not have convenient access to an Ikea store (although they do sell online).

Standing all day may not be for everyone – for instance, if you suffer from varicose veins you may not wish to stand too much in one spot. I also put a shallow footstool under the desk so I can put one or the other foot up to ease tension on the lower spine. I also tend to fidget a lot! The table I put my standing desk on has a flip up shelf to which I can move my laptop if I want to sit for awhile. Alternatively, since I work from home, I can go to another room in the house for a change of scenery.

I am just using my laptop keyboard at the moment (so I can easily change to sitting when I get tired of standing) but it is easy to plug in a keyboard (you can see mine in the photo) and mouse. I also plan to get a long, cushioned mat to stand on.

If you want more information on the ins and outs of deciding whether this is right for you, go here to read more. I am 5’6″ tall and this setup works well for me – if you are a significantly shorter or taller than that, you may want to tweak the height of the shelf by using a different bracket. For taller people, you can place your large screen on a big book to increase the height.

This is so easy to do anyone can accomplish it – all you need is a drill and a screwdriver! Have fun creating your own standup desk – I would love to hear from you about your setup!