For a single desk in a small or home office, the most practical steel filing cabinet is a mobile pedestal: a unit about 600mm tall that rolls under the desk, with two stationery drawers, one A4 filing drawer and a central lock. Steel Power Shelving's 3 Drawer Mobile Pedestal Filing Cabinet is built exactly that way: 600mm high × 390mm wide × 500mm deep, powder-coated steel, central locking and 5 castors with 2 lockable, in Classic White or Matt Black for AUD $160 as listed in October 2026. It suits anyone who works mainly at one desk and wants working files locked at night: home offices, small businesses with a few desks, and clinic, admin, school, club and site offices. For high-volume suspension filing across a team, see our steel filing cabinet buyer's guide.
Will it fit under your desk?
The listing says the pedestal fits under most desks, but check yours. What matters is the underside clearance: floor to the lowest thing under the desktop.
- Find the lowest point where the pedestal will sit: a frame rail, modesty panel, fixed drawer, keyboard tray or cable tray.
- Measure from the floor to that point, at the front and the back of the space.
- Compare it with 600mm plus a margin of roughly 20mm or more (rule of thumb), so the pedestal rolls in without scraping.
- Check the width. Subtract the pedestal's 390mm from the clear width between the desk legs; what is left must be comfortable leg room.
- Check the depth. At 500mm deep, it tucks fully under a desk with more than 500mm of clear depth.
- Sit-stand desks: measure at the lowest setting, and look for a crossbar or frame beam sitting low between the legs. If it is too tight, park the pedestal beside the desk instead.
As a rule of thumb, fixed desks are roughly 720–750mm tall to the top surface. The examples below show the clearance left once you subtract what sits under the top.
| Example desk (illustrative) | Height to top | What sits under the top | Clearance left | Gap above a 600mm pedestal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed desk, top only | 720mm | 25mm top | 695mm | 95mm: fits |
| Fixed desk, top only | 750mm | 25mm top | 725mm | 125mm: fits |
| Fixed desk with frame rail | 730mm | 25mm top + 60mm rail | 645mm | 45mm: fits |
| Desk with keyboard tray | 730mm | 25mm top + 100mm tray | 605mm | 5mm: too tight |
| Sit-stand desk at a low setting | 650mm | 25mm top + 50mm frame | 575mm | Won't fit: park it beside the desk |
All figures are examples only. On a sit-stand desk, make sure nobody lowers the desk onto the pedestal; if the controller allows a lower height limit, set it above the pedestal.
What goes in each drawer
- Two stationery drawers (top): pens, a stapler, sticky notes, chargers, a headset and the other things you reach for all day.
- One filing drawer (bottom): the listing specifies it for A4 and letter-size documents, such as current client folders, unpaid invoices, signed forms and this year's tax paperwork.
Foolscap is the catch. Many Australian offices still use foolscap suspension files, which are wider than A4 and need a drawer built to foolscap width. If that is your system, confirm the internal fit with Steel Power before ordering, or keep A4 working files at the desk and the foolscap archive elsewhere.
As a general habit with any drawer unit, keep the heaviest files in the bottom drawer and open one drawer at a time.
The central lock: what it does and what it doesn't
The central locking system means one key locks all three drawers at once. Treat it as privacy and deterrence, not a safe. It keeps client files and personal documents away from visitors and casual curiosity, but it won't stop someone determined with tools, and a mobile unit can be wheeled away. Cash, passports and backup drives belong in a safe or a locked room. Our guide to securing a metal storage cabinet goes further.
Key management in shared and hot-desk offices:
- Number each key and pedestal to match, and keep a register of who holds which.
- Keep spare keys in a locked key box or with the office manager, never inside the pedestal.
- Assign pedestals to people rather than desks, and let the castors do the moving.
- Collect keys when staff or volunteers leave.
Castors: when to lock them
The pedestal has 5 castors, 2 of them lockable. Lock them whenever it is parked beside the desk as a side surface, so it doesn't roll when you pull a drawer or lean on it. Unlock them to roll it out for cleaning.
General floor advice: on carpet, castors roll with more effort and a chair mat protects the pile. On timber, vinyl, tiles or polished concrete the pedestal rolls freely, so locking the castors matters more; clear grit from the wheels now and then.
