School Science Lab Furniture – Not Just Benches and Seating

Lab benching and stools are perhaps the most obvious aspects of school science lab furniture, along with associated facilities such as sinks, water and gas taps and power sockets. But a well-equipped school science laboratory will benefit from a wide range of other types of furniture to help the lab support learning more effectively. As part of the design process, Tecomak Furniture Solutions can help you to find the right combination of items to ensure your laboratory gives top performance and learning flexibility.

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Storage
Provision of adequate storage is essential for a well-organised, clutter-free and safe learning environment. This includes under-bench storage, which can be provided as part of our pedestal furniture, one of Tecomak's three modular designs for school science lab benching. It comprises worktops supported by cupboard units. Alternatively, if you choose our cantilever or suspended benching, you could have separate storage units sited in the space underneath.

Wall storage is another option, and using wall-mounted cabinets may be a good way of making the best use of your available space, leaving more floor space free and helping to enable easier cleaning. You may also want to consider lockable cabinets for greater security, in particular if there is a need to store valuable or sensitive items of equipment.

Mobile furniture
Mobile furniture items can greatly add to the flexibility of a lab and how it operates. Including mobile items is especially important when labs are used for different science subjects, or when they also have to be used for other purposes or for multiple age ranges within a school.

Items to consider include mobile workstations, which allow space to be reconfigured and can, if necessary, be put aside for other uses. Book carts allow text books to be easily moved around to different classrooms, which can help when various different classes need to be accommodated in same lab. The same applies to mobile tray storage cabinets, which can be useful to transport school science equipment and other items.

Demo carts are another valuable item, which allow a science demo to be set up independently, in a prep room away from the main teaching area and brought in when needed. This means less disruption to classes.

Fume management
A vital consideration in laying out school science labs is the management of fumes. Including a fume cupboard in your school lab will mean that a wider range of science experiments can be safely carried out. There are several different models available, including fixed and semi-mobile ducted fume cupboards, as well as mobile cupboards which can be used to serve more than one lab. Another useful piece of school science lab furniture is the Etchflo cabinet, which is designed to allow the whole etching process to be carried out in safety. As an expert contractor, Tecomak can advise you on which of these cupboards to choose and arrange the fitting for you.

Lighting
Lighting is not just an afterthought, but should be considered part of the furniture, as it can significantly affect the way a lab is used. A dimly-lit lab is a recipe for disaster, since students will not be able to see their work properly and there could even be resulting accidents. Full control over lighting in a lab is essential, for instance with lights which can be turned up or down and independently switchable lighting zones. Blackout window blinds are also important to ensure optimum conditions for lighting experiments.

Flooring
Flooring materials used in a lab setting need to be chemical resistant and heavy-duty. There are strict specifications for hygienic flooring which is also slip-resistant, and lab design experts can advise you on the choice of suitable materials for your particular requirements.

Audio Visual Furniture
With the growth of technology, many school science labs will need to allow space for TVs, whiteboards and projection screens, computers, projectors and printers. Suitable furniture must be included in the design to support all this hi-tech equipment. This could include wall or ceiling mountings, or fixed or mobile stands. The exact location for each item must be carefully chosen to ensure maximum visibility. Storage for supplies also needs to be remembered, to avoid the clutter of printer paper, storage media,  pens for whiteboards and remote controls, for example.

About Tecomak Furniture Solutions

When you are seeking school science furniture, Tecomak Furniture Solutions can provide a full range of fixtures and fittings, down to the last detail. Our wealth of experience means we can plan the space to include all the facilities you want, logically arranged in a way to ensure your laboratory can support a full range of lessons and activities.

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