The height of your desk significantly determines your sitting posture. And the sitting position on a desk critically affects your health and can cause serious health problems if it is not comfortable and upright.
If you spend long hours working from a desk, it is crucial to ensure that it is the correct height to keep your back upright. This can sometimes mean raising the desk to the appropriate height to keep you from having to slouch when using the desk.
This post provides seven useful solutions for making your desk taller. Read along to learn how to make a desk taller, improve your posture, and ultimately increase your productivity.
How to Raise a Desk Height
- Using furniture risers
- Replacing current legs with taller ones
- Adding a bun feet
- Using wooden extension
- Using a desk converter
- Using an adjustable office chair
- Modifying the top
How to Raise a Table Height
You can go for furniture risers and place them below the table legs to raise your table height. However, this option is only temporary. Use bun feet or four short pieces of wood of the same height for a permanent solution.
Attach the four pieces below the table legs using screws or hanger bolts. You can attach the table legs without an apron, here’s how.
The two solutions will help you raise your table height and achieve a more upright posture that is healthier for your neck and back. Even more, we have lots of other methods to explore.
1. Raising Desk Height with Furniture Risers
Furniture risers may be your best solution if you want to raise your desk quickly and inexpensively. These riser legs are small accessories that allow you to make your desk, bed, or furniture taller without making any permanent alternations.
Risers can be made of metal, plastic, or wood, with the latter material being the most popular. They comprise blocks that are large enough to accommodate the table legs.
All you need to do is buy these from Amazon or your local home improvement store and slide them under each leg to bring up the desk to your ideal height.
Furniture risers typically have depressions to fit various leg sizes and allow for height adjustments. You can also stack multiple risers under each leg.
So you should check with the manufacturer to determine how many risers can safely sit under your desk if you want more height.
How to raise desk height using risers
Using risers to make your desk taller is straightforward. Here is how to raise a desk with risers step-by-step.
- Measure your desk legs to get their dimensions.
- Sit at your desk to identify your most comfortable desk height.
- Use these dimensions to find the right fit for your desk legs, and buy. You should find furniture risers for desk in sets of four pieces from your preferred manufacturer.
- Once you have the set of risers, slide each one under each leg—one at a time until all four of them are in position. Voila, your new desk height should now be comfortable to work in.
2. Replacing Your Current Legs with Taller Ones
You can do away with the current table feet if you want a more permanent solution. This should be an ideal option if you love your current desktop and do not feel the same about the legs.
This alternative involves swapping out the current legs for taller replacements. Again, you can buy ready-made replacements or customize them yourself, depending on your preferences and DIY acumen.
How to increase desk height with new legs
Since replacing your current table legs with taller ones changes the desk permanently, you want to ensure you make it desirable as possible.
- Research the kind of legs you desire. If it’s wooden, ensure your pick the right wood for desktop leg.
- Once you identify the most compatible legs you want for your desk, consider the ideal height that will make you comfortable. You can do this by sitting on your current desk and finding out the best height for you, then note down the measurements.
- Use the measurements to buy your new table legs.
- Remove the current legs, one after another, from the desk that you wish to modify.
- Install the new legs according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The tools and procedure for installing such legs will depend on the legs themselves and your table’s design.
- You could choose adjustable legs with a mounting plate that attaches to your desk’s underside and secures itself with screws to make your installation easier. These are easy to use and typically have a leveler to turn until you achieve the desired height.
- If you are skilled in woodwork and prefer more control over the design, you can buy the materials and design the legs from scratch.
3. Adding a Bun Feet to Raise the Height of the Table
Bun feet are round objects resembling an actual bun, except they are typically made of wood. Bun feet are available in different sizes, adding around three to four inches to your current desk height.
If your desk is too short for your preferred height, you can go for bun feet as tall as 10 inches to transform your desk completely. Height adjustment with bun feet is semi-permanent.
You need to make some holes under your desk to install them, but you can typically remove and reinstall the feet as necessary. And there is no limit as to the number of times you can remove and reinstall bun feet to your desk.
How to raise the height of a desk using bun feet
Once you decide to use bun feet to increase the height of your desk, follow these steps to make the adjustment.
