You’re comparing two desks that look the same in the photos. One is 1200 mm wide, the other 1500 mm, and one has drawers. Which one fits your day?
To pick an office desk that suits how you work, start with what you do at it, not with the room. One screen and light paperwork suits a single desk about 1200 mm wide. Two monitors or a lot of paper suits a wider desk, about 1500 mm, or an L-shape. Switching between sitting and standing suits an electric adjustable desk. Team tasks suit a modular desk that seats two or four. Add storage and a partition only if your work needs them. This guide walks through each choice, using the sizes listed in our range, so you can match a work desk to your own routine before you order.
How Do I Pick an Office Desk That Suits How I Actually Work?
Ask three questions: what is on the desk, how long do you sit, and who else uses the space?
Choose the task first, then check the size and storage. The table below shows the usual match for each type of work.
| Your work | Desk type to consider | Size in our range |
| Focused work, one screen | Single fixed desk with drawers | 1200 x 700 mm |
| Two monitors or paperwork | Wider desk or L-shape desk | 1500 x 700 mm, or L-shape models |
| Sitting and standing | Electric adjustable desk | Check each model’s page |
| Shared team tasks | Modular desk, two or four seats | Varies by model, from 1200 x 600 mm to 1500 x 750 mm per workstation |
Singapore’s SS 514:2016, the Code of Practice for Office Ergonomics, covers the physical, environmental and psychosocial side of office work, so it is a useful reference when you decide how a desk, chair and screen should fit together.
You can browse our office desks and compare these types side by side. For more on desk sizes across the range, see our office table buyer’s guide.
What Desk Size Do I Need for Two Monitors or Paperwork?
Width and depth decide how much you can spread out, and height decides how your arms sit.
For two monitors or paperwork, choose a desk about 1500 mm wide and 700 mm deep, or an L-shape desk. A 1200 mm desk suits one screen and light paperwork. For example, our Extra Large Grey Table with Drawers (U-813 | U-815) comes in 1200 x 700 mm and 1500 x 700 mm, with or without drawers. Fixed desks in our range are typically listed at around 750 to 760 mm high, which falls within the 71 to 76 cm (28 to 30 inch) range traditionally used for fixed desks. One fixed height will not suit everyone, so check each product page.
Going from 1200 mm to 1500 mm wide adds a quarter more desk surface, from about 0.84 to 1.05 square metres at the same 700 mm depth. That extra space can make it easier to keep papers on the desk.
If you want a corner set-up with a second work surface, look at our L-shape office desks, which come in several models.
Should I Get an Adjustable Desk or a Fixed Desk?
The answer depends on whether you want the option to stand, and how many people use the desk.
Choose an adjustable desk if you want to switch between sitting and standing, or if several people share one desk and need different heights. Choose a fixed desk if you sit most of the day, since it is simpler and has no motor to maintain.
A University of Cambridge feasibility study found that providing sit-stand desks reduced office workers’ sitting time by 94 minutes a day on average, though the researchers noted the effect on broader health measures needs further study. That is a reason to want the option, not a promise of any health result.
Our electric adjustable desks let you change height at the push of a button. Check each model’s page for its size and height range before you decide.
Do I Need Drawers, a Pedestal or a Partition at My Desk?
Only if your work needs them, and a few features cover most cases.
Choose drawers or a mobile pedestal if you handle paper, a modesty panel if you want some privacy from the desk next to you, and a partition if you work in an open-plan space. Skip them if you work mostly on a laptop and keep papers elsewhere, since they take floor space.
Our modular desk range includes workstations from 1200 x 600 mm up to 1500 x 750 mm, offered as a one-seater for focused tasks, a two-seater for collaboration, or a four-seater for team projects.
For example, each Roomy Modular Desk workstation in the 1500 x 700 mm range is listed at 1500 x 700 x 750 mm and comes with modesty panels and one mobile pedestal. Colour combinations can be selected for a per-desk colour selection fee, and colour orders are placed by contacting our team. You can see the full set of modular desks.
What Should I Check Before Ordering an Office Desk?
Do these checks before the order goes in.
Before ordering an office desk, measure your space and the delivery route, confirm the desk size on the product page, and check whether the model includes drawers, panels or a pedestal, and check the lead time. This takes a few minutes and helps avoid fit problems after delivery. Some modular desks list a longer lead time than ready-stock items, so check the product page before you plan around a fixed date.
Measuring first is the best way to get the right fit, since we don’t accept returns once a desk is sold. Installation is free for our tables, except height adjustable desks, which carry a per-unit installation fee listed on the product page.
If your work might change after you buy, an adjustable desk adapts to different tasks and users more easily than a fixed single desk. A bigger desk is not always better either, since a desk that leaves room to move and pull out a chair works better than the largest one that fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pick an office desk that suits how I work?
Start with the task: one screen, two monitors or paperwork, sitting and standing, or shared work. Then match the size, type and storage to it.
What size office desk do I need for two monitors?
A wider desk, about 1500 mm, gives more room for two screens and papers than a 1200 mm desk. Check the depth too, and measure your monitors before you order.
What is the difference between a work desk and a working table?
In practice the terms overlap. A work desk usually suits one person and often has drawers or storage, while a working table is a plainer surface for shared or flexible tasks.
Can I return an office desk if it doesn’t fit?
No, we don’t accept general returns once a desk is sold, so measure your space and the delivery route before you order.
Does installation cost extra for an office desk?
Installation is free for tables, except height adjustable desks, which carry a per-unit installation fee shown on the product page.
Ready to match a desk to your routine? Shop Now and compare single desks, L-shapes, modular desks and adjustable desks in one place.