It can be super frustrating looking for a monitor mount if you have a thick desk. Desks that have drawers or some other sort of integrated storage are typical offenders here.
We touch on this problem for microphone arms for thick desks as well. The solutions are very different to monitor mounting, however.
We all can appreciate the benefits and the good looks of these desk clamping monitor arms. But these clamps typically have a max desk thickness of around 2-3 inches which is maddening for the thick desk folks out there.
In this article, we’re going to talk about ways you can get around this. Don’t lose hope just yet!
We’re going to talk about three main categories of solutions:
- Out-of-the-box solutions – i.e. monitor mounts that simply support thicker desks
- Workarounds or “hacks” for existing monitor mounts
- Alternatives to desk clamp monitor mounts
There are a few options in each of these categories so surely one of these solutions will work for you. Let’s get that monitor mounted!
Key Takeaways
- There are three ways you can approach monitor mounts for thick desks.
- Find larger C-clamp monitor mounts
- Modify the average monitor mount for a thick desk
- Use an alternative solution that gets the same job done
- Everyone will have a different solution depending on their own living situation. We touch on all of these approaches below so you can find the best solution for you.
Out of The Box Monitor Mounts For Thick Desks
Let’s start with the simplest solution, a monitor mount that just works out of the box. Here are some of the largest clamping monitor mounts we could find.
Unfortunately, it’s not a huge improvement, but this is the best solution for those barely not able to make their current monitor mount fit.
The examples below include a dual monitor mount that can support desks up to 3.9 inches in thickness. The single monitor mount below that can support a desk up to 3.5 inches in thickness.
3.9 Inch Desks Dual Monitor Mount
This gas spring monitor arm simplifies assembly and can be set up in 10 minutes or less. It has solid construction and a stable clamp/grommet base for secure holding and allows for a wide range of motion with smooth action.
3.5 Inch Single Monitor Mount
This monitor mount is universal and fits most 17''-30'' monitors. It has a durable gas spring system for easy positioning, supports C-clamp or grommet installation, and improves overall well-being by creating a comfortable viewing angle for work or gaming, reducing strain on the spine, neck, and shoulders.
Hacks To Make A Monitor Mount Work
If the above out-of-the-box mounts didn’t help you because you have a desk that is 5, 6, or 7+ inches in thickness, let’s talk about some other options available to you.
These ideas admittedly are not going to be very pretty, but they will definitely get the job done if you are up to the task.
Keep in mind that some of these options involve not using the product as intended. So understand the risks and use your best judgment before choosing one of the methods we talk about below.
Extend The Back Plate
Most monitor mounts have a clamping assembly composed of two plates. One plate is the ‘top plate’ that rests on top of your desk and connects to the arm. The other piece connects a screw clamp to the first plate.
They connect to each other and make a C shape and work as your desk clamp. They are supposed to at least.
One little DIY trick we can do here is to go out and make an extension plate from some metal plates. Here is an example from a redditor on how they were able to extend their monitor mount to clamp a super thick desk.
They purchased these metal plateson Amazon, and drilled them to fit the hole pattern on his monitor mount.
If you want to minimize the drilling, you can use some t-slot rails that are a bit more adjustable for different desk heights. Just make sure you have a monitor mount that has holes you can mount with.
Here is some t-slot extrusion with some hardware that might be a good way to extend that monitor mount. Be sure to clamp down firmly on those screws!
This pack of 2x 2040 V slot aluminum extrusion can be used for extending your monitor mounting bracket. It is made of high-strength aluminum profiles that are corrosion-resistant.
These are advertised for building a 3D printer, but we can repurpose them. They are thick pieces of aluminum that have all kinds of structural purposes. Very commonly used in industrial applications.
Pair With C-Clamps
If you are not able to get an extension plate working, here is a more straightforward solution to that monitor mount extension. Although it’s a bit uglier.
Because the bottom plate is not working for us, we can put that aside.
Actual c-clamps that are used in the material handling world come in a much larger range of sizes. Here is a set that opens up to 8 inches. That should fit a good amount of desks.
This set of 2 C-clamps is perfect for DIY projects and potentially extending that monitor clamping base. Featuring a screw and thread design that allows you to control the clamping range freely. Each small clamp measures 12.6 x 5.0 x 0.7 inches in length with an 8-inch jaw opening.