- Start by determining the height you want to achieve. Bun feet allow you to add anywhere from 4 to 10 extra inches to your current desk height.
- Purchase your preferred bun feet set online or from a nearby hardware store. You should find them in sets of four bun feet.
- Drill holes measuring about 0.25 to 1.25 inches in diameter under each leg. You can check the bun feet to determine the appropriate diameter of each hole.
- After drilling, attach the feet firmly and securely into the holes, one bun foot at a time.
- If you prefer matching colors, you can paint the bun feet to match your current desk color or refinish the entire thing in a different way that you prefer. 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.
While bun feet resemble risers in that they sit under the legs of your desk, they are more suitable for desks that move from time to time. Since they are attached to the legs, you can lift your table without leaving them on the floor.
In contrast, risers simply slide under the feet and may come off if you lift or move the desk. Therefore, you may consider using risers for heavier desks that do not get lifted often and use bun feet for lighter tables that move more frequently.
4. Raise the Height of a Desk with Wooden Extension
While wooden extensions add some height to your desk, they are more appropriate for stabilizing desks that appear wobbly.
After raising your desk with risers or bun feet, you may notice changes in your desk’s stability. It may appear shaky if the material is not installed properly.
Adjusting the risers or bun feet can stabilize the table. However, you can also just add some wooden extensions to make your desk stable again.
Extensions are available in felt material, but if you wish to use them to raise your desk’s height, you will want to go for wood. These are the popular type and do an excellent job leveling tables and office furniture.
Wood extensions also allow you to choose the size of wood appropriate for your needs. The sizes can range from tiny pieces to large wood blocks.
The extension attaches to the legs of your desk, pushing up the height. This makes them an excellent way to increase the desk height manually.
How to make your desk taller with wooden extension
- Start by gathering short pieces of wood, either from a hardware store or your workshop, if you have one.
- While deciding on the extensions, ensure you match the pieces with the width of the legs of your desk. You may also consider the wood of the same kind as your furniture.
- Turn your desk upside down and mark the center of each leg. This is where you will make holes.
- Drill holes on the underside of each leg where you will attach the wood pieces. Each hole should be approximately 0.25 inches.
- Insert a tee nut in each of the holes. You can use a hammer to insert them and ensure they are set properly.
- Attach the wooden pieces using hanger bolts and tighten them with a screwdriver to secure them.
Once this adjustment is made, your desk should have a permanent height increase.
5. Using a Desk Converter to Raise Desk Legs
If you are not savvy with hand tools, you can use a desk converter to transform your workstation without physically modifying the computer desk.
A desk converter rests on top of your current desk and allows you to raise or lower it to any height you want.
With such a converter, you can alternate from working while seated to working while standing to give you back the rest and balance it needs to stay healthy.
Because the platform is movable, you can raise your workstation to any height you find most comfortable. Desk converters are relatively smaller than standard desks, so they also cost less.
While these desk converters may be more expensive than desk risers, bun feet, and wood extensions, they completely transform your workstation in ways that no other solution can.
You can choose from adjustable height ranges between 4.5 and 20 inches. Whether using a standard desktop computer or laptop, these adjustable converters can significantly benefit your workstation. (Read our guide to know the sign for feet and inches.)
How to make a desk higher with a desk converter
Desk converters are straightforward to use. Here is how to raise a desk with converters step by step.
- Purchase the equipment
- Mount it on your existing desktop
- Use its touch controller to move the platform up and down to find the best position for your back and shoulders.
Each converter should come with instructions on mounting and using it properly.
6. Using an Adjustable Office Chair to Make Your Desk Taller
Most office tables are designed with standard dimensions, making them the correct height for most applications.
If you have such a desk with standard measurements, you can pair it with an adjustable height office chair to find the right position for your seating.
If your desk top feels too short, you can easily get more height by lowering the adjustable seat. Such office chairs allow you to adjust their height accordingly and achieve the desired balance with the height of your office table.
Adjustable office chairs come in different sizes and designs to choose from. With this wide variety, you should be able to get your best fit for optimum comfort.
Read also: Best outdoor lounge chair for elderly.
7. Modifying the Top to Increase Height of Desk
A less common solution to the desk height problem is introducing additional layers of material to your desktop to raise it.