Mobile pedestal vs other lockable options
Here is how the pedestal compares with Steel Power's other lockable units.
| Option | Size (H × W × D) | Lock and capacity | Best for | Price (as listed October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Drawer Mobile Pedestal Filing Cabinet | 600 × 390 × 500mm | Central lock, one key for all 3 drawers | Under a single desk: working files and stationery | $160 |
| 2 Drawer Metal Storage Cabinet – Lockable | 0.315 × 0.61 × 0.56m | Lockable; each layer holds 30kg | Under a workbench or bench; not a desk filing unit | $145 |
| Lockable Metal Storage Cabinet with Shelf | 0.89 × 0.915 × 0.6m | Lockable doors; 1 adjustable shelf; each layer holds 30kg | Bench-height storage beside a desk, with a printer on top | $175 |
| Metal File Cabinet 1.85m – Grey & White | 1.85 × 0.9 × 0.4m | Lockable doors; adjustable shelves | Shared archive of lever-arch files and boxes | $285 |
Many small offices use both: a pedestal at each desk and one tall lockable cupboard for the archive. Browse the Filing Cabinets range, compare small lockable metal cabinets under $200, or read the steel filing cabinet buyer's guide and the home office metal cabinet guide.
Which office setups suit a mobile pedestal
- Home office: household and tax paperwork locked away from children and visitors, in Classic White or Matt Black to suit the room.
- Small business with a few desks: lockable personal storage for each person, with one 1.85m cabinet holding the shared archive.
- Clinic or admin desk: forms in progress stay at the desk and lock at close. The lock supports, but doesn't replace, your own privacy and record-keeping obligations.
- School or club office: desks are often shared by staff or volunteers, so the key habits above matter most.
- Site office: A4 permits and induction forms in a steel unit, with the lockable castors holding it in place on hard floors.
Buying from Steel Power
- Delivery and pickup: Australia-wide delivery from the Brisbane warehouse at Willawong. Brisbane customers can collect from Willawong, with same-day pickup on in-stock items.
- Installation: Metal Drawer / Storage Cabinet Installation is a per-unit add-on: Brisbane area $45 ground floor or $65 upstairs; Sydney area $55 or $75. Rubbish removal is included.
- Extended warranty: an extended warranty add-on covers manufacturing defects under normal use, at $30 for one year or $70 for three years.
Prices are as listed in October 2026; check the listing before you order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best filing cabinet for a small home office in Australia?
For one desk, a lockable steel mobile pedestal about 600mm tall is usually the most practical choice. Steel Power's 3 Drawer Mobile Pedestal Filing Cabinet (600 × 390 × 500mm) has a central lock and 5 castors with 2 lockable, and was listed at AUD $160 in October 2026.
Will a mobile pedestal fit under a standing desk?
Often, but measure at the desk's lowest setting, from the floor to the lowest point underneath, including any crossbar. You need more than 600mm plus roughly 20mm as a rule of thumb. If the gap is too tight, park the pedestal beside the desk.
Does the filing drawer take foolscap files?
The listing specifies the filing drawer for A4 and letter-size documents, not foolscap. Foolscap suspension files are wider than A4 and need a foolscap-width drawer, so confirm the internal fit with Steel Power before ordering or keep foolscap files in a separate cabinet.
Is a lockable pedestal secure enough for confidential documents?
It suits privacy and deterrence: one key locks all three drawers against casual browsing. It is not a safe, and a mobile unit can be moved, so keep cash, passports and backup drives in a safe or a locked room.
How much space do I need under my desk for a 600mm pedestal?
More than 600mm from the floor to the lowest point under the desk, plus roughly 20mm as a rule of thumb. You also need 390mm of width beside your leg room and more than 500mm of clear depth.
Should I buy a mobile pedestal or a 2 drawer metal cabinet?
For a desk, choose the pedestal: it is 600mm tall with two stationery drawers and an A4 filing drawer. The 2 Drawer Metal Storage Cabinet is 0.315m tall and 0.61m wide, each layer holds 30kg, and it suits sitting under a workbench or bench rather than desk filing.
Can I pick up the mobile pedestal in Brisbane?
Yes. Brisbane customers can collect from Steel Power's Willawong warehouse, with same-day pickup on in-stock items. Australia-wide delivery is also available.
The short version
Measure the clearance under your desk and check whether your files are A4 or foolscap. If you have more than 600mm to the lowest point and your files are A4, Steel Power's 3 Drawer Mobile Pedestal Filing Cabinet is a simple way to give one desk its own lockable filing.