Standup laptop desk from a jack stand

A quick and easy way to stand up while working at your laptop.

Benefits:

  • Inexpensive: $20 for a pair of two jack stands at Harbor Freight, plus some scrap wood.
  • Portable: small enough for me to carry in to my office on the train.
  • Easy to alternate between standing and sitting.
  • Works anywhere: set it up on any table or desk, with adjustable height.

I started at Thomas in a temporary office, pending some other people’s office moves. It didn’t make sense to order new furniture since we knew there was an upcoming office shuffle, but I needed a way to stand and work.

I got about 9 months use out of it before moving into a new office with a fancy motorized desk. Then I took it apart and brought the jack stand home, where it’s now helping me with more traditional tasks like putting a tube in my riding mower’s tire.

The sheet of felt underneath is to prevent scuffing the desktop. (If it were a more long-term setup I would’ve figured out how to put pads on the feet.)