What is the average desk height?
While average desk height varies a bit, most desk heights range between 29″ and 30″ from the floor to the tabletop.
There is undoubtedly a standard desk height that will suit your needs, though finding the ideal ergonomic fit for a desk will vary depending on your chair and desk’s style.
Please continue reading as I provide more specific information about the standard desk height.
Table of Contents
Average Desk Heights
Standard-sized desks and chairs are commonplace in offices. Office desks are typically 29 inches or 30 inches high, or 73 cm or 76 cm for desks with a sitting design.
The majority of office furniture is made for people who are 6′ tall, whether the desk is standing or sitting. It’s strange because the average height in the US is much shorter than that. Think we kid?
Actually, the average height of an American man is 5”9″, whereas the average height of a woman is 5”4″”. Therefore, it is clear how furniture made for someone who is 6 feet tall might cause a problem for someone who is shorter. It is no secret that problems with posture, back, neck, shoulder, and other pains are common in offices where most of the workday is spent sitting down.
Typical Desk Heights
There is no “one size fits all” standard desk height because of the wide variety of sizes of our bodies. In terms of overall comfort, the distance from the floor to the tabletop—which typically falls between 29 and 30 inches—is probably the most significant. Examples of 30” desk height, which is frequently the ideal height for using a laptop, include Bassett Furniture’s Storeroom Modular Desk and BenchMade’s Crossbuck desk.
Sit at the desk as you normally would when working there to determine whether the height is comfortable for you. Set your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Your hands should be relaxed on your potential desk’s desktop in this position. Many people prefer a writing desk with a slightly higher surface, like the Bella Writing Desk from Bassett Furniture, which is 31 inches high.
Typical Office Desk Heights
The typical desk height is between 27 and 30 inches or 70 to 80 cm. The majority of producers aim for a height within this range. Since not everyone is of average height, a desk height of 70 or so may not be comfortable for them.
The average and normal desk height is likely to make it difficult for short or tall people to find the ideal sitting position. In fact, anyone who is shorter than 175 cm may find it difficult. The vast majority of female office workers may disagree with the claim that fixed-height desks are intended to fit 90% of the population.
A rough estimate of the ideal height for your desk can be obtained by using a standing desk calculator, but it is much more effective to use the following recommendations and measure it yourself.
Seated Desk Right Height
It’s time to devise a method for figuring out the ideal desk height for you now that we know that a standard desk height is made for people who are 6′ tall. Your measurements don’t have to be exact; a variation of one or two inches is acceptable.
The type of shoes you wear should also be considered because they may cause your height and seat height to increase by a few inches. Your elbows should be level with the keyboard, and your arms should form a 90-degree angle. You shouldn’t have to stoop or crane your neck to comfortably see your monitor; instead, it should be at eye level.
Despite the fact that there are numerous methods for determining the ideal desk height, it is generally accepted that a 1″ difference in height (with respect to the 6″ standard) corresponds to a 0.4″ difference with the 29″ industry standard.
The desk height of 29 inches would be decreased by 0.4 inches, for instance, if you are 5′ 11″ and a half. If you were to increase the desk height by 0.4 inches to accommodate your height of 6′ 1″ you would. Another approach is to adhere to the following straightforward formula:
Your Height in Inches + 1 = Desk Height in CM
Read about: Average Couch Length
A Comfortable Desk Height Is Essential
First things first: Why is a desk’s ergonomic height important? What height is appropriate for a desk, too? It’s possible that you have never given your desk or how you use it in your daily work life any thought. The majority of people are aware of the advantages of a properly adjusted chair. The same is true of your desk, obviously.
There is no magic chair on the market that can make your desk work if the height is uncomfortable for your body. Too high and your feet won’t be able to touch the ground, which will disrupt your entire body’s support system. Too low and you’ll probably hunch over and strain your back. If your desk’s height is off, you might experience the following problems, to name a few:
Spine
The spine supports and unites your entire upper body. You’ll probably experience a great deal of discomfort and difficulty if something were to happen to it. Your spine might be forced into an unnatural posture when your desk is set up at the incorrect height. It might be curved, hunched, or overextended.
After a while, fatigue sets in and your spine is unable to support you adequately. Spilled discs and other severe back issues may result from this. Additionally, it may cause the surrounding muscles to rip, resulting in ongoing back pain.
Neck
Although the neck is a part of your body that is incredibly strong, it is also delicate. You understand exactly what we’re talking about if you’ve ever pulled a neck muscle. You will undoubtedly experience pain if you hold your neck in an unnatural position for an extended period of time, and if you don’t take immediate action, the pain may last a long time.
A telltale sign that your office desk height is off is that you have to spend the entire day looking up or down at the screen rather than straight ahead.
Eyes
The eye is the third body part that is harmed by an incorrect desk height. With the average amount of screen time exponentially increasing, your eyes already see a lot while working. The cause of tired, sore eyes may also be improper lighting.
What relevance does any of that have to ergonomic desk height? It is more challenging to see clearly without squinting if you are looking down at a screen because the reflection and glare are likely to be more intense than usual. Additionally, straining the muscles in your eyes from staring up at a screen can make you drowsy at work.
In a nutshell, the height of your office desk affects how you sit, how much you strain, and how productive your workspace is overall. Pretty crucial, yes?
Read about: How To Arrange 2 Twin Beds In A Small Room Perfectly?
Find The Perfect & Ergonomic Desk Height For You
What is the typical desk height? If your desk is at the proper height, there are three main signs to look for: your feet, your arms and elbows, and your knees. Of course, there are many variables that affect the ideal or standard desk height, but let’s start with the fundamentals.
Feet
If you’re sitting at a desk, your feet should always be flat on the ground. To make sure of this, you should adjust the height of your chair. You should be able to fit your legs under the desk while sitting with your feet flat on the floor and still have your arms and elbows at the proper angles.
Arms & Elbows
What is then the proper angle? With your elbows at a right angle to the desk, your arms should rest comfortably by your sides. The angle of the elbows should be 90 degrees. The desk is too high if you have to raise your hands and bend your elbows when they are at your sides. Instead, lowering one’s elbows indicates that the desk is too low.
Knees
The desk is too low if your knees can rest on it. When your feet are on the ground, they should be positioned at a 90-degree angle; however, if they are compressed beneath the surface, they should not. The ideal distance between your knees and the bottom of the desk should be at least a few inches.
Other Considerations
- Your eyes should be level with the top of the laptop or computer screen.
- The height is incorrect if you are unable to relax your shoulder muscles while maintaining a 90-degree angle with your arms.
- Your back should be flat against your chair; any kind of forward hunching is a big no-no.
Read about: How Wide Should A Hallway Be?
How To Measure Proper Desk Height
The best computer desk will allow you to keep a good posture and fit comfortably with your office chair. It shouldn’t be so high as to put additional strain on your eyes, neck, back, or arms, but it also shouldn’t be too low so that you have to stoop and slouch in order to reach your monitor or keyboard tray. Your arms should be parallel to the floor, and your feet should be able to rest flat on the ground.
Read about: Distressed White Kitchen Cabinets
Conclusion
The post focused on the average desk height.
All types and sizes of people exist. It is foolish to believe that a one-size-fits-all strategy can be applied to any situation. Different people will find particular desk heights to be more appropriate than others when it comes to their workstations.
Thank you for your reading.