The top of the clamp would clamp on the top plate of your monitor mount, and the bottom jaw of the clamp would grab onto the underside of your desk. I recommend using two clamps if possible so you can secure a larger area of the top plate.
If you are worried about the bottom jaw ruining the underside of your desk, use one of these reinforcement plates that are made for thin desks. This will help spread the load.
If the look is repulsive to you, you can add a little distraction in front of the clamps. This could include a plant, a frame, or a functional home assistant like this:
That way you don’t have to look at those ugly clamps! Problem solved!
Use Grommet Mount
Did you know that most desk mounts come with a grommet mount in addition to the c clamp mount?
This is a good option for those who already have grommet holes drilled into their desk. Otherwise, most people are hesitant to drill their desks. Understandably so, it’s a fairly permanent operation.
If you are willing to drill or have an existing grommet mount, you might have a solution here.
The bolt supplied with these grommet mounts is typically the limiter on how thick of a desk can be clamped. If you just used a longer grommet mounting bolt, you can get much more thickness out of your monitor arm!
You can see the grommet mounting method in this product below:
There is a long bolt that needs to be tightened. All you need to do when you get your monitor mount is find out what type of screw it is and get your hands on a longer version of it.
My own monitor mount uses an M10 screw, and chances are that most monitor mounts will use a similar thread. To be sure, just take your mounting screw with you to your local hardware store to double-check.
Here is another example of a desk surface mountable monitor arm:
Alternatives To Desk Clamp Monitor Mounts
If you’re still not sold on any of the above methods, we still have some potential solutions for you. These are starting to drift into the “alternatives” category, so prepare yourself for some compromises.
The good news is all of these solutions will give you a monitor arm regardless of your desk thickness. And they all will work right out of the box. No “hacking” is necessary.
Stand Alone
Stand-alone mounts are simple weighted platforms that have a monitor arm attached. This solution is best for those with two or more monitors. If you just have one monitor, this solution might be too similar to your factory monitor stand.
The desk footprint of a stand-alone mount is much less than two monitor stands. This is because it combines multiple monitors into a single stand. You get the space efficiency advantage here. Here are two examples:
This dual monitor stand fits 13 to 32-inch flat & curved monitors up to 17.6 lbs per arm. It offers fully adjustable articulation with 360° rotation and height adjustment and a sturdy freestanding monitor mount.
This dual monitor stand has a heavier base and supports most 17-32" flat or curved monitors up to 26.4 lbs per arm. It has a flexible mounting plate that has a ±45° tilt range, ±35° swivel, and 360° screen rotation for landscape or portrait orientation.
Wall Mount
If you want a solution that takes up zero desk space, a wall mount is your friend.
We talk about the benefits of wall mounts pretty often here. We have a dedicated article on wall-mounting all-in-one PCs if you have one of those.
Before you drill away into your wall, just think about a few things first.
You want to make sure your desk will be in this location for a fairly long time. Otherwise going through the hassle of making holes in your wall to install a monitor mount won’t be worth it.
This is also not a great option for renters. You have to locate and drill into your home’s studs so you can securely mount that monitor. Here are some single and dual monitor wall mount options.
This adjustable monitor stand offers full motion adjustments, fits 13-32 inch computer screens, and holds your monitor on the wall, freeing up valuable space on your workstation. The gas spring system is built for thousands of cycles and can be tuned to the weight of your monitor.
This dual-arm monitor wall mount raises your monitor to any height, freeing up space on your workstation. It fits 17-32 inch flat & curved monitors up to 17.6 lbs and allows for smooth adjustment with full motion with the built-in gas spring.
Floor Mount
If you have a window behind your desk, I’m jealous. But this also means that you can’t wall mount your monitor.
This brings us to our last alternative monitor mounting solution. This is the infamous floor mount monitor arms.
These can be placed behind your desk and hold a large range of monitors. It’s a pretty clean solution considering. All you see behind your desk is a pole appearing and presenting your monitor. Not even a clamping point!
The downside here is that your feet might bump into this. That will just be an annoyance, not something serious to worry about here.
This adjustable single monitor arm sits on the floor with a long vertical stand. It offers versatility and frees up space on your desk.
Before You Go
If you have a desk with no real lip to mount to, we have a dedicated article on tackling monitor mounts for desks without a lip.