You have a tape measure, a floor plan and four people who need desks by the end of the month. One works from a laptop, two run dual screens, and the bookkeeper still spreads out paper. Order four 1800mm desks and the walkway behind them disappears. Order four 1200mm desks and the bookkeeper runs out of room by morning tea. Getting office desk sizes right means matching the top to the job, then checking the room can take it.
Below are common widths, depths and heights, sit-stand ranges and the floor space each desk needs, with real measurements from our straight office desks.
Common office desk sizes: widths and what they suit
Desk sizes are listed in millimetres, width first, then depth. The common widths are 1200mm, 1500mm and 1800mm, with 900mm at the compact end and 2100mm at the executive end.
The Rapid Worker Desk (from $144) shows the spread in one range. It comes in 900mm x 600mm, 1200mm x 600mm, 1500mm x 750mm, 1800mm x 750mm and 1800mm x 900mm, all 730mm high. Every size has a 25mm top and cable entry holes as standard.
As a rough guide, 900mm takes a laptop and a notebook. A 1200mm desk handles one monitor, a keyboard, a mouse and a phone. Step up to 1500mm for two monitors, or one screen with room for paperwork beside it. An 1800mm top suits dual screens plus documents, or a team leader who meets people at the desk.
Screens set the minimum. A 24-inch widescreen monitor is roughly 540mm wide, so two of them side by side need about 1100mm. They squeeze onto a 1200mm desk, but there is no spare width for anything else.
Desk depth: 600, 750, 800 or 900mm
Depth decides how far your eyes sit from the screen and whether paper fits in front of the keyboard. A 600mm depth suits a laptop or a single monitor, though the screen ends up fairly close to your face.
A 750mm depth is the comfortable default for most office work. It lets you push dual monitors back to about arm's length and still keep a notepad in front of the keyboard. The Axis Straight Desk (from $261) runs in 10 worktop sizes, from 1200mm x 600mm to 2100mm x 900mm. Its 750mm deep sizes come with a scalloped worktop, shaped along the back edge.
Go to 800mm or 900mm for large monitors, a visitor across the desk or plans and drawings. The extra depth costs floor space, so it suits private offices better than tight rows.
Desk height: fixed desks and sit-stand ranges
Most fixed office desks sit somewhere between about 710mm and 750mm high. The Axis worktop height is 715mm and the Rapid Worker is 730mm. Each Axis foot has 80mm of adjustment to level the desk on uneven floors.
Set the chair first, then judge the desk. With your shoulders relaxed, your elbows should sit about level with the desk surface. If that leaves your feet off the floor at a fixed desk, add a footrest. Very tall people can find a 715mm top low.
A sit-stand desk removes the guesswork. The Agile Double Motor Electric Individual Desk (from $1,017) moves through 645mm to 1285mm including the worktop, at 30mm per second. Its 4 point memory control saves your sitting and standing heights, and it carries 160kg evenly distributed.
When you compare height adjustable standing desks, check whether the range includes the top. Some product pages quote the frame alone, so add the worktop thickness before comparing.
Legroom, chair clearance and floor space
Legroom depends on the frame. Leg frames like the Axis put a leg at each corner and leave the full width open underneath. Panel-end desks like the Rapid Worker give you the gap between the panels. A drawer pedestal under either one takes a good share of that knee space.
Then add the chair. Allow about 1000mm from the desk edge to a wall or cabinet so the chair can roll back, or closer to 1500mm if people walk behind. A 1500mm x 750mm desk against a wall needs roughly 1500mm x 1750mm of floor.
Corner desks need two numbers. The Axis Desk with Return - White Worktop (from $578) starts at 1800mm x 1500mm, made from an 1800mm x 600mm desk and a 900mm x 600mm return. The largest is 1800mm x 2100mm. It sets up as a left or right hand corner, at the same 715mm height.
Still deciding on shape? Our guide to choosing between an L-shaped desk and a straight desk compares reach, handedness and room fit.
Pods work the same way. The Axis 2-Person Double-sided Desk Workstation (from $456) puts worktops back to back, in sizes from 1200mm x 600mm to 1800mm x 750mm at 715mm high. Two 750mm deep tops make the pod 1500mm deep before chairs. Add a metre of chair room on each side and you need about 3.5 metres across.
Matching office desk sizes to the work
| Desk size (W x D) | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| 900mm x 600mm | Laptop and notebook, compact home office | No room for a second screen or paperwork |
| 1200mm x 600mm | One monitor, keyboard and phone; hot desks | Screen sits close; shallow for large monitors |
| 1200mm x 750mm | One monitor with a notepad in front | Two 24-inch screens fit with nothing beside them |
| 1500mm x 750mm | Two monitors, or one screen plus paperwork | Needs about 1750mm of floor depth with the chair |
| 1800mm x 750mm | Dual screens plus documents; team leaders | Long reach to the far end of the top |
| 1800mm x 900mm | Manager's desk, visitor across the desk, large monitors | A big flat-pack top to carry in |
| 2100mm x 900mm | Executive desk, plans and drawings | Needs a private office, not a row |
Fitting desks into Australian offices and homes
Desks arrive flat-packed at the ground-floor entrance, so the top has to travel the rest of the way. An 1800mm x 900mm top is easy on a floor plan and awkward on a narrow stair or a tight landing. In a walk-up office or an apartment second bedroom, measure the stairwell, lift and doorways first.
The Delivery line on each product page names the metro cities that desk can go to. The Axis Straight Desk lists Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide and is not available in WA. The Rapid Worker and the Agile both add Perth.
Fitting out before 30 June? Allow for lead times: most items dispatch within 3 to 12 business days, and made-to-order items take longer, as shown on the product page. Safe Work Australia publishes workstation set-up guidance, and its advice centres on adjusting the chair, desk and screen to suit the person.
Office desk sizes — frequently asked questions
What is the standard height of an office desk?
Most fixed office desks are between about 710mm and 750mm high. The Axis desks in this guide are 715mm and the Rapid Worker is 730mm. The right height for you is about level with your elbows once your chair is set.
What size desk do I need for two monitors?
A 1500mm x 750mm desk is a comfortable minimum for two monitors. Two 24-inch screens need about 1100mm of width, so a 1200mm top only just fits them. The 750mm depth lets you push them back to a comfortable viewing distance.
How much space do you need behind a desk for an office chair?
Allow about 1000mm from the desk edge to the nearest wall or cabinet. If it doubles as a walkway, allow closer to 1500mm.
What height range should a standing desk have?
Look for a low end below your seated elbow height and a top end above your standing elbow height. The Agile Double Motor desk runs from 645mm to 1285mm including the worktop.
Shop the range
Browse office desks to compare every size and height in one place, or go to standing desks if you want the height to follow you. For a simple fixed desk, try the Rapid Worker Desk in five sizes. Metro delivery is a flat $75 per order, and prices include GST.
