DIY Stand Up Desks...

[RainCityMacFan]

Finally graduated and after sitting for four years, I'm starting to look like the hunch back of Notre Dame.

I figured with my new job and signing bonus I should buy a stand up desk from IKEA. The Bekant desk costs roughly $500. I still have a student's mindset so the desk seems pretty expensive :/ (Actually, all furniture seems expensive since I never bought furniture before)

So does anyone have any experience with a DIY desk like this one? Or is the IKEA Bekant desk worth the $$?

 

[millerj123]

I went with the idea here http://www.theimaginaryzebra.com/my-diy-standing-desk-the-2231-ikea-hack/ about 7 months ago. The Lack tables don't stand up well to moving, but on a desk they shouldn't, unless you constantly re-arrange furniture. I sit on a bar stool when I get tired.

 

[RainCityMacFan]

Wow that's awesome!

It's the same as the link I provided but with more details. It should save me ≈$250. Does it wobble or anything?

 

[millerj123]

I wasn't too careful about assembly, so yeah, it wobbled a bit. I've moved it three times, and adjusted the legs so it's flat right now. I'm using cardboard boxes for keyboard and mouse trays, because my typing causes the monitors to wobble back and forth. That's with 2 x 30" monitors. If the bottom of the desk is kicked, they noticeably wobble.

 

[chown33]

Wow that's awesome!

It's the same as the link I provided but with more details. It should save me ≈$250. Does it wobble or anything?

The low-cost DIYs won't be electrically adjustable, and may not be adjustable at all. From the page for the $489 BEKANT:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19022530/

You can adjust the height of the table top electrically from 22" to 48" to ensure an ergonomic working position.​

The BEKANT is electrically adjustable (height).
The DIY in your first post isn't adjustable at all.

Given the two examples, I don't know if you want adjustability or not. It would help in giving advice if you were to clearly state the features you want/need and the ones you don't care about or are willing to trade away for cost.

For example, from the bottom of the Imaginary Zebra post, there's a link to a manually adjustable DIY desk:
http://spacekat.me/blog/2012/07/26/diy-standing-desk/

And at the bottom of that page is a link to a Steel Pipe Standing Desk, which is very sturdy but not adjustable.

 

[Suture]

I have the BEKANT desk at home. Think I've had it for about 4 months. I use it often, as I work from home 3-4 days/week. I was surprised how heavy the motorized assembly is, but the desk as a whole seems well-built. It has netting underneath the desk to hold the power supply as well as route any cords you may have. I raise/lower it often to get a rest from sitting. No issues.

 

[RainCityMacFan]

Motorized feature isn't a must but it's a nice feature. Not sure if it's that big of an improvement from DIY.

What I'm really looking for is stability and a budget. As long as the DIY doesn't wobble a ton, I'll be happy. I'm also afraid of the motor breaking on the motorized tables.

 

[Suture]

That was my biggest reservation about spending that much extra for the motorized version. If it breaks... I will be pretty upset. But I figured I'd use it a lot, and that came to be the case. I don't think I would be comfortable standing the entire time at my desk, so it works out in my case. You may want to check the Ikea Hackers website (http://www.ikeahackers.net) for some more ideas.