The Standard Height for a Shelf Above the Desk

Common Heights

• There is no universal standard height for a shelf above a desk. Instead, individual desk manufacturers and room designers place shelves at various heights. The typical height is between 12 and 30 inches. Some clamp-on shelves are slightly over a foot high, while wall shelves and cabinets over a desk may be 2 feet or more above the level of the desk. Prefabricated desks with built-in shelves usually have clearance heights in the middle of this range.

Desktop Usage

• The way you plan to use your desk's surface plays a major role in determining the appropriate height for shelves above it. A desk for reading and letter writing may need only a few inches of clearance. Computer desks, which may hold monitors that are more than a foot tall, need additional clearance. Under-shelf lighting or a standing desk lamp pushes even higher the need for space below a shelf.

Shelf Access

• Another factor in determining shelf height over a desk is how often you need to access items on the shelves. If the shelves serve to display decorative items or store supplies you don't frequently use, they can be higher than shelves that you want to be able to reach from a seated position at the desk. If there is enough space between your desk and the wall, you can mount wall shelves at a lower position. However, large items on the desktop must be moved to reach the wall shelves behind them.

Adjustable Shelving

• One solution to different uses of a desk and the lack of standard shelf heights is adjustable shelving. Wall shelves that attach to metal brackets are easy to raise and lower based on the items on your desk. Even a shelf that attaches to the desk itself can be raised and lowered using adjustable brackets that attach to the back of the desk. Always raise and lower shelves when the desktop is clear to protect your computer monitor and other items in case the shelf falls during the adjustment.