Selecting an office desk may seem a simpletask but with so many shapes, sizes and styles available, it may prove to bemore of a challenge than initially expected. Here are a few points that youreally should consider before making your choice:

Choosing the size and shape of your desk should be a consideration of personal style – how do you want your office tolook – with a practical consideration of the space available – how many desksdo I need in the office? If you are constricted by space, many compact designoffice desks are widely available. Rectangular bench desks offer an excellentspace saving design coupled with shared structural components to reduce costs.Call centre pods, usually in circular clusters of between four and eight desksare another compact, space saving option. If you have more space, ergonomicshaped desks such as single wave, double wave and radial - or crescent – desksprovide a stylish office look with plenty of desk area. Desk sizes usually varybetween 600mm to 1000mm deep and are available in widths between 800mm and2000mm. If standard under desk pedestal drawers are to be used, 1400mm widedesks are the minimum I would recommend to provide adequate leg room. If narrowpedestals are to be used, 1200mm wide desks are the minimum width I wouldrecommend.

The materials used for your desks arelargely a personal choice, influenced by the look you wish to achieve. Melaminefaced chipboard (MFC) is the most common material used and is usually availablein a wide range of wood effect finishes and some basic colours. Laminate desksfinishes are usually slightly more expensive and offer some additional colourchoices. Solid wood desks tend to be very expensive and are usually reservedfor executive offices. A cheaper alternative is a wood veneer desk – a cheapermaterial, such as chipboard, with a very thin layer of real wood applied. Animportant indication of quality is the thickness of the desk top. Thickness canvary between 18mm and 30mm depending on the quality of the desk. This can determinethe rigidity of the desk and 25mm minimum is recommended unless the office deskhas a strong under-frame.

The leg style of the desk can also affectthe strength and rigidity of the product. Cantilever leg office desks are anentry level style offering plenty of leg room, usually at low cost. Once again,an indication of quality is a double cantilever leg, with two upright supportcolumns at each side of the desk frame. Another thing to look for is a supportbeam under the desk. This is common on ‘I’ frame desks and bench desks andprovides excellent strength for the work-top.

Other considerations are modesty panels andcable management. A modesty panel screens the front edge and sometimes thesides of the desk to prevent seeing underneath. Modesty panels are oftenincluded as part of the desk design but are sometimes an optional extra. Cablemanagement allows the power and data cables for your computers and otherequipment to be hidden from site in a tray under the desk or, in some office deskdesigns, through the leg frame itself.

If you wish to attach dividing screens toyour desks, ensure that a good quality screen system is compatible. Screens areusually compatible with 25mm work tops TV Lift Manufacturer and most modern desk manufacturers offera screen system to suit their desk ranges. Dividing screens with managementrails – to mount monitors or filing trays – often require return screens forstability.

The quality of an office desk and the priceare undoubtedly linked and costs can vary considerably depending on themanufacturer and the quality of the product. Investing in good quality officefurniture which should last for many years, makes economic sense in thelong-term.