How to Choose a Desk for Your Home Office: Sizes, Types and Heights

How do you choose a desk for a home office?

Answer these questions first:

1. What will you do at it? Laptop work, a big monitor, paperwork and homework all need different space.
2. Where will it go? Against a wall, in a corner, or in the middle of the room facing the door.
3. How much room do you have? Measure the wall, and leave space behind the desk to pull your chair out.
4. What do you need to store? Files, supplies, a printer, books.
5. How tall are you? A fixed-height desk fits some people better than others.

Then compare the numbers. Our desk pages list the width, depth and height, and many also list the kneehole size. We pulled those numbers from our desk collection to build this guide.

What are the main types of desks?

Makers use desk names in different ways. Here is how the main types on our site compare, using the sizes on their product pages:

What is a desk pedestal?

A pedestal is the stack of drawers that holds up one side of the desk top. Wikipedia describes a pedestal desk as a large, flat desk resting on two pedestals of drawers, often with a central drawer above the user's knees. On many of our pedestal desks the bottom drawer of each stack is a file drawer. The Vienna Single Pedestal Desk, for example, lists a pencil drawer in the center and a file drawer at the bottom of the stack.

What is the standard desk height?

Here is how the 182 desks on our site that list a work surface height break down:

Cornell University's ergonomics guide says a surface used for both writing on paper and computer work should be 28 to 30 inches above the floor, which it calls suitable for most adults. A standard desk sits at or just above the top of that range.

What height should a desk be for you?

OSHA's Computer Workstations eTool describes a neutral sitting posture: shoulders relaxed, elbows close to your body and bent between 90 and 120 degrees, forearms roughly parallel to the floor, and feet flat on the floor or a footrest. For typing, OSHA says your elbows should be about the same height as the keyboard.

A quick test: sit with your feet flat and arms relaxed, bend your elbows, and measure from the floor to your forearm. That's about where your keyboard belongs. If it's lower than the desk top, OSHA notes a keyboard tray may be needed when the work surface or chair can't be adjusted.

How do you raise or lower a desk?

• Desk too low: OSHA suggests stable risers under the legs.
• Desk too high: raise your chair and add a footrest so your feet stay supported.
• Thighs hit the center drawer: OSHA suggests removing the center drawer of a traditional desk. On our site, 40 desk listings offer a keyboard pullout in place of a drawer.

OSHA also says the work surface should generally be no more than 2 inches thick.

How deep should a desk be?

Depth decides how far your screen sits from you. OSHA says to place the monitor directly in front of you, at least 20 inches away, and gives 20 to 40 inches from eyes to screen as the generally preferred distance.

Here is how deep the 155 freestanding desks on our site are (corner, U-shaped and L-shaped desks left out):

• Under 24 inches: 12 desks, mostly compact pieces.
• 24 to just under 26 inches: 81 desks. 79 are exactly 24 inches, the most common depth.
• 26 to just under 30 inches: 31 desks.
• 30 inches or more: 31 desks, most of them executive desks.

For a large monitor or two screens, OSHA notes that a corner gives more depth than a straight run of desk.

How wide should a desk be?

Width depends on what sits on the desk. The median width of the freestanding desks on our site is 60 inches: 60 desks are 48 to just under 60 inches wide, and 67 are 60 to just under 72.

• 36 to 48 inches: a laptop, a lamp and a notepad.
• 48 to 60 inches: one monitor with room for paperwork beside it.
• 60 inches and up: two monitors, or a computer on one side and open writing space on the other.

Measure doorways and stairs too, especially for large executive and L-shaped desks.

How much leg room does a desk need?

OSHA's work space guidance gives minimum clearance under a work surface of 20 inches wide, 17 inches deep at knee level and 24 inches deep at foot level. It also says the space under a desk should stay free of files, computer towers, books and storage.

On our site, 54 desks list a kneehole width, from 21 to 32½ inches. Of the 58 that list a kneehole height, 39 are 24 inches high, and the range is 23 to 27¼ inches. If you are tall, compare kneehole sizes before you compare finishes.

Which drawers and features matter most?

