Product pages are full of numbers. Lift speed. Noise. Load. Height range. Stroke length. Duty cycle. Too often, those figures are apples-to-oranges—and sometimes they are pure marketing. If you understand how to read a standing desk spec sheet, you can separate signal from noise and buy a height adjustable desk that is quiet, stable, and ergonomic in daily use. Here’s a practical decoder focused on what each number means in the real world, how it’s measured, and the red flags to watch.

Height range vs. stroke length

• Worksurface height range (the number that matters): This is the distance from the finished floor to the top of the desk at its lowest and highest positions. A practical inclusive target is about 560–600 mm (22–23.5 inches) on the low end and 1,150–1,270 mm (45–50 inches) on the high end. Ask vendors if their numbers include glides and a typical desktop thickness.

• Stroke length (at the column): This is how far the telescoping tubes extend inside the leg. It is not the same as surface range. A longer stroke helps, but if the desktop is thick, you can still miss the low target.

What to ask: “Confirm the floor-to-worksurface range with a 25–30 mm top installed and levelers set for a nominal floor.”

Two-stage vs. three-stage columns (and overlap)

• Two-stage: Two telescoping tubes. Fine for limited ranges, but they lose overlap (stiffness) at tall heights.

• Three-stage: Three tubes. Longer range and more overlap at standing height. More overlap is your best defense against wobble.

What to ask: “Is the leg two- or three-stage? Provide a drawing or values for tube overlap at mid and max heights.”

Lift speed—under load, not in air

• Unloaded speed is marketing. Real lift speed depends on weight, friction, and firmware ramps.

• Target: 30–45 mm/s with a defined test load (for example, a 25–30 mm desktop, dual monitors on an arm, dock, and typical accessories).

What to ask: “Report speed up and down with a 25 kg (55 lb) top/arm ballast and note ramp behavior (soft start/stop).”

Noise—how, where, and with what load

• Method matters: A-weighted (dB[A]) at the user’s ear height (30–50 cm from the front edge) during motion with a real load is the only number that maps to daily experience.

• Target: Mid-40s dB(A) with smooth starts and stops; no end-of-travel thumps.

Red flags: Single-point numbers with no method, or measurements at the leg rather than at ear height.

Static vs. dynamic load (and headroom)

• Static load: How much weight the desk can hold at rest. Not very useful.

• Dynamic load: How much weight it can raise and lower. This is the number to compare. Operate at 60–70% of rated dynamic capacity for quiet, cool motors and long life.

What to ask: “State dynamic capacity, not just static, and the test’s duty cycle. Provide guidance for recommended operating headroom.”

Duty cycle and thermal behavior

• Typical spec: 1 minute on, 18 minutes off (varies). The system will slow or pause as it protects itself when heat builds.

• Reality: Short moves with presets are fine; repeated full-stroke cycles will hit thermal limits on any system.

What to ask: “Provide duty cycle, any thermal derate behavior (OT codes), and recommended usage patterns.”

Anti-collision—down and up, and how it works

• Down is common; up is often forgotten. You need both.

• Methods: Current-based sensing (standard) and IMU-assisted (accelerometers/gyros for soft obstacles). Both can work; IMUs can improve sensitivity.

What to ask: “Document stop-and-reverse behavior for down and up (test mass/obstacle, distance reversed), and whether sensitivity is adjustable.”

Standby power (fleet math)

• Good control boxes idle under 0.5 W. Across hundreds of desks, that adds up.

• Bonus: Some boxes support scheduled or remote power policies. Separate from standby, motion power is typically 120–180 W for dual motors.

What to ask: “Report standby draw in watts per desk, measured at 120/230 V. Any scheduling support? Power factor?”

Controller behavior and presets

• Memory presets are not a luxury. They minimize “hunting,” motor time, and thermal stress.

• One-touch vs. hold-to-move: One-touch speeds adoption but may be restricted by local safety rules; hold-to-move reduces accidental motion in public/family areas.

What to ask: “How many presets? Is one-touch configurable? Are child lock and error codes documented? Provide the reset procedure (hold Down to mechanical stop).”

Crossbar, feet, and desktop (the stiffness triad)

• Crossbar: A deep, closed section is stiffer than a thin C-channel. Telescoping bars should have generous sleeve overlap.

• Feet: Long, gusseted feet control front-to-back pitch—critical on 30-inch-deep tops and with ultrawides.

