# Ideal Working Height



## DaveA (Jan 24, 2012)

Is there a rough guide to the ideal working height of a desk? I am going to try and adapt something to stand on top of my computer desk but before I start cutting things I wanted to know roughly what height is generally best. With a straight back whereabouts on the torso should the surface come? IE, shoulder height, just below shoulder height etc? Also should the worktop be wide enough to rest the whole of your arms on so that your elbows don't dangle over the edge?

Many thanks.


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## Roamer Man (May 25, 2011)

All I know is you need to work at eye-level sometimes, without having to stoop too much.


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## DaveA (Jan 24, 2012)

I plan to "adjust" a family heirloom and need to know how much to cut off the legs


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

There might be a 'standard' height for shop bought items, but I would think that anything like this is purely an individual thing. I made my own work bench, it's about 5 feet high, this makes it eye level when I'm sat on my stool or at comfortable - belly button height when I'm standing up. I suggest you make a mock up out of ply wood and inch square timber lengths and try different heights until it feels right.

T


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

The professional work benches are about 41 inches tall...and when I made mine about 10 years ago, I made it 40 inches tall. At the time, I hadn't appreciated that I'd be spending 95% of my time at the bench looking down a stereo binocular microscope....so had to buy an old bar stool to sit high enough 

So as Roamer Man says, for eye-level loupe work, it would be about 40 inch tall.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

tall_tim said:


> I made my own work bench, it's about 5 feet high, this makes it eye level when I'm sat on my stool or at comfortable


Tim, 5 feet! That really is a high desk....


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

Silver Hawk said:


> tall_tim said:
> 
> 
> > I made my own work bench, it's about 5 feet high, this makes it eye level when I'm sat on my stool or at comfortable
> ...


Well it may be a couple of inches under 5 feet, but I'm 6'8" and prefer working higher and with a straight back. My kids have a box to stand on so they can see what I'm doing!


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## DaveA (Jan 24, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking of getting a large cardboard box and trimming the height down gradually until it feels about right. I suppose it's a case of trial and error and you won't really know until you have actually been using it for a while.


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## Micky (Apr 2, 2009)

The book by Mick Watters (I think it's called mechanical & quartz watch repair) has a good first chapter on how to build your own desk with all the relevant dimentions in it. I find the standard height too high for certain work. I like to look down on a piece when stripping it but I find a higher desk good for oiling and inspection. I made a desk on 2 levels so i could rest my elbows on the lower level and use it for storage. When I need height I have a smaller platform I rest on top. Experimentation is the key I guess. Can you build some thing that you can adjust to begin with before you commit?


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## DaveA (Jan 24, 2012)

Yes I am going to try out a few things first before I take a saw to the piece of furniture that I have in mind. So far I have not voiced my plans around the house, I want to be certain it will work before I risk being thrown out if it all goes wrong.


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