DIY Laptop Stand For Better Posture Under $20

Last Updated on February 1, 2022 by Dr Timothy Lim

You can buy a laptop stand for better posture that will cost anywhere from $20 to $90 in Singapore. One problem I have with many off-the-shelf laptop stands is that many of them are designed too low for the correct ergonomic posture. Furthermore, besides taking up precious table space, these laptop stands often make the laptop screen further than I can comfortably see. As a result, I find myself needing to stretch my neck forward to view the laptop screen. Bad posture!

Table of Contents

• What is the correct height of the laptop stand?
• What you need to build the laptop stand?
• Benefits of Building Your Own Laptop Stand

What is the correct height of the laptop stand?

Make no mistake, if you don’t have the best posture for working on a laptop, you may end up getting neck or shoulder pain unnecessarily. Trust me, I know. Most individuals are likely placing the laptop way too low.  Kids in Singapore are using laptops more frequently for their Student Learning Space or public school online learning.

I observed my daughter’s laptop posture and realised her posture was still acceptable for her height. She does not need a laptop stand for better posture. Unless you have the height of a young child, your laptop posture is probably not ideal. The top of the laptop screen should be at eye level. I recommend placing the middle of the laptop screen at eye level if you feel comfortable. As our head follows where the eyes are looking, doing so will reduce the chance of your head looking down.

Like me, you may have already considered buying a laptop stand for better posture, but you have similar concerns. Perhaps you even have tried stacking several books to raise the height and achieve proper sitting posture on your laptop. Even as a chiropractor, I am not spared from getting neck and shoulder aches if I ignore the correct posture to use a laptop. 

So I thought to myself, what if I could design and build a laptop stand on my own? I began to fiddle with my laptop and wondered if I could open it fully for it to stand up on its edge. To my surprise, the laptop posture height was just right at my eye level, without having to add any books or props. All I needed was to find a secure base to sit the laptop and some kind of clamp to hold the laptop upright.

What you need to build the laptop stand?

Let me share with you how you can build your own laptop stand for a good posture with just some props you probably already have in your home. So with just two items, I made my first DIY laptop stand, an ergonomic posture friendly gadget.

Here’s how I made it. One of the items we need is a styrofoam block since it’s easy to cut to shape. I use a ruler to draw a straight line in the middle of the block where I will place my laptop. Next, I use a heated soldering tip to make a groove for the edge of the laptop to slide in.

The second item we need is a gooseneck phone holder with an adjustable clamp bracket to secure the laptop to the table. The screw-on clamp is very secure and I recommend you don’t compromise on any other flimsy options. A clip type phone holder is more secure than what I have available. Regardless, if you don’t do this part correctly your laptop may just fall and crash. Not good. Do watch the step-by-step video tutorial on building this laptop stand.

Benefits of Building Your Own Laptop Stand

For me, the greatest benefit is feeling the satisfaction of building my own laptop stand that is perfect for my height. Secondly, the laptop stand can be quickly dismantled or moved should I need to use my table for other purposes. A third benefit is that your laptop will run cooler since the heat can dissipate much easier from the back. Since your laptop base is not resting on the table or platform, you will probably not need a dedicated laptop cooling pad. The cooling vents are not blocked, warm air generated can easily escape from the vents.

Note that the right posture for working on a laptop also involves placing the elbows at about ninety degrees. In this manner, your shoulders are not in a shrugged position for extended periods. I achieved this more ergonomic posture by placing the keyboard on my lap. Some of us might feel weird initially as we are more used to putting our hands on the table position. Some may still need to find a chiropractor in Singapore to help adjust the spine to improve the comfort of their posture at the laptop.

Hope you enjoy this posture hack which could very well be the best posture for working on a laptop on a budget. If you do try this laptop stand for better posture, do let me know if you have questions or ideas to make it better.