Casework

What is lab furniture casework?

Lab furniture casework, or just lab casework, is the storage cabinets that are an essential part of just about every laboratory. That is because to have an efficient, fully functioning lab, you need the correct types of cabinets to store your ongoing work, equipment, and supplies where they are safe, secure, and protected.

It may seem as if choosing casework is a simple matter. While lab casework may look like ordinary cabinets, it is much different, and there are several factors you should consider when you choose what products to use in your lab.

Lab casework is built for durability and safety because your lab may conduct research or experiments that are difficult or dangerous. For example, lab casework doors and drawers may be double walled to help make sure they can close tightly and keep materials inside them when not in use.

The type of work you do in your lab and the kinds of equipment, chemicals, and substances you use may help determine the lab casework you install. Avantor® carries lab casework made from four different materials—plastic laminate, steel, polypropylene, and wood—so you can choose the most suitable material for your specific applications and needs. Unlike millwork, our casework cabinets are manufactured in standard sizes.

Polypropylene casework, for example, is well suited for use in clean rooms and sterile settings. In contrast, the work surfaces of steel casework are easy to clean and provide excellent durability in heavy-duty lab environments.

VWR^® REDISHIP when you need quick delivery

If you need quick delivery of essential casework for your rapidly changing lab, our VWR^® Contour REDISHIP Collection can help. VWR REDISHIP maintains a ready stock of critical steel lab casework in the most popular configurations.

The VWR Contour REDISHIP Collection is a line of steel laboratory furniture that features smooth, easy-to-maintain surfaces. The Contour Collection features cabinets made with a heavy-gauge steel full-face frame. One-piece rails are radiused at the sides, and rear and the enclosed toe space has leveling bolts at all four corners. The one-piece, soft-closing drawers are reinforced with sound-deadening material and feature full extension, side-mounted, soft-close slides. Full-length integral pulls enhance the sleek, easy-to-clean surface. All doors and drawers are interchangeable for adaptability. Contour casework is finished in a light neutral color with an environmentally friendly paint system.

Key features of lab casework

Laboratory casework is not the same as simple storage cabinets. Casework cabinets and drawers are used to store lab equipment and supplies. Much of that equipment is expensive, precision instruments that need greater protection than that offered by regular cabinets. In addition, lab casework is made to be water resistant so liquids and substances cannot penetrate the cabinet from outside and damage or destroy sensitive equipment or chemicals.

High-quality casework in a well-designed lab can help increase efficiency and productivity by keeping everything you and your colleagues need within easy reach. Because casework is available as supply cabinets, wall cabinets, or base cabinets, you can choose the configurations that work best in your lab space. Avantor’s laboratory specialists can help you select the casework you need to create your ideal working environment. You can even use our 3D design tools to help plan and visualize your lab in advance.

A variety of configurations and sizes

No two labs are alike, so Avantor carries lab furniture casework in various configurations, shapes, and sizes to fit your laboratory space. Here are some of the different casework configurations we carry:

• Open storage cabinets
• Cupboard cabinets
• Cupboard and drawer cabinets
• Combo cabinets with
• Corner cabinets
• Sink cabinets and aprons
• Wall-mounted cabinets
• Shelving

Base cabinets are available in various sizes in sitting or standing heights. They are also available in configurations that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or are wheelchair accessible. Wall-mounted cabinets are available with open shelves or swinging or sliding doors.

Lab casework made from different materials for different needs

Avantor offers lab furniture casework made from four materials, each better suited to specific applications. Here is a brief description of the different materials and the features that make each the best choice for particular laboratory uses.

Plastic laminate casework

Plastic laminate casework offers an ideal combination of cost-effectiveness, versatility, durability, low maintenance, and flexible design, making it a popular choice for creating an efficient working environment in many laboratories.

Avantor’s plastic laminate cabinets feature heavy-duty construction and are made from Grade M2 particle board covered with high-pressure plastic laminate sheeting that is available in various colors. Interior shelves are made from melamine, and drawers and pulls are heavy-duty steel. Our plastic laminate casework is available in custom designs to make them suitable for healthcare, education, and general laboratory environments.

Avantor’s line of VWR^® plastic laminate casework lab furniture is available in various sizes, configurations, and colors to meet your needs.

Our featured products include:

• Contour^™ sitting-height base cabinets
  • Cupboard cabinets
  • Drawer cabinets
  • Combo of cupboard and drawer cabinets
• Contour ADA-height base cabinets
  • Wheelchair-accessible base cabinets
  • Cupboard cabinets
  • Drawer cabinets
  • Combo of cupboard and drawer cabinets
• Contour standing-height base cabinets
  • Open storage
  • Cupboard cabinets
  • Drawer cabinets
  • Combo of cupboard and drawer cabinets
  • Blind corner cabinets
  • Corner cabinet
• Contour Sink Cabinets
• Contour Wall-mounted storage cabinets
  • Open wall cabinets
  • Sliding glass framed doors
  • Sliding panel doors
  • Swinging glass doors
  • Swinging panel doors
  • Corner cabinet with swinging glazed door
• Contour Full-height storage cabinets

Polypropylene casework

Polypropylene lab casework is made from a durable, solid material that protects against corrosion and contamination. That makes it ideal for use in clean rooms, sterile environments, or other laboratories where corrosive materials are likely used.

