When selecting your home office desk, you have to be very careful to avoid ending up with a standing desk that may make your life harder than it should be. The advantage of having a home office is that you get to decide what goes into the room to make the ideal workstation. If you fumble something as simple as this, then there’s probably little hope left for you.
However, not all is lost; after all, you have us. One of the most essential parts of any desk is the desktop. It is the surface upon which all the work is conducted, and for this reason, it has to be the right mix of functionality, appearance, and texture. To help you better understand and make the right decision when the time comes, we will be looking at the top materials you should consider and some of the factors you have to pay attention to when making the selection.
Desktop Materials to Consider
The materials that can be used to craft the desktop surface of a standing desk are many and varied. The choice you go for comes down to your preferences, the work you intend to handle, and your budget. The following are the most popular desktop materials that Flexispot is actively using for most of the top-rated standing desks.
Bamboo
Bamboo is considered to be a sustainable material for making desktop surfaces, and going with this speaks a lot about your love of nature and preservation of the environment. But one of the things that makes bamboo an ideal material is the aesthetic appeal. There are so many ways that this material can be used to create all kinds of patterns, turning your standing desk into a masterpiece that transforms your entire workstation into a cool place to conduct your assignments.
On the flip side, it is a very soft material that is prone to damage and scratches. Unless it comes coated with a protective layer of some sort, then you may find yourself having to be careful all the time to make it last longer.
MDF
Medium Density Fiberboard is a more recent invention that was made in an attempt to find an alternative solution to natural wood. It is cheaper and resembles real wood at first glance until you touch it. MDF is available in three variations; there is low-density fiberboard, medium-density fiberboard, and hardboard. The strength rises from the low-density to the hardboard, and each can be used to create the desktop surface. But as much as it saves you money, their durability is not that great as they are highly porous when exposed to water over time.
Chipboard
This is also called particleboard, and it may resemble an MDF to some extent only that the surface is coarse and the artistic liberties that you can take with it are unlimited. It is basically made by mixing in all sizes of chipped plywood, which are then sanded over to create a smooth surface on top coated with a glossy varnish for effect. The biggest advantage of a chipboard surface desktop is the colors you can choose to go with. You can blend all kinds of chips of different colors to create stunning desks that can transform the entire workstation. Currently, Flexispot stocks eight different colors of these, so you have plenty of choices at your disposal.
Solid Wood
Solid wood refers to the hardwood types that are common in the furniture industry. They are the most stylish and reliable as they are hard to sustain any damage unless you choose to be rough with them deliberately. If you want a classic workstation, this is the material to go for, but you should be ready to part with some substantial amounts of funds because hardwood doesn't come cheap. The advantages of going with solid wood are many; for starters, they are easy to maintain, they don’t stain, they can handle liquid spills, and repairing any blemish is straightforward. As far as long-lasting investments go, this is what you want in your home office if you want something that will last you for ages.
Glass
The thought of having a glass top for a desktop surface may not appeal to many people owing to the brittle nature of glass, but it is workable when done right. But if sleek and classy is the look you are going for, then glass is the material you should take a chance on. It is a light material, easy to clean, with great aesthetics, and if you are a lightworker with very few materials and a lightweight laptop, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to having a glass desktop. However, as expected, they are easy to break, and you have to be extra careful about the weight that you put on them. But if you are the cautious type, there’s no reason why this shouldn’t last you for many years.
Whiteboard
Sometimes, simplicity is all you need, nothing fancy or expensive. If this is your line of thinking, then a whiteboard desktop surface is your medicine. You can choose to go with a glossy whiteboard or one that has some rough texture to it; either way is fine. The bottom line is that the material used to make it is something similar to MDF. It may be cheaper, but it also comes with the same problems like a short lifespan and high vulnerability to physical damage, especially where liquids are involved.
Things to Consider When Selecting a Desktop Surface Material
Setting up a home office can be very daunting, especially when it comes to selecting the furniture. Many people never pay attention to the material used in making the desktop surface, and this becomes their biggest undoing. To help get things right the first time, the following are some factors you have to prioritize.
● Size: When repurposing a part of the room and converting it into a home office, you will most likely be limited in terms of space, and so to make the most of that, you have to pay attention to the size of your standing desk, with special attention on the desktop surface. Flexispot has been generous enough to provide many size options that range from 42" x 24", 48" x 24", 48" x 30", 55" x 28", 60" x 24", 72" x 30", and 80" x 30". Just find the right size that will fit your home office and start setting up your workstation.
● Your Budget: You can only get what you can afford, and most times, the desk you want is usually priced steeply. However, when it comes to functionality and comfort, you should not feel any pinch spending on a desk that treats you well. That said, there are decent standing desks made of cheap but quality desktop materials like whiteboard and bamboo that can be a good fit for anyone on a budget; you simply have to take care of them a little more than usual.
● Durability: Is your home office situation permanent, or is it temporary? If you see yourself resuming normal office protocols within months, then a cheap and temporary desk will do just fine. But if you are in this for the long haul, do yourself a favor and go for the best you can find. Something that has a desktop surface that’s easy to maintain, clean, and is resistant to liquids, scratches, and other physical damages.
● Weight Capacity: If you have a huge PC desktop for handling your assignments, then you may do well to avoid a glass-based desktop as that will most likely break if you are not careful. The more the weight, the stronger the surface should be. Think hardwood, MDF, or bamboo. They may have the strength to sustain some certain weights without falling apart.
● The Purpose: How many hours do you plan to work in a day? Will you be using the desk for other activities like reading or drawing other than typing? The purpose you have for standing desks should be reflected on the material of the surface. Intense works require a hardwood desktop that will be able to handle just about anything. If it is light work, then go for a glass top to spice things up a little.
● Thickness: The desk should be thick; that’s how you know it has the strength to handle what you are about to put it through. But how thick should it be? There has to be a balance so that you don’t end up with a desk that is too heavy even to move around. When it comes to gauging the right thickness, simply make sure that it is, at least, thicker than the screws being used to hold it together. The added frame on the side should also be thick enough to sustain loads but at the same time keep the overall weight within reasonable limits.
● Aesthetics: There’s nothing wrong with going for looks. Working on a desk that is supremely designed in terms of its appearance has a positive psychological effect on people. A simple glance or touch when you walk into the office can give you the boost you need to tackle that day’s work. You should never underestimate a good-looking surface top of a standing desk.
The Bottom Line
There’s a lot that goes into designing and making the surface of a workstation desk and a lot more when it comes to making the right choice. Finding a suitable desk can be quite a pickle for many people, but fortunately for many, there’s Flexispot. We understand what everyone needs because we have also been there before. Therefore, if you have been thinking of getting an excellent standing desk with a good desktop finish of your favorite material, check out our website, and you are sure to find something that will fit you perfectly.
