Do I want a standing desk?

I am spending the majority of my time at a desk now. I try to remember to get up and move but it's pretty easy to get engrossed in what I'm doing and not move much more than a mouse or a pen for hours on end. 

I'm considering a standing desk conversion like this.

Has anyone used one before? If so, what do you have? Like it? Love it? Never use it? Give me the lowdown on standing desks. 

Thanks. 

I built one using an uplift frame, and it's one of the best things I've done. I have an alarm set to remind me to get up a few times a day, and it seems to make a difference vs just sitting all day. I went with uplift because it's power vs a manual one, figuring I wouldn't do it unless it was easy. 

I have one that looks almost identical to the one you pictured. I have 2 monitors on it. It's great. I'll end up standing for 30 minutes-1 hour a few times per day. It definitely breaks up the monotony!

Yes do it.

Mine moves the whole desk and you program sitting and standing settings.  See if you can ditch the recessed keyboard tray.  Mine drove me crazy because i prefer a single level desk surface.  It takes a few days to get used to then you'll never want to give it up.

Ps the new fad amongst the skinny jeans latte sippers is to cycle at your desk.  Standing is dated.

This is a timely post; I just made the leap to a sit/stand electric desk and think it's been worth it. Heres the day of the upgrade:

ignore the old desk and chair off to the side. So far I feel like it keeps me moving more. It remains to be seen if it helps with what I think is partially RSI in my shoulder. 
 

My brother went with a converter like you posted and has had great luck. He really likes it and uses the ability to switch back and forth a lot. 

I have the desk you posted (it looks like a varidesk to me). I like it but I would recommend the full size powered desk or table. It moves all your stuff including notes, paperwork, phone and I found that when I had that in an office before wfh I used it more than I use the varidesk. 

Mrs Heretic uses a Varidesk that she loves. It is easily adjustable, heavy, and doesn't shake with two monitors. www.vari.com: VariDesk Standing Desk Converters

You need to figure out how to mount it over a treadmill.

I can't stand for extended periods so I built JimBo's laydown desk.

I have a setup at work like dculberson shows above and I would recommend you give it a try.  I lucked out and stole an older L-shaped desk when someone else left the office and having all that space at the higher level is nice.  I rarely stand all day, but a few hours up and a few down is pretty typical.

I made my dads drafting board into a desk - great idea?  50 years of him drawing?

Worst desk ever - I end up slouching - probably going to get something else.  
 

If you get the Merkur XR4Ti (bi-level) adjustable type make sure the lower ledge has room for a keyboard AND MOUSE.

I'm 6-5 and my company bought Varidesks but the extra tall model had a tiny keyboard ledge. I ended up having to keep the mouse up high and it sucked.

But do it. 

Several of my team members switched to powered standing desks that live at standing height. I swapped the piston in my chair for a bar height piston so I can leave the desk up, and still sit when I need to give my feet a break.  The standing desk adapters are a bit of a pain and usually end up ignored after a few weeks. 

I started with one of the Vari-desks several years ago at a job and used it regularly.  I probably used it standing much more than sitting.

I found I was able to focus better on some tasks when standing vs sitting. I used some creativity to get my phone, laptop, and 2 monitors on it.

My next job had the powered desk that adjusted and that was even better. 

When Covid hit and I was WFH I search CL and FB to get a used Vari-desk and still use it when I work from home. 

I got one about a month ago and LOVE it. I do almost all of my client calls standing up because I just seem to think better. Emails I do sitting. I bought the $180ish model off of Amazon and it's been great. Honestly I wish I had done it years ago. 
we have the adapter things that sit on a desk in our office in DC and they suck. Just get the full powered standing desk. 

In the early 80s, the place I work had a major remodel.  Tables used for assembly and just about everything else in an industrial environment were tossed in dumpsters.  2 X 1" oak boards, glued and bolted together for 8 to 20ft. long tables.  They went out the gate 1 to 10 at a time on the night shifts!  I put one on an electric stand.  Standing or sitting for long sucks, mix it up is good.

