How much weight can a wooden computer desk hold?

[Silicon Spear]

Hi everyone, I have a 71 lb computer monitor and a laptop on this computer desk right here. I just ordered some parts from Newegg to build a new computer with, including 37 lb for the case alone. I'm wondering if the desk will be able to hold up the computer AND the monitor, since that will be over 100 lbs total (more than 45kg). How much weight are computer desks usually able to hold up? If the desk breaks, do I risk my computer and monitor breaking and/or falling through my floor? Should I play it safe and put the computer on the floor? To give you an idea of the desk's size, the surface is 2 by 4 feet (60 cm by 120), and it's 2.5 feet (75 cm) high.

 

[yh125d]

1) Buy yourself an LCD


2) we talking a full blown wooden desk, cheap walmart MDF desk, or like a folding table desk? Pic would help

 

[somethingsketchy]

Yeah I would put the desktop on the floor. No sense in risking a new investment, if you aren't even sure of the quality of your desk.

Agreed with yh125d, get yourself an LCD. They're cheap and weigh less as well

 

[Billb2]

Instead of asking people who have no idea what kind of desk you have, why don't you call the manufacturer of the desk and ask them?

 

[SonicIce]

just go get a couple 2x4's, a drill, and some screws and reinforce it. also if you can sit on it then it will hold your junk. and if it breaks then no it will not fall through the floor but you might still break your stuff.

also check out this desk flex lol
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/SonicIce/dualie.jpg
didn't keep it that way for long

 

[Silicon Spear]

Originally posted by: yh125d
1) Buy yourself an LCD

Originally posted by: somethingsketchy
Agreed with yh125d, get yourself an LCD. They're cheap and weigh less as well

Sorry I like my CRT just fine. It's good flat CRT that can do 1400x1050@100hz, not one of those cheap ones (though I still bought it for $50 on ebay).

Originally posted by: somethingsketchy
Yeah I would put the desktop on the floor. No sense in risking a new investment, if you aren't even sure of the quality of your desk.

Yes, I'll do this instead if I decide that putting everything on the desk is dangerous. Thanks for the advice.

Originally posted by: yh125d
2) we talking a full blown wooden desk, cheap walmart MDF desk, or like a folding table desk? Pic would help

On close inspection, it looks like it's made of plates of wood stuck together that are a couple millimeters thick each. The board making up the surface itself is probably 1-2 cm thick, though it's hard to measure accurately because of how the desk is made. I'll see if I can find a camera to take a picture. No, it doesn't fold.

Originally posted by: Billb2
Instead of asking people who have no idea what kind of desk you have, why don't you call the manufacturer of the desk and ask them?

I would have done that, but my parents bought it at a small store in a city far away (probably about 10 years ago). I don't think anyone knows who made it anymore. I don't even see any labels on it....

Originally posted by: SonicIce
just go get a couple 2x4's, a drill, and some screws and reinforce it.

Good idea! I never thought of that. I might try that, actually.

Originally posted by: SonicIce
also if you can sit on it then it will hold your junk.

Yeah, but for how long? I plan to keep my computer/monitor there for a couple years. It might take a couple years for the stress to build up, and I'll probably be sitting on it for only 5 minutes.

Originally posted by: SonicIce
and if it breaks then no it will not fall through the floor but you might still break your stuff.

Alright, thanks for that info.

Originally posted by: SonicIce
also check out this desk flex lol
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/SonicIce/dualie.jpg
didn't keep it that way for long

Haha! Yeah, my desk doesn't bend under the weight of my monitor, so maybe mine's a bit more sturdy. That's an enlightening picture, thanks! (Then again my desk might be less flexible, who knows).

 

[Eureka]

71 pounds... stand on top of your desk... there's no way a 71 lb monitor + 30lb computer will equal your weight.

If you're extra worried, hop around on it a few times.

 

[Zepper]

If it is plywood as your description suggest (not particle board), then it will hold lots of weight with a little support bracing. Depending on your environment, it is good to get your computer case at least 8 to 10" off the floor. Keeps the dust available to be sucked into your case to a minimum. I use a pair of Rubbermaid step stools ( http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubb...ml?prodId=HPProd100516 - the gunmetal gray (maybe a special color for WalMart) ones go well with my case) to get my Silverstone KL03 up off the floor. The Dell system I'm working on right now for a "friend of a friend" was very dirty inside (but not, by far, the worst I've seen).

.bh.

 

[0roo0roo]

i have a car, whats its top speed?

 

[Eureka]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i have a car, whats its top speed?

Is it an African or European car?

 

[Schmide]

Originally posted by: Eureka

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i have a car, whats its top speed?

Is it an African or European car?

Huh? I... I don't know that. Auuuuuuuugh.

 

[daw123]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i have a car, whats its top speed?

120MPH, 121MPH, 122MPH, 123MPH, 124MPH, 125MPH, 126MPH, 127MPH, 128MPH, etc... I would get it right eventually

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Eureka

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i have a car, whats its top speed?

Is it an African or European car?

its blue.

 

[Andrew1990]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Eureka

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i have a car, whats its top speed?

Is it an African or European car?

its blue.

lol, people dont get Monty Python jokes any more?