The polypropylene construction resists chipping and cracking, and there are no coated or painted surfaces that show scratches or marks.

Avantor’s polypropylene casework is made from non-metallic, stress-relieved polypropylene that is easy to clean and durable. Polypropylene casework is ideal for a wide variety of laboratories and industries, including:

• Acid digestion
• Analytical chemistry
• Automotive
• Biomedical
• Environmental
• Food and beverage
• Governmental
• Mass spectroscopy
• Metal finishing
• Pharmaceutical
• Semiconductor
• Trace metals
• Universities and education
• Wastewater treatment plants

Steel Casework

Avantor provides a broad selection of steel casework that can be customized to fit just about any laboratory or scientific workstation. Our Contour steel laboratory furniture casework features smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces. Their non-porous surfaces prevent bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants from being absorbed.

Their powder-coated surface protects from scratches, damage, and chemical spills. The powder-coated surface also protects the cabinet from moisture and humidity that can damage the steel construction and cause corrosion.

Our steel casework products are available in different styles and sizes to give you a wide range of choices. They can be powder-coated in a variety of colors to match any lab décor.

Contour steel casework is manufactured from prime grade, cold rolled, U.S. standard sheet steel with no ragged edges. Their heavy gauge steel full-frame construction has been specially engineered to withstand a ton of pressure for maximum durability.

Among the unique features of our steel cabinets are:

• Flush-face construction with doors and drawers that are 3⁄4” thick with radiused edges and a full-width integral pull
• One-piece drawer bodies
• Interchangeable doors and drawers
• Full extension self-closing drawers
• Channel-formed back construction for maximum strength
• Removable backs on cupboard units for easy access to pipe space
• Heavy-gauge hinges for a quiet and secure closure that are non-corrosive by most acids and solvents
• Positive-latching doors will self-close within the last few inches to prevent rebounding
• Rubber door bumpers for safe, quiet closures
• Leveling-bolt access at all four corners has easy access for minor adjustments
• One-piece case bottom and a front rail with bottoms that are radiused at the sides and rear for easy cleaning
• Completely enclosed toe space helps prevents dirt and bacteria from collecting in inaccessible areas to prevent contamination in the laboratory
• Cupboards with removable rear access panels for easy access to the pipe chase area
• Phosphate-coated cabinets with a baked, chemical-resistant, powder-coat finish

Among our featured steel casework products are:

• Contour suspended cabinets
• Contour sitting-height base cabinets
• Contour ADA-height base cabinets
• Contour standing height base cabinets
• Contour cupboard and drawer cabinets
• Contour sink cabinets
• Contour wall-mounted storage cabinets
• Contour full-height storage cabinets

Wood Casework

Avantor’s wood casework is an economical choice compared to all other materials, while it provides a unique blend of quality, durability, and natural beauty. Wood casework is a traditional choice that provides a neat, classic look for your laboratory. It can be a better choice because of its ability to withstand harsh chemicals and abrasions.

Our wide-ranging selection and customization services can help meet all your needs as you equip your ideal laboratory. You can easily reconstruct our wooden casework if you wish to change the structure or function of your lab.

Among the unique features of our wood casework products are:

• Constructed in North America from veneer core plywood cabinet panels (not particleboard)
• Made from North American, sustainably grown materials
• No added urea-formaldehyde materials
• Made from hand-selected architectural face veneers
• Chemical-resistant finish
• BHMA grade 3” hinge
• Cabinets have full extension drawer guides
• Full-height drawer bodies
• Multiple dovetail drawer joinery on all four corners
• Full sub-top for strength and stability, with hand-holds for easy installation
• Use of both dowel and pocket-hole screw joinery provides extra strength
• Vertical grain-matched door/drawer fronts
• Carb phase 2 Formaldehyde emissions compliant certified
• NO-VOC emissions flat-line finish

Avantor’s wood lab furniture casework is available in a variety of configurations.

The four types of lab casework—plastic laminate, polypropylene, steel, and wood—offer different features and benefits that make each one better suited to specific lab applications. As you evaluate the alternatives, you should consider your general lab requirements, safety, the technology you’ll be using, and your laboratory environment.

How to choose the best casework laboratory and workflow

According to our “Guidelines for Designing Lab Spaces,” there are several factors you should evaluate when you design your new lab and choose the casework you’ll be installing.

You must determine your general needs, safety, technology, and environmental requirements. After you have that information, you can focus on the type of lab furniture casework best for you.

Among the questions you should answer are:

• What type of laboratory procedures will be done? Will work areas be shared or occupied by one person?
• How will the room be used (lab only, lecture/lab combo, etc.)?
• What support equipment is needed, including general or hazardous storage?
• What type of technology will be used in the room?
• What national, state, and local fire safety and life safety codes apply to your lab?
• Will you need to meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) compliance requirements?
• Will you need separate, locked storage for capital equipment, hazardous materials, general chemical storage, and small items?

“Guidelines for Designing Lab Spaces” is our 20-page guide that can help you choose the best casework to meet your needs and guide you through every step of the laboratory planning process. Download your copy here.

For more information on the different types of lab casework available from Avantor, as well as help designing and configuring, contact a laboratory furniture specialist in your region by entering your zip code below:

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