Different desks have different depths.
However, there are standard dimensions for different usages, and if you are wondering what the right desk size is for you, keep reading, and you’ll find all the answers in this article.
How Deep Should a Desk Be?
On average, a standard (office) desk is 28 inches deep (ranging from 24 inches to 32 inches) and 48 inches wide (ranging from 46 inches to 56 inches). However, different desks are not limited to these ranges and can vary for various uses, as discussed in the article.
Before we dive in, just as a quick outline:
- First, we’ll categorize different types of desks and mention the standard dimensions for each.
- Then, we’ll discuss the importance of desk depth and the main factors to consider when choosing one.
- And finally, we’ll review a few smart tips and tricks to maximize your desk space(depth).
Standard Desk Dimensions:
Standard desk dimensions include depth, width, and height of desks.
- Depth (D): Measuring from back to front
- Width (W): Measuring from left to right
- Height (H): Measuring from floor to top
While a standard range can be set for depth and width, the desk’s height depends on your height and your chair.
And that is why standing desks are the best option for most people (especially if you are much taller or shorter than average).
Desk Depth: Different Types of Desks
This section will explain the different desk types measurements and mention the average depth for each.
1. Office Desk Depth
Most of us working from home or at the office use these desks.
These desks should be deep and wide enough to hold our work equipments, including laptops and monitors, keyboards and mouses, and necessary files and documents.
So how deep should an office desk be?
Ideally, office desks should be between 26 to 34 inches deep and 52″ to 62″ wide.
2. Gaming Desk Depth
When it comes to gaming desks, it’s all about the experience you have with your display.
Based on your monitor size, your desk should be deep enough, so you can comfortably play your games without hurting your eyes.
A Simple formula here is:
- “Eyes distance to display = Display size (measured diagonally).”
So let’s say you have a 27-inch monitor; when sitting at your desk, your monitor should be 27 inches away from your eyes.
(NOTE: if you have multiple monitors, you must measure them diagonally when sitting beside each other. In other words, from the bottom left corner of monitor #1 to the top right corner of monitor #2.
Again, let’s say you have two 27inch monitors; this doesn’t mean you have a 2*27=54inch screen. when measured diagonally, they’re almost 49 inches together.)
Based on the rule above, now you know the ideal depth needed for your gaming setup. But keep in mind that most monitors tend to sit a few inches closer to the edge of the desk, so add a few inches to make sure it fits easily.
So how deep should a gaming desk be?
Ideally, gaming desks should be between 28″ to 34″ inches deep and 50″ to 65″ wide.
3. Computer Desk Depth
Computer desks are much like the gaming desks; since we’re dealing mainly with monitors here, we can use the monitor distance formula:
- “Eyes distance to display = Display size (measured diagonally).”
So let’s say you have a 27-inch monitor; when sitting at your desk, your monitor should be 27 inches away from your eyes.
(NOTE: if you have multiple monitors, you must measure them diagonally when sitting beside each other. In other words, from the bottom left corner of monitor #1 to the top right corner of monitor #2.
Again, let’s say you have two 27inch monitors; this doesn’t mean you have a 2*27=54inch screen. when measured diagonally, they’re almost 49 inches together.)
Based on the rule above, now you know the ideal depth needed for your computer setup. But keep in mind that most monitors tend to sit a few inches closer to the edge of the desk, so add a few inches to make sure it fits easily.
So how deep should a computer desk be?
Ideally, computer desks should be between 28″ to 34″ inches deep and 50″ to 65″ wide.
4. Standing Desk Depth (Height Adjustable)
Standing (height adjustable) desks are trendy these days. decreasing or increasing desk height to match your stature and switching between sitting and standing with the click of a button makes all the difference.
Since these desks can be used almost for everything, it’s hard to find a specific standard depth that matches all. Instead, you can pick the measurements for other mentioned desks based on your work.
Having said that, So, on average, how deep should a standing desk be?
Ideally, standing desks should be between 24″ to 32″ inches deep and 46″ to 56″ wide.
5. Executive Desk Depth
Executive desks are usually heavier and larger with lots of drawers.
Primarily used in formal offices, these desks are made larger for practicality and aesthetics. They should be deep enough for executives to comfortably use their laptops or computer while reading or writing different documents. At the same time, they should be wide enough for executives to look over the desk and communicate with colleagues or clients.
So how deep should an executive desk be?
Ideally, executive desks should be between 32″ to 40″ inches deep and 55″ to 70″ wide.
6. Writing Desk Depth
Small, simple, practical. As the name suggests, these desks are used for writing/typing and reading. Not much electronics and big equipments are supposed to be on these desks.
In most cases, writing desks are only deep enough to hold a few documents or maybe a laptop.
So how deep should an office desk be?
Ideally, office desks should be between 20″ to 26″ inches deep and 45″ to 54″ wide.
7. Children’s Desk Depth
Children use their desks primarily for drawing, homework, and playing. Rather than the depth, the more critical factor for children is the desk’s height. The desk’s height should match the child’s height and the chair that’s being used, so they can comfortably sit at the desk.
So how deep should children’s desks be?
Ideally, children’s desks should be between 18 to 23 inches deep and 36″ to 44″ wide.
