Lab Furniture: Exploring Design, Materials, and Operational Impact

Laboratories represent the place where science is put into practice the most. Through analysis and experiments, reliable data validates or rejects hypotheses is obtained. What role does laboratory furniture play here? Easy: support the work of the different professionals who work in a laboratory.

Main characteristics of laboratory furniture

There are different types of laboratories, and each has priorities regarding laboratory furniture.

For example, furniture for an electronic laboratory (or for any other industrial laboratory, such as an agri-food laboratory or a painting laboratory), subject to scratches and knocks, must be resistant. On the other hand, the emphasis on the furniture of a clinical laboratory falls on cleanliness. For example, a school laboratory's furniture must be very durable.

However, despite a different order of priorities, laboratory furniture meets the same characteristics we see below.

Security

Safety is surely the most important thing that the equipment and furnishing of a laboratory must comply with. 

Keeping the space well ventilated.

They are allowing free movement. It is very important to know which laboratory is used. For example, in a chemistry laboratory, professionals must be able to move easily between the areas they usually move without the risk of tripping and dropping samples.
They provide comfort and ergonomics. Laboratory technicians, chemists, biologists and other people who use a laboratory sit for many hours.

Disinfection and Hygiene

The furniture in any laboratory is cleaned often, although not to the same level: in this sense, a clinical analysis laboratory, in which human samples are worked, does not require the same disinfection as a school laboratory.
In any case, work surfaces must facilitate cleaning tasks. For example, laboratory furniture made of AISI 304 quality stainless steel is often used in the food industry. Synthetic resins, such as high-pressure compact laminate (HPL), are also a good option for clinical laboratory furniture.

Durability and resistance

Laboratory equipment can be very heavy, so worktops must be very resistant. Laboratory cabinets or shelves can also store heavy objects and corrosive substances.

If the emphasis is on durability, there are very interesting materials for laboratory furniture, such as polished granite, tempered glass, and epoxy resins such as Corian (which also do not present pores, joints or cracks and offer special protection and resistance to chemical reagents) or metal coated with polyurethane.

Modular furniture

A lab setup can change over time, making versatility important. For this reason, laboratory furniture is modular, especially the tables, independent and attachable to each other, allowing any layout.

The design of the laboratory furniture layout, or Lab Planning, must consider the characteristic of modularity. In the most extreme cases, custom-made furniture is an extra point.

The most relevant laboratory furniture

Laboratory tables and stools

Laboratory tables, also known as laboratory stools, are the most attractive piece of furniture in any laboratory.
The most common classification of laboratory tables is based on the space they occupy:
A central laboratory table is situated in the centre of the laboratory.
On the other hand, a wall-mounted laboratory table faces the wall attached to it.
What is known as the peninsular laboratory bench is nothing more than a central table that has been placed perpendicular to a mural.

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There are also special laboratory tables such as:

The laboratory table for washing: with special dimensions, it is a modular complement necessary to integrate a sink into a wall or central table.
Precision balance table: it has an anti-vibration system that reduces calculation errors in the weight of substances, filtering and damping almost all vibrations.

That said, it is true that a laboratory bench adapts to the type of laboratory in which it is located. An electronics lab table is not the same as a dental lab table. Despite having common characteristics, such as legs based on a C-, H- or U-shaped metal structure, each has specificities adapted to its functions.

Laboratory stools and chairs

Laboratory stools and laboratory chairs are essential elements in any laboratory. Like the tables, their use is conditioned by the type of laboratory used.

In this way, laboratory stools are the most used seat. They usually have wheels and a swivel seat but no backrest. In this way, a laboratory stool is perfect for mixed and dynamic workplaces requiring easy mobility to use various laboratory equipment.
For example, in a clinical analysis laboratory, the technician can move with his stool between the different areas he works in, such as haematology, bacteriology or urology. And he can do it more comfortably than if he uses a chair.

On the other hand, laboratory chairs are used in more static environments where ergonomics become more important. That is why a laboratory chair usually has a backrest, armrests and headrests, all of which are adjustable. This is useful, especially if you usually work with computer equipment, for which elbow support is appreciated.