School Desk Buying Guide

How do you choose the right school desk?  At Teachers’ School Supply, we’re the school desk experts!  Let us help you. You may view our entire selection of desks and chair desks by clicking here. For personalized help, call us at 800 477 7745. We’ll be happy to help you choose just the right desk for your school.

To make your job easier, here are a few things to consider:

• What type of desk do you want?
• What material do you want it made out of?
• What Seat Height is best for your grade level?
• What Desk Height is best for your grade level?
• What Desktop Size is best for your grade level?
• What colors can you choose from?

What Type of Desk do you Want?

Desks without a Chair
Open Front Desks from Virco and Royal Seating have a rectangular top and adjustable legs that serve classrooms from preschool-adult. Models can be ordered with a plastic or metal book box, a high-pressure laminate or hard plastic top; a wrap-around leg brace; and with standard nylon-base glides, or with steel base glides.

Lift Lid Desks. Because many teachers prefer lift-lid desks with a metal book box to keep students’ books out of the way, Teachers’ School Supply offers a variety of lift lid desks. Models can be ordered with a high-pressure laminate or hard plastic top; a wrap-around leg brace; and with standard nylon-base glides, or with steel base glides. All our lift lid desks feature a rectangular top and adjustable legs that serve classrooms from preschool-adult

Junior Executive or Student Executive Desks provide a spacious 20” x 34” larger writing surface and extra storage space to keep books off the floor.  The classroom stays neater, and safer. These Executive student desks combine a large work surface with ample storage capacity. A tubular steel frame and metal book box come standard.  Chrome lower legs adjust to serve classrooms from preschool-adult

Chair Desks
Tablet Arm Desks feature a chair with a desktop attached to an arm. These are popular in high schools and come with an L-shaped "tablet arm" or trapezoid-shaped top that serves as a writing surface.
Combo Desks are similar to chair desks but have two legs attached to the chair and two attached to the desk. Combo desks usually feature larger writing surfaces and have more tummy room. Unlike chair desks, combo desks are equally suitable for right- or left-handed students.

What Material Do You Want Your Desk Made Out Of?

Top – Choose from long-lasting, solid plastic or economical high pressure wood grain laminate over particleboard.
Book box – Metal book boxes last longer, but plastic book boxes are also quite durable.  Metal book boxes are subject to rust and are noisier than plastic.
Frame – All our desk frames are fashioned from high-strength tubular steel.  
Seats on Chair Desks – Our chair desks feature two types of seats:  hard or soft plastic. Hard plastic seats are firmer and promotes better posture, but over time is a bit more prone to cracking. Our more economical chair desks feature soft plastic polyethylene and polypropylene chairs which stand up to years of heavy use.
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What Seat Height Is Best For Your Grade Level?

When ordering chair desks, only students from 5th grade to adult will be able to sit comfortably in them, with their feet flat on the floor and their knees bent at 90°.  When you set up your adjustable height legs on our desks, allow roughly 8 to 10 inches between the seat and the desktop.
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What Desk Height Is Best For Your Grade Level?

Our desks measure about 29” high when the legs are adjusted for 5th Grade-Adult.   Adjust the leg height so that students at any grade can sit comfortably.
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What Desk Top Size Is Best For Your Grade Level?

Most younger students (elementary) will have ample room at our 18” x 24” open front desk or lift lid desk.  Older students might be more comfortable with our Executive Desks which provide a generous 20” x 34” desk top and extra storage space in the roomy book compartment.
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What Colors Can You Choose From?

Our high pressure laminate desk top colors are oak, walnut and grey nebula.   Hard plastic tops are stocked in sand color with other options available.  Virco open front model 785 desks now come in a variety of colors to brighten any classroom.
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