Calculator

Desk-height fit

Measure from the floor to the underside of your forearm with your elbows bent at about 90°, wearing your usual shoes. Add the desk's minimum and maximum height from the listing.

In short

The HSE workstation guidance asks for forearms roughly horizontal at the keyboard, so the desk top should sit at about your elbow height minus the keyboard height (often about 2 cm).

Check your desk

Seated elbow height (cm)Floor to underside of forearm, sittingStanding elbow height (cm)Same, standing in your usual shoesDesk minimum height (cm)Desk maximum height (cm)Keyboard height (cm)Desk top to the home row, often about 2 cmAlso show inches

Target desk height, sitting

64 cm

In the desk's range

Target desk height, standing

106 cm

In the desk's range

Target = elbow height minus keyboard height, rounded to 0.5 cm. Type decimals with a point, for example 66.5. A guide to comfortable posture, not a medical assessment.

How to measure

Sit on your chair set so that your feet are flat and your thighs roughly horizontal. Relax your shoulders, bend your elbows to about 90° and measure from the floor to the underside of your forearm. Repeat standing, in the shoes you usually wear at the desk.

If your seated target is above the desk's lowest setting you can raise the chair instead and add a footrest. If the standing target is above the desk's highest setting, a taller frame or a three-stage leg is the usual answer.

Standing elbow height and desk height

Standing elbow height	Desk top (2 cm keyboard)	In inches
95 cm	93 cm	36.6 in
100 cm	98 cm	38.6 in
105 cm	103 cm	40.6 in
110 cm	108 cm	42.5 in
115 cm	113 cm	44.5 in
120 cm	118 cm	46.5 in

Desk height rounded to 0.5 cm, inches to 0.1 in.