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If you regularly work on the computer or your workshop, you will want to raise up your desk to the right height. This will help you relieve muscle tension and reduce unnecessary stress.
When you are working in a comfortable position, you can relieve neck and back pain. That will reduce the chances of repetitive stress injury caused by a non-fitting desk height.
There are many ways to give extra height to your desk so that you can feel good while working. Raise up your desk to work comfortably and enjoy a boost in your productivity.
Read on for our best ideas on how to make your desk taller.
How to Make a Desk Taller – 5 Easy and Affordable Solutions
To make a desk taller, the first solution is to use heavy duty desk leg risers. They come in many sizes and materials like plastic or wood to match your desk. If your desk is made of wood, you have the option to use bun feet to make the desk taller. If your desk seems to shake after adding risers, add wooden extensions or felt furniture pads to make it firm. Read on for more easy ways to make your desk taller.
1. Use Risers
Using furniture risers is the most common method to add extra height to tables and desks. You can buy these heavy duty desk leg risers online, and they come in different sizes.
If you need to increase your table’s height by 3 inches, there are a few ways. So how do you raise a desk height by 3 inches?
Simply buy a riser that has a height of 3 inches. They also come in 4 inches to 8 inches, or in adjustable sets to meet all needs.
Sit down in your chair and test how much extra height you need to work comfortably.
Each package generally consists of 4 pieces of risers. They are usually made of plastic or wood. The risers are made in such a way that they don’t create scratches on the floor.
The edges are well finished so that the floor or the carpet underneath your table doesn’t get damaged.
Risers can be used when you don’t want to add permanent height to your desk, or you want to add height as quickly as possible. You will need four pieces of risers for your table with four legs.
They are strong enough to hold your table.
You can also paint the risers to match the color of your desk. Clean the risers of any debris and use prep-free DIY paint made for indoor furniture.
It will give the table a better look, and no one will notice the extra risers beneath your computer desk.
2. Add Bun Feet
For wooden tables, you can use bun feet to raise the height of the table. They are usually rounded and 3 to 4 inches in height.
These leg extensions can add anywhere from 4 inches to up to 10 inches to the height of your table. They can also be removed later if you wish.
You can find them online or in your nearby hardware store. If your desk has four legs, make sure to buy four bun feet.
To install the bun feet, you first need to make holes underneath the table legs, on the bottom of the table feet. Make holes with a 0.25-inch diameter with an electric drill.
Then take one bun foot and attach it to the hole.
Similar to risers, you can paint the wood bun feet to make it blend in with your table.
3. Get Wooden Extension
You might feel like your desk is shaking, or not stable enough, after you added something to give some extra height to your table.
It might be happening because the extension hasn’t been set correctly. You can add wood, felt pieces, or furniture levelers to make your desk feel firm.
Follow these steps to add a wooden extension to your desk. This will not only make your desk taller but also give a steady solution.
- At first, you have to find short wood pieces. You can buy them from a hardware store or a thrift store. While purchasing the wood pieces, buy the ones that match the width of your table legs. Also, match the wood or buy a similar kind.
- You will need to make holes at the bottom of each leg. For this, you will need to turn your desk upside down. Be careful so that you don’t hurt yourself. Before drilling the hole, find the center of the legs and mark it with a pen.
- Then take an electric drill and make holes. The holes should be 0.25 inches deep. Then place one tee nut at each leg and insert them in the hole. With the help of a hammer, pound the tee nut in the hole so that it sets properly.
- Using hanger bolts, place the wooden pieces in the hole. With the help of a screwdriver, tighten them well so that the wood pieces are appropriately set.
4. Replace With New Legs
You can make a desk taller with screw in legs. You have two options here: adding screw in feet or installing brand new desk legs.
Installing new desk legs to replace the old legs is another way to change the height of your desk permanently.
Replacing the old legs will make your desk taller permanently.
You can also get motorized desk legs.
First, you will need to uninstall the old legs from your desk. Most table legs can be uninstalled with a Phillips head screwdriver or Allen key.
With the help of a screwdriver and a few screws, you can successfully install new legs to your table.
5. Use a Desk Converter
Fiddling with the table legs is not the only way to get the desk height that you need.
You can also get a desk converter.
They have an adjustable height range, such as 4.5″ to 20″. You can change it to the height you need in a moment.
It’s like adding superpowers to your desk. Works best when you are happy with your current desk and you don’t need extra legroom.
This adjustable workstation works with monitors and laptops. It quickly adjusts from sitting to standing.
