Regardless of the type of lab you are designing, choosing furniture can be a make-or-break step. It can dictate the future success of your facility. In wet labs, special consideration must be taken in regards to the water-resistance of all furniture. You must also consider resistance to bacterial buildup, and ability to withstand regular cleanings and exposure to chemicals.
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At OnePointe Solutions, we design, build, and install high-quality laboratory furniture custom made to suit the unique and individual needs of our clients. Additionally, if you are in the midst of designing a wet lab and need of expert advice on choosing appropriate furniture, you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we will share some of the key considerations you will need to keep in mind when choosing wet lab furniture. Our lab construction and design specialists can help guide you on your next project. This applies even if you are an engineer looking for help starting a renovation or expansion.
Wet Lab vs. Dry Lab: What’s the Difference?
Wet labs are often designed with possible spills in mind. Complex and highly efficient drainage systems are common in most wet lab environments. Sloping floors and drains aid in the maintenance of a slip-free work area. Sinks, mop stations, laboratory workbenches, and tables outfitted with plumbing help to direct water to workstations. This ensures the safe and efficient handling and cleaning of all materials, tools, and equipment.
Dry labs are designed to be as dry as possible. They are often intended to be ideal environments for electronics and computers as well as highly-sensitive equipment. Far fewer sinks and less complex drainage systems are required in dry labs. Still, some are necessary for efficient cleanup.
Applications
Wet labs primarily handle the research of liquid samples. They test biological materials, drugs, chemicals, and more for the purpose of scientific advancement and discovery. Wet labs handle physical samples, which require specific environmental conditions. This is essential for the preservation of sanitary conditions and a safe working environment for laboratory personnel. Commonly, wet labs can be found in food testing facilities, pharmaceutical labs, cosmetics labs, etc.
Dry labs primarily handle data and computer-based research. They utilize technology and mathematics to perform research, evaluate bio-data, and create computer-generated models, etc. Dry labs performing vital data analysis can be found in the worlds of engineering, medicine, physics, coding, etc.
Water-Resistant Materials
Though it may seem obvious, far too many wet lab designs neglect to include sufficient considerations for water and moisture resistance. Many novice designers believe a few floor drains will be enough to avoid accumulated moisture. However, they don’t realize that choosing the wrong furniture can have a devastating impact. This is true no matter how great the base-design of your facility may be.
When designing a wet lab, choose water-resistant materials options. Materials like wood or certain laminates can swell or bend if saturated with water. Materials with porous surfaces can easily collect moisture, allowing for the buildup of bacteria. Seams or cracks in wet lab casework or tables can lead to leaks, damaged items, and huge messes.
To avoid encountering moisture-related problems, choose water-resistant materials right from the start. At OnePointe Solutions, we offer lab tables, casework, countertops, and more in a range of water-resistant materials. Some of the water-resistant work surface materials we offer include:
- Epoxy resin
- Phenolic resin
- Stainless steel
- HDPE
Special Equipment Requirements
It’s imperative to consider wet labs’ specialized equipment requirements during the lab design process. Choosing appropriate wet lab furniture is also essential. Equipment and tools for the observation, research, and testing of biological agents, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals require special housing and storage. This prevents damage and ensures accurate performance and results.
At OnePointe Solutions, we can help you create wet lab furniture customized to accommodate your special equipment. Whether you need space for mass spectrometry instruments, microscopes, fume hoods and biosafety cabinets, or any other equipment, our team can help. We’ll design your wet lab furniture around existing HVAC and plumbing systems. This means you won’t need to waste space in order to make generic furniture work with your existing facility.
Ergonomic Seating
Comfortable seating is about more than just comfort. It is about health and efficiency, too. Uncomfortable seating simply happens for poor designs not for the human body. Thus, this forces facility personnel to sit in unnatural positions for hours on end in order to complete their work. Poor posture as a result of uncomfortable chairs can result in prolonged physical discomfort. This can have a real and serious impact on workplace morale and personnel productivity.
To promote healthy sitting and posture in lab environments of every kind, we offer a large range of ergonomic seating options. This includes ergonomic seating for wet labs and cleanrooms. Made from water and moisture-resistant materials that are easy to wipe down and clean, our chairs are more than just comfortable. They are also good for the body and safe for use in wet labs too!
Build Your Ideal Wet Lab
The laboratory design team at OnePointe Solutions can help you build your perfect workspace. Get in touch to discuss your quite.
Call us at (866) 612-7312, fill out an online contact form, or chat with us online. We will draw up a detailed 3-D drawing per your scope, and will visit the facility at no additional cost to take measurements and discuss the installation.