I had a standing desk at work for probably 6 or 7 years.  I raised it up maybe once or twice to confirm that, yeah, I prefer sitting.  To each his own.

They are certainly trendy.  I would try to simulate it as best your can before committing to anything.

Another fan here. I have been searching for one since before Covid, off and on, but my budget is basically zero. I had one at a prior job, and it was excellent. 

My advice, as our office had a few different versions: 

1. It is clear that this is what you want, but just to be overly pendantic, make sure that you're getting a sit-stand, not just a standing desk.
2. Get one that the entire workstation moves up and down. The varidesks are good, but having your coffee move up with your keyboard is nice, and being able to jot something down on paper without leaning over is even nicer. 
3. If you can, use it prior to buying. I liked the manual ones that you pushed a release button and moved it up or down yourself, and one of the power versions that my department used. I did not like the crank version (though probably pretty easy to hook a power drill up to it), nor did I like one of the power versions that were too slow. But, there was a reason they had 5 versions available. 
4. Bigger is better... But also more expensive
5. I've looked at a lot of DIY solutions. This is a situation where I would just pay the money. 
6. If you're on concrete, you'll want an anti-fatigue mat. 

ProDarwin said:

I had a standing desk at work for probably 6 or 7 years.  I raised it up maybe once or twice to confirm that, yeah, I prefer sitting.  To each his own.

Same here. I did find raising handy for vacuum cleaning underneath and for occasionally rearranging cables.

Had them at a previous employer. People used the for the first month, some 2. Then stopped. 

914Driver said:

In the early 80s, the place I work had a major remodel.  Tables used for assembly and just about everything else in an industrial environment were tossed in dumpsters.  2 X 1" oak boards, glued and bolted together for 8 to 20ft. long tables.  They went out the gate 1 to 10 at a time on the night shifts!  I put one on an electric stand.  Standing or sitting for long sucks, mix it up is good.

That is absolutely gorgeous!

I have an Uplift desk at work and recommended it to my mom for her home office.  They're easy to use, with a nice range of height and having the whole desktop rise up is much nicer than accidentally cracking your knees into the normal desk.  She's been very happy with it, and got one of the motion boards with it to work her core as well. 

We've had them at our office for about 7 years, ours are motorized and the whole top raises and lowers with several heights that can be pre-set.  I typically stand for most of the day now other than sitting for the video calls or lunch.  They bought us anti-fatigue mats when we got the desks, I used it for the first couple of weeks while my feet adjusted but it's been behind my plan table ever since.  As others have mentioned I would recommend getting the entire desk top option as all of your work items, monitors and so on will be at the level you're working at.

Yeah, those former industrial table tops would be worth an absolute fortune nowadays. A former tenant had a lot of furniture like that and they were paying $1500+ per table.

I forgot to mention:  before I fell into the deal for the desk I have, I was considering buying one from Monoprice. They have a good reputation and you can get just the base and add a table top or get one with a table top, all for a reasonable deal:

https://www.monoprice.com/category/pages/home-and-office

They have cheap ones with a single motor but if I was doing it I would buy the dual motor base and either use a nice wood top I already have or find one locally via online classifieds or at Ikea. A butcher block top from Lumber Liquidators or Menards would also be very nice. Looks like LL has "Havea" (whatever that is) 60" x 30" for $99. Personally I'd probabaly go for maple stained a bit darker.

That LL price is a good deal.  I think I paid $200 for a top, but mine is 72 x 24" from LowesDepot.  They make good desks, however they aren't as dead flat as you'd hope - you'll notice in your mousing area. 

(not a standing desk)

dculberson said:

Looks like LL has "Havea" (whatever that is) 60" x 30" for $99. Personally I'd probabaly go for maple stained a bit darker.

Also one more minor note on this if you are making a desk out of it:  30" is too wide to fit through a lot of interior doorways.  My primary work desk is 30" and if I were making it again I'd do 28" for this reason.