 

[piasabird]

I put my computer on an old rectangular kitchen table. It can probably hold 500lbs. I got it for free from a friend a while back.

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: piasabird
I put my computer on an old rectangular kitchen table. It can probably hold 500lbs. I got it for free from a friend a while back.

I use MDF folding tables. Good smooth surface for mice both laser/optical, lightweight for moving, cheap, TONS of legroom underneath, easy to hide wires by taping them to the bottom. Ijust upgraded to a 30" x 60"

 

[Silicon Spear]

Originally posted by: Eureka
71 pounds... stand on top of your desk... there's no way a 71 lb monitor + 30lb computer will equal your weight.

If you're extra worried, hop around on it a few times.

Originally posted by: Zepper
Depending on your environment, it is good to get your computer case at least 8 to 10" off the floor. Keeps the dust available to be sucked into your case to a minimum. I use a pair of Rubbermaid step stools ( http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubb...ml?prodId=HPProd100516 - the gunmetal gray (maybe a special color for WalMart) ones go well with my case) to get my Silverstone KL03 up off the floor. The Dell system I'm working on right now for a "friend of a friend" was very dirty inside (but not, by far, the worst I've seen).

.bh.

I climbed on my desk without taking my monitor off. Usually the table is very sturdy and doesn't move when you just push it without climbing on it, but when I was on it, it shook just a tiny bit when I rocked it. However, it didn't appear to bend or strain under the weight, so I guess it'll be fine. I'm 160 lb, so together with my monitor it was 230 lb, more than twice the weight of what it's going to bear with just the monitor and the computer. I guess I'll put my computer on the desk to avoid dust, thanks for the advice!

Thanks for the help everyone! You guys gave me a lot of ideas.

Originally posted by: Zepper
If it is plywood as your description suggest (not particle board), then it will hold lots of weight with a little support bracing.

I'll keep this in mind if it ever starts to bend or crack under the weight, thanks.

Originally posted by: piasabird
I put my computer on an old rectangular kitchen table. It can probably hold 500lbs. I got it for free from a friend a while back.

Well I'm on the second floor, heh. I imagine it must be tough to bring one of those upstairs.

Originally posted by: yh125d

Originally posted by: piasabird
I put my computer on an old rectangular kitchen table. It can probably hold 500lbs. I got it for free from a friend a while back.

I use MDF folding tables. Good smooth surface for mice both laser/optical, lightweight for moving, cheap, TONS of legroom underneath, easy to hide wires by taping them to the bottom. Ijust upgraded to a 30" x 60"

But how sturdy is it?



As for the rest of you, you guys gave me a chuckle. (Ever heard of car analogies on Slashdot? ) Thanks for making my day brighter, heh.

 

[Modelworks]

I got a desk from a local school board auction. Only paid $10 for it. About 6 feet wide and 3 feet deep. Top is formica over 1.25inches of something like particle board but much harder. Base and drawers is all metal. It is a pain to move, but easily holds 2x 70lb crt, pc tower, laser printer and I could still stand on it and it would handle the weight. They don't make them like that anymore. Guessing it was made in the 1970's, looks like one of those desk that the principal would be sitting behind



looks like I got a good deal.
Similar desk
http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...ls?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=
All I had to do was repaint it

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: Silicon Spear

Originally posted by: yh125d

Originally posted by: piasabird
I put my computer on an old rectangular kitchen table. It can probably hold 500lbs. I got it for free from a friend a while back.

I use MDF folding tables. Good smooth surface for mice both laser/optical, lightweight for moving, cheap, TONS of legroom underneath, easy to hide wires by taping them to the bottom. Ijust upgraded to a 30" x 60"

But how sturdy is it?



As for the rest of you, you guys gave me a chuckle. (Ever heard of car analogies on Slashdot? ) Thanks for making my day brighter, heh.

It's pretty sturdy. I had my LCD/speakers/keyboard/other stuff on it so thats maybe 25lbs, and I laid down on the open space and it was fine. And I'm fet at ~220. This was just a cheap $50 office depot table, bigger/more expensive ones would surely support more

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
I got a desk from a local school board auction. Only paid $10 for it. About 6 feet wide and 3 feet deep. Top is formica over 1.25inches of something like particle board but much harder. Base and drawers is all metal. It is a pain to move, but easily holds 2x 70lb crt, pc tower, laser printer and I could still stand on it and it would handle the weight. They don't make them like that anymore. Guessing it was made in the 1970's, looks like one of those desk that the principal would be sitting behind



looks like I got a good deal.
Similar desk
http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...ls?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=
All I had to do was repaint it

Haha, my parents have a desk like that (but with only one set of drawers) for their computer desk. It was my dad's desk back in university in the 70s.

They only have a 17" LCD, tower, modem and speakers on there though; it could definitely hold a lot more weight. What a beast that thing is :thumbsup:.

 

[Schmide]

Originally posted by: Andrew1990

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Eureka

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i have a car, whats its top speed?

Is it an African or European car?

its blue.

lol, people dont get Monty Python jokes any more?

WTH my response was the exact quote after the "African or European swallow?" Do you have me on ignore? I fart in your general direction.

 

[Denithor]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Eureka

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i have a car, whats its top speed?

Is it an African or European car?

its blue.

How many coconuts can it carry?