Tall people usually have a different set of problems. They have to deal with not fitting on roller coasters, hitting their head everywhere, and (as apparent in this article) even what desks they fit in!
Whenever you’re at your desk, sitting or standing, it’s important that you have the right desk ergonomics. It’s easy to get wrong. That means sizing a standing or adjustable height desk correctly is super important.
In our last article on the best desks in general for tall people, we ended up concluding that an adjustable-height desk is the best direction to go in. Even if you’re not using it in the standing position, you are simply guaranteed a comfortable working height.
That’s a perfect segway into this article on how to find the perfect standing desk for tall folks.
In this article, we’re going to break down adjustable height desks for tall people so you can find out exactly how to choose a desk with the right height capabilities. At the end, we’ll drop some recommendations as well so you don’t have to do that all by yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Calculate or measure yourself to find your perfect standing desk height.
- Choose a high-quality brand as stability is important for very tall standing desks.
- Ensure the standing desk meets your calculated or measured height requirement.
- Be aware of the few quirks of standing desks so there are no surprises.
Before We Start
Before we start looking for a standing desk, keep these few standing desk quirks in mind.
Avoid Manual Cranking Desks
Try to avoid manual crank standing desks like this. Always try to go with an electronic actuating desk if that is within budget. The manual cranking can get tedious, and it will actually reduce the amount of time you want to use your standing desk.
You’ll subconsciously think about the effort needed to get going with a standing setup, and that can reduce your use in the standing position.
Especially for tall people, you have to turn that manual crank many more times than someone of a shorter height. On the other hand, if you need your desk to move when the power’s out, I guess there is that advantage.
Ideally, you want to go for a dual-motor desk. Single-motor desks can run into some issues that mess with height calibration when under too much load.
Stability Issues On Carpet
Standing desks have some stability issues on the carpet. The taller standing desks get, the less stable they become. This is because you have way more leverage on moving the work surface the higher you go. It’s easier to tip over tall things than short things.
The instability is especially an issue with carpeted floors. Check out this video from Deskhaus illustrating this issue with real standing desks.
If you want to learn more about how standing desks actually work, check out the linked article.
You Will Need To Manage Those Cables
Standing desks can move up and move down. This means all of your cables will be moving up and down.
If you’re a really tall person, that desk is going up high! The cables might not reach up there with you if you have all those cables connected to a power strip on the floor like at a normal desk.
You will need to mount your power strip under your desk when you have a standing desk. Since you are desk mounting your power strip, might as well hide all those wires under your desk too. You’ll thank me later when you see your cable-free workspace.
We have a dedicated article on standing desk cable management if you need a more in-depth guide.
Now that we have those little quirks out of the way, let’s get started with finding the perfect standing desk for your height.
1) Find Your Ideal Standing Desk Height
So how do we find the desk height needed for us? Because this is specific to each person, I recommend checking out this desk height calculator.
First, you input your height and then you input your “position at desk”, which is standing or sitting. Find your sitting height and your standing height.
For example, when I put 6 foot 5 inches in the height section, I get the following two position values:
- Sitting Desk Height: 30 – 33 inches (76.2 – 83.8 cm)
- Standing Desk Height: 46.5 – 50 inches (118.1 – 127 cm)
Now we have a minimum of 30 inches and a maximum of 50 inches. If you don’t trust these numbers blindly, I don’t blame you. You can always measure yourself to confirm.
Sit or stand with your arms at your sides, relaxed. Then bend your elbow to a 90-degree position, as shown in the calculator’s image. Measure the distance between the floor and the underside of your arm, or your elbow. It should be close to the height the calculator gave you.
Before we treat even your measured numbers as gospel, keep the following in mind.
If you will be using your standing desk on a hard surface, you may invest in a standing desk mat to ease the load on your feet. This could add some height.
Also, some standing desks let you choose a different top surface. Those surfaces can come in different heights, so you may reduce the height a bit.
Because of little things like this, we want to remain flexible with our desks. Always seek a standing desk that goes a little bit beyond your specific desk height requirements from the calculator above. This ensures you can still dial in the perfect height with other factors.
2) Choose A High-Quality Standing Desk Brand
There are tons of standing desks on the market, however, they are not all of the same quality. Stability is a real concern when standing desks get really tall, so you will want to invest in a high-quality desk.
Here is Wirecutter’s up-to-date list of the best standing desks. They have a huge team reviewing these desks so you can trust this information.
In their article, they found that budget desks under $450 had major flaws and were not worth your money. I would heed this advice! If you’re on a budget, a standing desk converter might be a better use of your funds.
If you’re too lazy to read their short 8,000-word article (geez!), let me summarize.
They had great things to say about the Fully Jarvis and the Uplift V2 desks. Both of these brands and desk models have been pretty well received by reviewers.
This electric height adjustable desk has a range of 25.3" to 50.9" and works for most people 5'4" to 6'9" tall. It has a lifting capacity of 355 lbs, dual motors, and 3-stage legs for fast and safe movement. The desk features an advanced anti-collision system and a wire management tray to keep cords tidy. It also has a one-touch height adjustment system with an advanced Comfort Flush Memory Keypad that allows you to set up to 4 heights.
This sit-stand adjustable desk has a lifting capacity of 350 lbs. It's well suited for taller folks and easily adjusts from 30" to 49" with 4 customizable memory presets. It features an eco-friendly bamboo desktop and sturdy steel legs for stability.
If you want a standing desk that is capable of supporting multiple monitors, check out our guide on what you should look for in standing desks for three monitors.
3) Find The Frame That Meets The Needed Height
Both the Fully Jarvis and the Uplift V2 have desks that can go up to 51 inches in height.
Here is a graphic from Uplift illustrating the V2’s height range. And here is a graphic from Fully illustrating the Jarvis height range.
Not all Uplift and Jarvis desks go up to 51″ inches, so pay attention to the desk labels on those links above. This information is also available on the Uplift V2 and Fully Jarvis product pages.
And in case you were wondering, no, I am not an affiliate for either of these companies. This is completely from recommendations by reviewers on various forums along with The Wirecutter.
These also happen to be some of the few desks that actually meet the height that tall people will benefit from – win-win!
Other Standing Desk Recommendations for Tall People
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tallest height for a standing desk?
Most of the tall standing desks out there max out at around 51 inches. If you need additional height, consider adding casters or risers. Keep in mind you may risk stability by adding aftermarket height.
How tall should a standing desk be for a 6-foot-tall person?
According to this standing desk height calculator, a 6-foot tall person requires a standing desk with a height between 43.5 – 47 inches.
To confirm with your exact height, stand straight with your arms relaxed by your sides and bend your elbows 90 degrees, like this. Measure the distance between the underside of your arm and the floor.
Before You Go
When you get a standing desk, you’ll notice that there is not much storage…anywhere. You pretty much have a tabletop alone that goes up and down.
Because of this challenge, we’ve compiled a list of some useful standing desk storage ideas!
