The Pros and Cons of a Floating Desk: Everything You Need to Know

My daughter has been asking for a project table in her room for months, but her room? It’s pretty small.

Since I’m planning to redesign her room this spring — it was formerly my office and isn’t very kid-like — I decided I just HAD to find a solution to her wish for a workspace. Then I realized that a floating desk would be perfect for what she needs!

Floating desks certainly have both pros and cons. So how to decide if one would be right for your space?

In this post I’ll be sharing the pros and cons of floating desks to help you determine if it’s the right piece for your work space!

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Upgrading your small home office and curious about floating desks? This article shares all of the pros and cons of a floating desk and will help you decide if a wall desk is the best solution for your space.

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Floating desks are becoming more and more popular among people working from home due to their space-saving features. So what are some of the pros and cons of installing a wall desk instead of a traditional desk in your home?

Floating desks can save space and money, are easy to clean and install, and can be installed to fit your height perfectly, while they also look better and boost productivity. However, they are also a little flimsy, hard to move, much smaller, and require drilling to install.

Often, we simply don’t have the space to fit a traditional desk. So, you may be tempted to buy a floating desk instead. I’ve put together a list of reasons why you should and why you shouldn’t buy a floating desk.

What is a Floating Desk?

A floating desk is a workspace designed to save space and ideally take up a fraction of the space that a traditional desk would. Conceptually, a floating desk is designed to fit into or against a wall without requiring legs to stay elevated.

Often, they can double as something else or fold into the wall, so they don’t take up unnecessary space when not in use.

Pros of a Floating Desk

So, why would you want to buy a floating desk? There are many reasons why a floating desk would be ideal for your home or apartment.

Floating Desks Save Space

The main reason to get a floating desk instead of a traditional desk with legs is to save space. If you have a small room where you don’t have the space for extra furniture and desks, floating desks are ideal because you can mount them anywhere on your wall, and the only space required in your workspace will be where you put your desk chair.

Floating Desks Save Money

One of the main benefits of buying a floating desk is that they often cost less than a traditional desk. Due to the lack of materials needed to manufacture floating desks, they can be significantly cheaper than traditional desks that require more materials and significantly more craftsmanship.

Floating Desks Fit Your Height

If you’re very tall or very short, you know too well that traditional desks can be tricky simply due to their height. You may struggle to fit your knees underneath it, or you need to elevate your chair to see your laptop screen. 

Either way, a floating desk provides the ideal solution because you can mount it to the exact height you want so that it will fit you perfectly while you work.

This is especially helpful if the desk you need is for a child.

Starting to think a floating desk might be for you? Check out my round-up of the best modern floating desks.

Floating Desks Are Easy To Install

Floating desks are also very easy to put together. Even if you’re not very handy, floating desks have minimal designs and aren’t made up of many parts. It won’t take you long to install/mount, and you won’t need many tools to do the job.

Floating Desks Are Easy To Clean

An unexpected benefit to having a floating desk is how much easier it is to clean your workspace. Since they take up such a small amount of space, you have a far smaller surface area to clean (and clutter). And because they don’t have legs, there are no obstructions for when you need to vacuum underneath them.

Floating Desks Look Better

Of course, this is always a matter of taste, but a floating desk just looks better – particularly in modern, minimalistic homes. They give a cleaner look to your workspace and don’t visually compete with most decor styles.

Floating Desks Boost Productivity

Many people find that floating desks help them increase productivity because they make their workspace look much cleaner and more organized. Add to that the comfort of a desk that perfectly fits your height; you’re less likely to feel uncomfortable and leave your desk to stretch your legs.

Cons of a Floating Desk

While many benefits come with using a floating desk, they aren’t perfect for everyone, particularly those with lots of space available. So, let’s look at some of the cons of a floating desk and why it may be a better idea for you to buy a traditional desk.

Floating Desks Can Be Flimsy

Unless installed into multiple studs and specifically built to hold excess weight, floating desks can only support a small number of items. Most are only designed to hold a laptop and a few pieces of paper. If you like to load your desk up with books, trinkets, coffee machines, and other heavy items, a floating desk may not be the right choice for you.

Floating Desks Are Hard To Move

Because floating desks are wall-mounted, you need to make sure that you pick a location that you like! You’ll have to unmount and remount it every time you want to move it, unlike a traditional desk that you can just drag across the floor.

Floating Desks Are Smaller

Your workspace on a floating desk will be significantly smaller than a traditional desk, meaning that there won’t be much room for all of the items you’re used to having in your workspace, such as monitors, keyboards, printers, and so on. 

Some people also just like to have a lot of free space around them when they’re working, and it’s unlikely that your floating desk will provide you with much of that.

Floating Desks Require Bolts & Drilling

Some people aren’t comfortable with or cannot drill holes into their walls (if their landlord doesn’t allow it). So, if that’s the case, bear in mind that you’ll need to do some drilling to mount the floating desk into your wall, and it, therefore, may not be the ideal choice for you.

So, is a Floating Desk Right For You?

Floating desks are handy space-saving workspace items and will only take up a fraction of the space that a traditional desk would, making them an ideal feature in a room with limited floor space. They are easy to install, save money, and can be mounted at any height you please. 

However, bear in mind that if you have the space and want all the room that you can get for monitors, printers, books, etc., a floating desk may not be ideal for you, and you should consider your options.

Want more? Here’s the full collection of Bloom in the Black decorating posts. If you’re interested in having me cover a particular topic, shoot me an email and I’ll add it to the list!