A monitor arm is a great accessory that can complement your computer desk to provide more workspace and better ergonomics. A monitor arm offers many advantages, including maximizing your workspace, improving posture, and keeping sore muscles at bay. All these are good reasons to purchase a monitor arm. However, if you’ve got a glass desk, you’re probably wondering if the monitor arm is compatible with it.
You can attach a monitor arm to a glass desk as long as the glass surface can support the weight of the monitor and the monitor arm. You can minimize the chances of the glass shattering or breaking by placing a wooden block in between the glass and the monitor arm clamp for reinforcement.
Most monitor arms use a grommet hole adapter or a clamp to attach to your desktop. Always ensure that the diameter of your grommet hole and/or the thickness of your desktop matches your choice of monitor arm. Let’s take a look at some of the things you should keep in mind when it comes to monitor arms.
What Type of Monitor Mount Is Best for a Glass Desk?
The best monitor mount for a glass desk should be a high-quality option that’s built to be used with a clamp or a hole and grommet mounting.
The arm should be very resilient and solid when in use, and you should be able to reposition it with hardly any shuddering or wobbling.
The best monitor mount to use on a glass desk should offer a wider area on which the load will be spread, to prevent damage to the glass or any fragile desk surfaces.
Best Single and Dual Monitor Mounts for a Glass Desk
There are many different shapes and sizes of monitor mounts for glass desks. You must make sure that you choose the right one.
It can be a little difficult to select the right one because the options to consider are so numerous. Nevertheless, there are some factors that should influence your choice, such as:
1. Monitor Size
This refers to the weight and width of your monitor screen. These features have a set restriction on most monitor arms, with the weight ranging between 17 and 40 pounds and the width between 17 and 49 inches.
You should be careful not to buy an arm that will cause your monitor to perpetually wobble, or worse, fall as a result of your monitor’s weight. The QUARX Dual Monitor Stand (on Amazon) is a good option and is capable and sturdy enough to support most monitors.
2. Mounting Preferences and Style
Will a desk mount or a wall mount work better for you? Do you prefer the clamping option rather than drilling a hole in your desk? Will your desk or wall material be able to support your choice of monitor arm?
The best monitor arms usually indicate the mounting options and in some cases, how to modify your workspace to make room for them.
For example, if you have a glass desk, monitor arms such as the HUANUO Dual monitor stand (on Amazon) can guarantee that your desk will be safe after mounting.
Also, the best monitor arms come with standard VESA mounts, which match with the small square array of screw holes behind the best 4k monitors.
3. Adaptability and Flexibility
The best monitor arm will enable movement in several directions. You should choose a monitor that can swivel, rotate, and tilt at any angle. And it should be able to move smoothly and easily. You certainly don’t want a saggy or wobbly monitor arm!
4. Cost
Monitor arms come at various prices. Most models are priced between $50 and $200, but you will find monitor arms that cost more than $500.
The price differences are due to extra features, customer service options, and warranty policies. Consider a monitor like the Quarx FLYTE Monitor Arm (on Amazon) that offers great value for under $150.
5. Number of Monitors
If you use two monitors, or maybe a monitor and a laptop, then you have an idea of how quickly a desk can get cluttered. Therefore, instead of buying the best monitor arm with one mount, consider going for a dual monitor arm such as the MOUNTUP Dual Monitor Wall Mount(on Amazon) and reclaim your desk space immediately.
Can You Attach a Monitor Arm to a Glass Desk?
Attaching a hefty monitor arm to a glass desk may not seem like the best idea. Glass can be pretty fragile, after all, and the amount of weight that they can carry isn’t super clear.
For this reason, you should take some safety measures if you’re going to use the monitor arm on a glass desk. The glass could break due to the pressure exerted on a single point by the monitor arm when it’s fastened to the glass edge.
If non-uniform stress is exerted on the glass, it can cause it to crack or shatter. Nonetheless, you can minimize the risk by putting a reinforced wooden block in the middle of the glass and the monitor arm clamp.
Where Does a Monitor Arm Transfer the Monitor’s Weight?
The weight of the monitor is transferred to the base of the monitor arm. Putting all the pressure on one spot can be a lot, and as we mentioned, exposing glass to uniform stress can cause it to break.
Since today’s computer monitors are built to be lighter and sleeker, then computer monitor arms can be configured to carry anywhere between 4 pounds (2 kg) and 25 pounds (11 kg) of weight.
Some can hold even more, depending on the kind of arm and the size of the computer monitor. So, when buying a computer arm, you should first confirm the weight of your monitor and compare it with the weight holding capacity of your monitor arm.
Using a clamp-style monitor arm is not a good idea. Due to the weight distribution and support, the glass desk can crack or even shatter in this case.
Can C-Clamps Work on a Glass Desk?
The C-clamp is compatible with anything that has enough surface area for it to clamp to. Just ensure that the glass has enough thickness to withstand the weight of the monitor and the stand.
The monitor and the monitor arm produce a great amount of weight exerted on a small area. The glass may shatter if it’s not thick enough. It’s also a good idea to place a block of wood in the middle of the clamp and the glass for reinforcement.
