Creating and designing my own standing desk

I have been thinking a lot about standing desks again, my long commute combined with my hectic lifestyle, doesn't leave a lot of time for exercise (that's my excuse and I am sticking with it.).

After investing in a cross trainer which sees about an hour of use a week, the rest of its time being used as an expensive coat rack, I started to wonder about ways of burning a few extra calories when I suddenly remembered from my prior research into standing desks that you use 0.7 calories a minute by just standing instead of sitting.

Now that doesn't seem much at first glance, but totting those minutes up over the course of a whole day you are looking at 400 calories!

I don't know about you, but 400 calories is the equivalent of an average session at the gym, one I don't have to steel myself to go to, that will strengthen my lower back, calves, ankles and thighs (all of which have been woefully neglected with all the added driving I have had to do), without undue stress and on the occasions I go to the gym, even the lamest workout will only be adding to 400 calorie burn of my average work day!

Armed with the significant health benefits of a standing desk, I approached my manager about changing my work area from the mundane sitting desk to a standing one, to my surprise, he agreed straight off, the only issue he raised was that we already have allocated desk space, so either a free standing or desk mounted system would be the only option available, so this being Simplified Building, I went on the hunt for inspiration to help me create my own standing desk!

Kee Klamp Standing Multi-tiered Desk

This freestanding desk is perfect for a new home office, offering multiple levels and under-desk storage, this provides everything you need, however, sadly I do not have the room for something this big and I would have to utilise my existing desk, however I like the multi-tiered element this provides.

This static but freestanding desk provides a degree of flexibility that the previous desk does not, being able to change the height is a neat benefit, meaning that you have the option to use it as a sitting or standing desk if you so desire but also being able to relocate it to another position without having to fix it to a wall/ceiling/floor, I like this idea, however I am located in an office with a panelled ceiling so this is not possible, however I really like the adjustability.

The desktop standing desk is a very neat solution that will suit my purpose beautifully, however does not have the adjustability that I liked from the last solution nor the monitor shelf from the first, but I think this will be the basis of my own design.

So, key points for my standing desk design.

• Free standing
• Must use existing desks
• Must be adjustable to enable different standing heights

So putting my thinking cap on and consulting with my design team, we have come up with this:

This frame has been designed to allow you to easily adjust the height of both the screen height and the keyboard and mouse shelf.

Using a special fitting (the 114-6) it allows us to use cross bracing to secure the angle of the two side supports at a variable angle, if you want the monitor height higher, simple increase the angle, to lower, reduce the angle, the keyboard shelf is adjusted by moving the 10-6's, the overhang of the locking support can then be used to hang your audio equipment (such as headphones).

I will be building this over the next week or so, so watch this space!