You could affix a layer of marble, wood, or plastic—whichever appeals to you best. This will give your desktop a permanent lift, even though it may require some skill to attach it perfectly and seamlessly.
You could use wood glue to affix the material or opt for other methods of attaching things to wood. Whatever you choose, ensure it is the same length and width as the existing desktop to cover it properly.
So that’s pretty much how to increase the height of a desk.
Best Desk Leg Risers | Desk Lifter Blocks
Best desk height extender – Utopia Heavy Duty Risers
Your desk is too low? Worry not. These desk feet risers are made of heavy-duty plastic that supports up to 1300 pounds of weight without breaking a sweat. Each desk foot riser is designed with a broader base for added support and stability.
In addition, these pieces allow you to alter the height with three options, including 3 inches and 5 inches, or a combination of these two height options to achieve a whopping 8-inch increase in your desk height.
Thanks to high-quality, heavy-duty material, these risers are perfect for heavy desks with superior quality wood.
Diy Desk Risers
There are a few different ways to make your desk risers or DIY table leg extenders. One option is to use some wood boards and cut them to size. Then, you can stack them on top of each other to create the desired height.
Another option is to use cinder blocks or bricks. Simply stack them on top of each other until you reach the desired height.
If you’re wondering how to lift a desk higher permanently, you can attach wood boards or cinder blocks to the legs of your desk using L-brackets. This will allow you to adjust the height as needed easily.
Whichever method you choose, make sure that your desk is sturdy and stable before adding anything on top of it!
What is the Ideal Height for a Desk?
The ideal desk height depends on the user’s height daily desk usage. A desk that allows your elbow to bend naturally into a 70- to 130-degree position when working on computer keyboards should be appropriate.
While setting the ideal height for your desk, ensure that your elbows are at their natural bend. Otherwise, you would need to make more adjustments.
For someone who writes using a pen on paper, a taller desk is recommended to ease the stress associated with slouching. Hunt and pick typists often feel more comfortable with a bend closer to 90 degrees.
Desk booster FAQs
How to a make table taller
Prop up a table with furniture risers to make it taller without requiring any tools or woodworking skills. All you have to do is slide these risers under each leg to give the table additional height.
Alternatively, you can install wood extensions or bun feet to achieve the same outcome. You could also raise the table height and make it taller by lowering the height of an adjustable office chair that you use on the table.
If you do not mind losing the current legs, you can replace them with taller legs to get the height you desire.
Best desk riser blocks
Aspeike heavy-duty risers are the best desk-raising blocks for heavy furniture. They are made of robust material that can carry up to 2200 pounds. This sturdy quality makes them ideal for heavy office desks.
The new upgraded blocks are highly durable, with an exquisite wood appearance to enhance the aesthetics. Each block has a functional rubber mat built in to ensure more stability and keep the desk firmly in place while also protecting the floor.
Can I put my desk on risers?
Yes, risers are a quick and more affordable way to add some extra inches to the height of your existing desk or table. They are available for purchase at online stores like Amazon or local furniture stores. To find desk risers, ensure you check the size of the legs on your desk to find a fitting set.
How can I raise my desk a few inches?
You can raise your desk a few inches using furniture raisers or wood desk extensions. These allow you to choose the appropriate height for your desk. For instance, if you want to add some 4 inches of height to your desk, you simply need to use 4-inch risers under the feet.
How to raise a desk 3 inches?
To raise a desk higher by 3 inches, use risers with a height of three inches. The risers come in adjustable sets, between 4 and 8 inches, so you will get either size and adjust to three inches that meet your need.
How can I make my coffee table higher?
Use lifts, feet, or extensions to elevate your coffee table. Alternatively, you can replace all the table legs with the right height you need. These are the most commonly used options, so you have the liberty to choose.
Final Thoughts on How to Raise your Desk Height
Various solutions are available for raising a reading desk and making it taller to improve your posture and reduce any related health problems, including neck and back pains.
You could modify the structure of your desk by installing taller legs in place of the shorter old ones or use a quick solution such as desk risers.
The latter is easy and quick to elevate your desk as they do not require any skills or tools to use. You just slide them under the feet of the desk to increase the height.
We hope this article helps make it easier and more successful whichever way you decide to increase your desk height.