How to Add a Desk Grommet Hole for Cleaner Cables

Every cable on your desk currently drops over the back edge, which is why the monitor cables sag, the charger keeps sliding off and the whole bundle falls behind the desk whenever you move it. A desk grommet fixes that by giving cables one tidy exit straight down through the desktop, and fitting one takes about 30 minutes with the right drill bit.

I have added grommets to five desks in my own home and helped friends with a few more, from cheap particleboard tops to solid oak. The process is the same every time. What changes is where you put the hole and which grommet you buy, and those are the two decisions people usually get wrong.

What a desk grommet actually does

A grommet is a round plastic or metal liner that sits in a hole through the desktop. It has a lip that covers the rough cut edge and usually a cap with a notch so cables can pass through while the opening stays mostly covered.

The point is not decoration. Routing cables through the top instead of over the edge means:

Cables stop rubbing on the back edge, which wears the jacket over time.
The desk can sit flush against the wall, gaining you 3 to 5 cm of depth.
Devices on top of the desk can be moved without dragging their cables behind the furniture.
Everything feeds into one spot under the desk, ready for a tray or a power strip.

If you already have an under desk tray, a grommet is the missing link between the surface and the tray. Our guide to installing an under desk cable tray the right way covers the other half of the job.

Choosing the right desk grommet size

Grommets are sold by the diameter of the hole they need, not the outside diameter of the lip. The common sizes are 60 mm, 80 mm and 100 mm, with smaller 35 mm versions for a single cable.

Hole size	Good for	Notes
35 mm	One charging cable or a single lamp	Will not pass most power plugs
60 mm	Laptop setup with one monitor	Fits a standard UK or EU plug at an angle
80 mm	Two monitors, a dock and peripherals	The best default for most home offices
100 mm	Gaming or streaming desks with many devices	Needs a deeper desktop to look tidy

Measure the largest plug you need to feed through, usually a power plug or a laptop charger brick if it cannot be unplugged at the cable end. Add 10 mm. That is your minimum hole. When in doubt, go up a size; you cannot easily make a hole bigger later without the grommet looking off center.

Material matters less than people think. Plastic grommets cost a few pounds and do the job. Aluminium ones look sharper and cost 10 to 25 pounds. Some higher end models include a built in USB charger or power socket, which is handy but means running mains power through the desk, so check the product is certified for your country.

Where to put the hole

This is the decision that makes or breaks the result. Before you drill, place your monitors, laptop and lamp exactly where you use them. Then look under the desk for frame rails, drawer runners and the legs of a standing desk frame.

A good spot meets four tests:

It sits 8 to 12 cm in from the back edge, so the grommet cap is hidden behind your monitor stand.
It is close to the center of your devices, so no cable has to stretch more than 60 cm to reach it.
Nothing underneath blocks it: no frame rail, crossbar or drawer.
On a standing desk, it lines up with where the cables can hang loosely without catching on the frame at the lowest height.

If you use a standing desk, our piece on routing cables on a standing desk without snagging them explains how much slack each cable needs.

Drilling the hole step by step

You need a hole saw in the right size, a drill, masking tape, a pencil, a scrap piece of wood and sandpaper around 120 grit. A hole saw kit with several sizes costs about 15 to 30 pounds and is worth keeping.

Mark the center. Put masking tape over the area on the top surface and mark the center point. The tape reduces chipping on laminate and melamine finishes.
Clamp a scrap board underneath. Place it directly under the hole and clamp it tight. This stops the saw tearing out the bottom face when it breaks through.
Drill slowly from the top. Use a medium speed and let the saw do the work. Pulling it out every 10 to 15 seconds clears dust and stops it overheating.
Stop halfway on thick tops. For desktops over 30 mm, drill until the pilot bit pokes through underneath, then finish the hole from below. This gives you clean edges on both sides.
Sand and test fit. Lightly sand the inside edge, vacuum the dust, then press the grommet in. It should sit flush without forcing.

Expect the whole job to take 20 to 40 minutes, most of it measuring.

The counter-take: you might not need one hole

A lot of desk setup advice says one big grommet in the middle is the clean solution. In my experience, two smaller holes often work better.

Splitting power and data has real benefits. One 60 mm grommet behind the monitors carries the display and dock cables. A second 35 mm grommet near your charging spot handles phone and headphone cables. The result is shorter cable runs, less bundling of power with signal cables, and a cleaner top surface because nothing has to cross the desk to reach the middle. It also keeps you from cutting a 100 mm hole in a thin desktop, which can weaken particleboard near the edge.

One hole is still right for a small desk or a single device. Just do not assume bigger and central is always better.

Finishing the cable run

Once the grommet is in, feed cables through one at a time, longest first. Leave 10 to 15 cm of slack above the desk so devices can move. Below, gather the cables into a tray or a cable sleeve, and label each one at the plug end. Our guide on how to label desk cables so you never unplug the wrong one has a simple system for that last step.

Frequently asked questions

What size desk grommet do I need?

For most home offices, an 80 mm hole fits two monitors, a dock and a few peripherals. Measure your largest plug and add 10 mm to find the minimum. Go up a size if you are unsure.

Can you drill a grommet hole in a particleboard desk?

Yes, with a sharp hole saw, masking tape on top and a scrap board clamped underneath to stop tear out. Keep the hole at least 5 cm from any edge so the board stays strong. Sand the cut edge before fitting the grommet.

Where should a desk grommet go?

Usually 8 to 12 cm from the back edge, centered behind your main devices. Check underneath for frame rails or drawers before marking the spot. On a standing desk, make sure cables can hang freely at the lowest height.