Lab Casework And Furniture For Schools

School laboratory equipment comes in many forms. Beyond the microscopes, Bunsen burners, and glass beakers, you’ll also need to stock your chemistry lab with tables, lab-grade furniture, and classroom casework: the cabinets, cupboards, and other storage solutions that allow a school science lab to function. 

Whether you’re looking for high school chemistry lab furniture or university laboratory equipment, iQ Labs has the casework, furniture, and accessories to meet your educational needs. 

What Is Laboratory Casework?

Laboratory casework is the base cabinets, wall cases, floor cases, and other forms of storage installed into a laboratory setting. It also refers more broadly to school laboratory furniture in general, such as lab benches and different kinds of science lab tables.

At iQ Labs, we offer multiple types of high-quality laboratory casework, including:

1. Corner and base safety cabinets
2. Utility tables
3. Acid and corrosive storage cabinets
4. Wall cases with shelves
5. Standing storage cabinets
6. Flammable cabinets

Our state-of-the-art laboratory casework is made from steel. Metal casework is preferred in research and “wet lab” settings. It’s a great option for college laboratory equipment. We also offer wood casework, which is often used in high school science lab settings.

3 Common Types of Laboratory Casework and Furniture

1. Specialty Cabinets

Some labs require specialty cabinets to protect workers as they handle dangerous chemicals or conduct potentially flammable experiments. At iQ Labs, we offer acid and corrosive storage cabinets as well as flammable cabinets so these processes can be conducted safely.

Flammable Cabinets

Flammable cabinets have to pass stringent testing requirements and are made of stronger materials so they can contain a fire and extinguish it in case of an emergency. They also lack vents to prevent additional oxygen from entering the cabinet and feeding the fire. 

The doors of flammable cabinets have special latches and locks to ensure their security. Certain states like California have even stricter safety standards that require flammable cabinets to have automatic closing doors. At iQ Labs, we offer flammable cabinets that meet these stricter standards.

Acid and Corrosive Storage Cabinets

Acid cabinets are vented to allow any toxic fumes that build up in the cabinet to be exhausted to a safe location. Many acid cabinets vent these harmful gases into a fume hood, where they can be safely vented through a duct and out of the building via the roof.

2. Workstations

At iQ Labs, we offer standard lab benches, also known as workstations or utility tables. These workstations can be easily customized to meet the needs of the school’s laboratory. Common customizations include:

1. Adjustable height
2. Sinks
3. Plumbing fixtures
4. Gas lines
5. Electrical outlets
6. Burners
7. Skirting
8. Casters for mobility

Mobile Science Lab Workstations

Our workstations come standard with leveling glides, and casters can be substituted to give the workstation mobility, creating a modular design that can easily adapt to fit changing laboratory processes. Our mobile workstations start off as an industrial, four-legged, square-tubed bench or table that you can customize with different types of work surfaces. Mobile science lab benches are particularly helpful for schools that want to invest in science equipment that can serve multiple purposes in multiple classrooms.

Work Surfaces

The type of surface you choose for your lab bench determines how you can safely use it. Epoxy resin is a versatile work surface that’s popular to use in educational and professional laboratory settings. Other common work surfaces include:

1. Phenolic
2. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) material
3. Trespa®
4. Stainless steel

3. Fume Hoods

Fume hoods are not a type of laboratory casework, but they are often sold alongside them. After all, if you purchase a benchtop fume hood, you need somewhere to put it. 

At iQ Labs, you can purchase your fume hoods and laboratory casework simultaneously. We’ll help you determine what sort of work surface will best support your new fume hoods.

Lab Accessories and Specialty Furniture

School labs need more than just casework and fume hoods to be a safe, educational environment. At iQ Labs, we offer a large variety of accessories and specialty furniture, including:

1. Lab carts
2. Peg boards
3. Eye wash stations
4. Fume hood safety accessories (air flow monitors, auto sash closures, alarms, etc.)
5. Laboratory plumbing (sinks, faucets, service fixtures, etc.)
6. LED task lighting
7. ADA-compliant lab equipment

Lab Design & Installation

When it comes to lab design, our team at iQ Labs is happy to follow the lead of our customers, share our own expertise, or some mix of both. For larger projects, we offer engineering drawings so you can see the design and layout of your new lab. 

iQ Labs can also help you handle the installation of your new equipment. We can recommend local installation crews who have the skills and experience to install laboratory casework, furniture, and accessories.