Table 1: Depth for Different Desks (inch):
| Desk Type | Depth | Width | Height | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Desk | 26 to 34 inches | 52 to 62 inches | 28 to 30 inches | |
| Gaming Desk | 28 to 34 inches | 50 to 65 inches | 28 to 30 inches | |
| Computer Desk | 28 to 34 inches | 50 to 65 inches | 28 to 30 inches | |
| Standing Desk | 24 to 32 inches | 46 to 56 inches | Adjustable | |
| Executive Desk | 32 to 40 inches | 55 to 70 inches | 28 to 30 inches | |
| Writing Desk | 20 to 26 inches | 45 to 54 inches | 28 to 30 inches | |
| Children Desk | 18 to 23 inches | 36 to 44 inches | 18 to 28 inches |
Table 2: Depth for Different Desks (cm):
| Desk Type | Depth | Width | Height | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Desk | 66 to 86 cm | 132 to 157 cm | 71 to 76 cm | |
| Gaming Desk | 71 to 86 cm | 127 to 165 cm | 71 to 76 cm | |
| Computer Desk | 71 to 86 cm | 127 to 165 cm | 71 to 76 cm | |
| Standing Desk | 61 to 81 cm | 116 to 142 cm | Adjustable | |
| Executive Desk | 81 to 101 cm | 140 to 178 cm | 71 to 76 cm | |
| Writing Desk | 51 to 66 cm | 114 to 137 cm | 71 to 76 cm | |
| Children Desk | 45 to 58 cm | 91 to 100 cm | 71 to 76 cm |
Desk Depth: Why Is It Important?
Besides your chair and desk height, your desk depth is directly related to your comfort while working and, therefore, your health in the long term.
Having a too narrow desk means that your eyes are too close to monitors, which is the leading cause of eye strain.
On the other hand, if the desk is too deep, you’ll have to lean forward or adjust your eyes’ focus to read small texts, and in the long term, both your back and eyes will be affected.
Now, let’s review the essential factors for choosing a desk depth that fits your needs.
Desk Depth: What Desk Size Is Best For You?
The following are a few main factors to consider when choosing a desk:
1. Monitor Size
it’s simple, the bigger display you have, the deeper desk you’ll need.
Using the eye-monitor distance formula mentioned earlier, you can estimate the depth needed for your desk:
- “Eyes distance to display = Display size (measured diagonally).”
And for example if you have a dual monitor setup, your screen size includes both of them.
2. Room Space
before picking any desks, you must know where they will be placed.
Make sure you check all the measurements beforehand to ensure your desk and chair fit perfectly in the room.
3. Budget
Usually, the bigger the desk is, the more it will cost. However, a desk is not something that I recommend going cheap on.
A desk is the foundation of any working setup; also (if chosen correctly), it is a long-term purchase.
So instead of an expense, it’s an investment both for your health and productivity.
These are just a few essential factors determining your max and minimum desk depth. However, based on your environment and your work, there can be many more factors to consider.
Also, you can read this article for more information about choosing the perfect desk size
Desk Depth: How To Maximize Available Space on Desk?
But what if you have a narrow desk? No worries, here are five clever methods you can maximize your desk depth:
1. Monitor Stands or Arms
Using monitor arms not only clears more space(depth) on your desk but also makes it much easier for you to adjust the position of the screens for a more comfortable experience.
- Monitor stands usually come with dividers built-in. So not only do they free up a good amount of space below your monitor, but also they help you organize that new space.
- Monitor arms, on the other hand, are much more flexible. Especially if you spend many hours at your desk, they are the best option for comfort and freeing up space.
2. Keyboard/Mouse Trays
Keyboard/mouse trays are the other option. Moving your keyboard and mouse under the desk can save a good amount of space on the desk and, at the same time, increases your distance relative to the monitor.
However, I’m not a big fan of keyboard trays and suggest that you install them only if you need to. In my experience, most keyboard trays are a bit shaky and also limit the legroom.
3. Wall Shelves and Pegboards
- Shelves: basically, you can use them for anything that can fit there: books, files, plants, high school trophies, and even your speakers.
- Pegboards: pegboards are an excellent choice for hanging headsets, calendars, connection cables that you often need, and the best one, a photo of your loved ones.
4. Cable Management
The simple rule here is to minimize the number of visible cables. The more lines you hide, the cleaner and larger your desk look.
A few simple tips on cable management:
- Use a wireless mouse and keyboard.
- use under desk cable management racks and trays to hide all power outlets, extra cables, modem router, etc.
- try to pass your monitor cables through the stand or the arm.
- never leave your charging cables for your phone, laptop, and other gadgets on the desk. Organize them in a way that the minimum amount of cables is visible.
5. Wall Mounted Monitor
Instead of trying to place your monitor on your desk, install it on the wall if possible.
That way, you are no longer limited to your desk depth, and also, you can create a gap between your desk and wall if you want more distance from the monitor.
Desk Depth: How About Multiple Monitors?
If you have a dual monitor setup (or even more), I highly recommend reading my article on desk size for multiple monitors for more detailed instructions.
Again, the primary solution here is using the eye-monitor distance formula.
- “Eyes distance to display = Display size (measured diagonally).”
But what most people mistake here is measuring the monitor size; it doesn’t matter how many monitors you have; this is how you should measure your overall display size:
put your monitors beside each other edge to edge to form one giant display; now, measure the diagonal distance between the left-top corner to the bottom-right corner. That is your overall screen size.
Conclusion
As discussed in this article, desk depth can vary vastly for different types of desks, but considering the main factors, we mentioned the average depth and width of other desks.
Now, to conclude all the information you need for different desk depths here’s:
How Deep A Desk Should Be:
- Office Desk Depth: 26″ to 34″
- Gaming Desk Depth: 28″ to 34″
- Computer Desk Depth: 28″ to 34″
- Standing Desk Depth: 24″ to 32″
- Executive Desk Depth: 32″ to 40″
- Writing Desk Depth: 20″ to 26″
- Children Desk Depth: 18″ to 23″
By reading this article, I hope you get all the information you need about desk depth, its importance, and the ways to maximize it on any desk.
Before you leave, here are two related articles that may be helpful for you:
How to Fit Two Monitors on a Small desk
Have a nice day : )
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