• File drawers: 152 desk listings mention one. Some pages say whether it fits letter or legal folders.
• Keyboard pullouts: 35 listings have one built in, and 95 more offer it as an option.
• Pencil drawer: a shallow center drawer for pens and small items, mentioned on 90 listings.
• Finished back: 60 listings say the back is finished so the desk can face the room.
• Cords and computers: 7 L-desks list a surge protector in the kneehole, and 13 listings mention a CPU door, opening or pullout.

For more storage, add file cabinets or bookcases. Our bookcase depth and shelf spacing guide covers how to size shelves for an office wall.

Should you get a standing desk?

OSHA recommends changing working positions often during the day, including doing some tasks standing. Cornell's guide is more cautious: it says there is scant evidence that sit-stand furniture has cost-effective benefits, though there may be a reduction in back discomfort.

The lift desks on our site list these height ranges:

• 27½ to 40½ inches on three models, including the Kingston Lift Desk, which has a dual motor lift and pencil drawers on each side.
• 28¼ to 45¼ inches on the Lift Desk.
• 29½ to 51½ inches on the 52 Adjustable Desk.

Standing or sitting, set the top so your elbows are about level with the keyboard. If you are tall, check the maximum height.

What is a rolltop desk, and what is a secretary desk?

Rolltop desk: Wikipedia describes it as a pedestal desk with stacked compartments and drawers in front of the user, covered by a tambour of linked wooden slats that rolls down to close. Our 22 rolltop desks are 36 to 62 inches wide and 42 to 57 inches tall, and 16 list a pullout writing board above the drawer stacks.

Secretary desk: Wikipedia describes a base with wide drawers and a hinged writing surface, typically with a bookcase above. Our 7 secretary desks are 20¾ to 24 inches deep, and the tallest is just over 88 inches.

Both let you close up your work at the end of the day. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Anchor It! campaign says anchoring furniture with drawers, doors and shelves to the wall prevents tip-over injuries, which applies to tall secretaries and desks with hutches.

Where can you see desks in Lancaster, PA?

You can try desk heights, open drawers and check kneeholes in our showrooms in Intercourse, PA (13 Center St), Lancaster, PA (2460 Lincoln Hwy E) and Murrells Inlet, SC (12052 Hwy 17 Bypass N). We're open Monday to Friday 10 to 5 and Saturday 9 to 5. See the location page for directions.

Kings Amish Furniture has been a family business since 1986, when it began in Raymond King's woodshop. Most of our furniture is made to order, so you can usually choose the wood, stain and hardware. See how custom ordering works and our office collections. Don't forget the office chair: chair and desk height work together.

Desks from our office collection

Frequently asked questions

What is the average height of a desk?

About 30 inches. On our site, 180 of the 182 desks that list a work surface height are 30 to 31 inches, and the most common is 30½ inches.

How deep should a desk be for a monitor?

OSHA says the monitor should be at least 20 inches from your eyes, with 20 to 40 inches generally preferred. A 24-inch-deep desk is the most common size on our site; large or multiple monitors often call for more depth or a corner desk.

Can a desk sit in the middle of a room?

Yes, if the back is finished. On our site, 60 desk listings say the back is finished so the desk can face the room.

Which desk is best for a small space?

A writing desk or a single pedestal desk. On our site, writing desks start at 36 inches wide, and single pedestal desks run 42 to 54 inches wide.

Sources

• OSHA Computer Workstations eTool: Desks
• OSHA Computer Workstations eTool: Work Space
• OSHA Computer Workstations eTool: Good Working Positions
• OSHA Computer Workstations eTool: Monitors
• OSHA Computer Workstations eTool: Keyboards
• Cornell University CUErgo: Ergonomic Guidelines for Arranging a Computer Workstation
• U.S. CPSC Anchor It!: How to anchor
• Wikipedia: Pedestal desk, Rolltop desk and Secretary desk
• Product pages on kingsamishfurniture.com (sizes and features as listed in November 2026)

How we made this guide: we compared the sizes and features listed on the desks in our desk collection, read the ergonomic and safety guidance from OSHA, Cornell University and the CPSC above, and reviewed questions customers ask our team. Every fact was checked against our product pages.