• Desktop: A dense 25–30 mm matte HPL top resists “panel drum” and clamp dents. Thin or hollow-core tops amplify vibration; add reinforcement plates under monitor clamps on thin tops.

What to ask: “Provide crossbar cross-section and foot length options; recommend foot length by top depth. Confirm reinforcement plate availability.”

Certifications and tests (the ones that matter)

• Ergonomics and geometry: EN 527 and BIFMA G1 inform height ranges and clearances.

• Safety and EMC (electronics): CE/UKCA/RCM/FCC; RoHS/REACH materials.

• Packaging: ISTA 3A for cartons and 3E for pallets reduce damage in transit.

What to ask: “Provide EN 527/BIFMA G1 height guidance compliance summary, CE/FCC (where applicable), RoHS/REACH statements, and ISTA test evidence for packaging.”

Cable management—kit or afterthought?

• A reliable desk needs a rear cable tray with a listed surge-protected strip mounted inside, AC/data separation, bricks strapped, and one vertical cable chain to create a single power drop. Without this pattern, you will see flicker on lift and anti-collision false trips.

What to ask: “Is the tray included? Provide tray dimensions, surge strip spec, recommended grommet locations, vertical chain length, and a photo of the underside ‘golden build.’”

Warranty and serviceability (read the fine print)

• Warranty by subsystem: Structure, lifting columns, control box, keypad, accessories. Look for multi-year coverage on motors/electronics.

• FRUs (field-replaceable units): Columns, control box, keypad, harnesses. Interchangeable connectors speed “swap, don’t debug.”

• Spares plan: Per 50 desks, keep one control box, one keypad, one column.

What to ask: “Detail warranty by subsystem, FRU part numbers, connector compatibility, and a 48-hour ship SLA on electronics.”

How to sanity check a spec on-site (15 minutes)

• Noise under load: Measure dB(A) at ear height while lifting with your actual gear. Target mid-40s.

• Speed under load: Time travel between marks; 30–45 mm/s is practical.

• Stability at full height: Corner-push; damping should be quick. If ripple lingers, move monitor arm clamps closer to a leg, add reinforcement plates, and verify long feet.

• Anti-collision: Down onto a foam block; up under a padded shelf. Fix cable drag before changing sensitivity.

• Cable management: Confirm the tray + one-drop pattern; short, certified video runs; service loops at monitor pivots and control box.

Red flags on spec sheets

• No method on noise or speed; “unloaded” claims only.

• Dynamic load omitted or identical to static load.

• Two-stage columns pitched as “extra stable” at tall heights.

• No mention of presets, anti-collision up, standby draw, or packaging tests.

• No tray/chain included; “cable management available” with no pattern.

A buyer’s request block you can paste into your RFQ

• Height range at worksurface (floor to top) with 25–30 mm top: min ____ mm/in, max ____ mm/in; include levelers.

• Columns and drive: Dual motors; three-stage lifting columns; Hall-sensor sync; soft start/stop ramps.

• Performance under load: Noise dB(A) at ear height (method noted), speed mm/s (load noted), dynamic capacity (kg/lb), duty cycle and thermal behavior.

• Structure: Reinforced closed-section crossbar; long, gusseted feet; recommended foot length by top depth.

• Controls: Keypad with 3–4 presets; child lock; one-touch/hold-to-move options; error codes; reset procedure.

• Cable management kit: Rear tray (dimensions); listed surge strip; vertical cable chain; grommet recommendations; golden underside photo.

• Compliance/packaging: EN 527/BIFMA G1 guidance; CE/UKCA/RCM/FCC; RoHS/REACH; ISTA 3A/3E evidence.

• Warranty/service: Subsystem coverage; FRUs; spares plan; 48-hour ship SLA on electronics.

Spec sheets can inform or mislead. Focus on what you will feel: a wide, verified floor-to-worksurface range, three-stage columns with generous overlap, speed and noise measured under load at ear height, real dynamic capacity with headroom, and a disciplined cable kit that creates one clean power drop. Pair those fundamentals with a readable keypad, a stiff crossbar, long feet, and a dense matte top, and your height adjustable desk will be quiet, stable, and ergonomic—beyond the brochure.

• Explore spec-true standing desk frames, three-stage lifting columns, long-foot options, rear cable trays, vertical cable chains, and service-friendly controls at Venace: https://www.vvenace.com

• Contact us: sales@venace.com