Bonus Tips: Height Adjustable Desk or Chair
You can use any of these methods to increase the height of your desk. But if you need an alternative approach, I also have them.
You can get a desk with an adjustable height for sitting and standing. Use the touch controller to find the right position that feels comfortable to your shoulders.
Adjustable Desk Frame-Only (Sit/Stand)
If you already have a favorite table top, you can buy the frame-only and attach your own desk top.
Adjustable Office Chair
If your table is just the ideal one for you. Perhaps you’ve tried adding furniture risers and feel like something’s missing. Make sure you have an adjustable chair to make your sitting position more comfortable.
What Should a Desk Height Be?
You may be feeling discomfort, however, what exactly is the correct work and desk height? It depends on how tall you are, what you’re doing on a day-to-day basis, what tools you’re using, and existing health conditions.
First, if you’re working on the computer, make sure your elbow has a natural bend. This is about 70-130 degrees.
If you often write with pen and paper, you will benefit from a higher desk to reduce slouching.
If you work on the computer, reduce slouching by raising the monitor to eye-level. You can achieve this with a couple of thick books or a desk extension.
Your keyboard will be lower to give your elbows a natural bend. Touch typists often prefer a wider bend (closer to 130 degrees), meaning a slightly shorter desk height.
Hunt and pick typists often feel more comfortable with a bend closer to 90 degrees.
Your desk and chair come as a package, so also check your chair height. Adjustable chairs come in handy here.
To reduce repetitive stress injury from sitting too long, consider a sitting and standing table set up where you can switch between those.
To keep you healthy during long work hours, you can consider getting an under-desk bike.
How to Raise a Desk?
Getting your desk’s ideal height is an essential factor that will make your working and reading experience worthwhile. Since I work for 8 hours a day, I realized I needed to raise a desk by 4 inches.
How to Raise a Desk 4 Inches – Lifts Height 1″, 2″, 3″, or 4″ with solid wood
If you’re also wondering how to raise a desk because you want to better enjoy your work or reading hobby, check out these ways to get the perfect desk height.
Here are products on Amazon that you can use to raise height of a reading desk or working table:
- Furniture Risers
- Bun Feet
- New Desk Legs
- Want a brand new desk? Choose an adjustable Desk
- Love your current table top? Choose an adjustable Desk Frame-Only
- You can also raise your desk by getting an adjustable Office Chair
- Tip: To match the color, use a Wood Paint finish (interior/ exterior)
Common Questions on How to Make a Desk Taller
1. What can I put under my desk to raise it?
You can use a layer of plastic, like furniture risers, to make your desk taller.
These simply slide under your table legs. They stay secure with the lip design, as well as the weight of your desk.
Another option is wood, like bun feet. You can attach them using strong wood glue.
This will be a more permanent solution because it requires you to attach it to the table legs to raise the height. Either by gluing or drilling into the bottom of the table legs.
For each method, measure the thickness of your desk legs. Then get the attachment that is the same or slightly larger thickness than the desk legs.
Along with your desired height, consider the shape. Choose round for round desk legs and square for square ones.
Finally, choose the right shade that will blend in with your furniture. If your desk is dark, a black desk riser will usually do the job without attracting much attention to them.
2. What is the easiest way to make my desk taller?
Bonus tip: You can simply add a monitor stand to your desk.
These usually come with features like saving space on your desk with a desk organizer.
3. How do you add feet to a desk?
At this point, you may be wondering how to add feet to a desk.
You can use a screwdriver and wood screws. Check out our bun feet guide and suggested video in tip #2.
If your desk doesn’t get lifted often, is relatively heavy, or otherwise stays where it is, you can simply slip on risers underneath your desk legs.
First, check out the shape of your desk’s legs. Then, measure the thickness with a ruler.
Next, sit up straight and bend your elbow at a 90 degree angle and measure how much higher you need your desk to be. This is usually the recommended angle for most situations, however, make adjustments according to your needs.
Then, you can get circular risers for circular legs. There are square risers for square legs.
Takeaway
Those were several options for you on how to make your desk taller, whether you are looking for raising your desk a few inches or raising your table up to counter height with a whole foot. Depending of what your needs are, you’ll get an ergonomic sitting position for your computer desk or a good height to work on your projects.
Give one of the options a try. Your shoulders and back will thank you.
I hope you found this article helpful. Share the helpfulness on social media, and if you know another way to increase desk height easily, don’t hesitate to share in the comments section.
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