Ikea Standing-Up Desk by Stroke Survivors Tattler

John C. Anderson
Stroke Survivors Tattler

I thought about buying or building a standing-up desk:

Your Health

Many articles about a standing desk but basically it is much better about your health. Please look at Why and How I Switched to a Standing Desk, The Hidden Psychological Benefits of a Standing Desk, We Tested Standing Desks—Here's Proof They Make You More Productive.

• The calories of expenditure of, for example writing a blog, is twice standing up vs. sitting down.
• I'm a stroke survivor so my gimpy right leg probably is going to be a problem. There is no facts about a stroke survivors with a standing up desk! I will tell you a little later in this article.

Anatomy of a Standing Up (from Five Gallon Ideas)

• Office desks can be one-size-fits-all, because instead of adjusting the desk height, you just adjust your wheeled chair with a little lever on the bottom.
• But with a standing desk you have no such chair-your legs are always the same length no matter what you do to them. That’s why standing desks need to be custom heightened to their user. The surface of a standing desk should be at elbow height to maximize typing comfort.

The Cost

The cost is $500 and up but, if you make it yourself, the costs is between $40 to $500.   I looked at various models, a set the personal limit around $250 for me, and I can build it relatively easy, say, max 5 days. Here is a sample of models:

• Ikea Standing Desk  - cheap parts from Ikea; I think the 2 dicey bottom shelves - I'll will have to think about it.
• Ikea Hackers / Work-Station - at least they have 50+ models - some standing-up.
• Galant Standing Desk - nice and simple.
• Vika Brad Standing Desk - very nice but I can cut the wood only in the summer - I a live in a condo and it is December.
• Standing Desk @ LACK TV - very simple; I can buy six 1/4" bolts-nuts-washer, cost about $2 to $3 from Home Depot - and that is it!

This is my standing-up desk, very close to Standing Desk @ LACK TV - I do not include the "Capita shelving legs" for the third shelve (because I don't use it) but I add "LACK - Side table on casters" for holding books and a printer.

1 x $69.99 LACK            - TV bench, birch effect
1 x $40.00 GALANT          - Frame
4 x $20.00 GALANT          - A-leg, silver colour
6 x $00.27 Bolts+nuts 1/4" - from Home Depot
---------------------------------------------------
    $180.62

Option:
1 x $34.99 LACK            - Side table@casters, birch effect
1 x $40.00 Padded Mat      - From Costco
=====================================================
Total = $255.61

But I have the legs from my "old desk" so my cost $255.61 - $80.00 = $175.61 included option above.  

Lets Try It

I started in December 27 / 2013, a) went to Ikea across the city to get parts, b) bought 6 bolts etc at Home Depot, c) order on the Internet/Costco to get the padded mat - total about 4 hours.  The next day, I disassembled the "old desk",  approximate 2 hours, drilled the 6 holes for the bolts and assemble it, about  2 hours - total is about 4 hours.  Total for two days is about 8 hours +/-.  

The third day I started writing my blog with my standing-up desk.  Every was normal except:

• The first week was hell about you legs!! To stand up writing your blog it is very tough especially about your legs & feet - the maximum is about 1hr to 2hr then you have to sit down to relaxed your lower body, as well, I went to bed very early. I thought to quit to standing-up - I was very close!
• The second week it was annoyed me but it was not "hell".  I could type longer and I could adjust to move my feet continuously;  my gimpy right leg started to move continuously (but a little bit slower).
• This is the third week - I'm sure it is about half the second week of annoyed me.  It is still annoyed me but sometimes is like normal.  I will tell you the synopsis - great/awful standing-up desk with the stroke survivor at the end of June.

This is a picture of my new standing-up desk.  All is the same stuff with my "old desk" (and I'll put the radio back soon). The books in the "LACK" bookshelf took a lot of space. Changed stuff in my bedroom to the standing desk is - 1) my the second printer,  2) my Linux/Microsoft laptop and 3) backup hard-disks  - everything is here but the box of kleenex and a coffee mug!

New Standing-Up Desk

For some reason, the old desk seems clutter but it is about equivalent for space.

Old Sitting-Down Desk