So many options for choosing furniture for a hospitality fitout! Budget, Look, Practicality, Longevity are always on the list .
We’ve cut through to the important facts to find 5 top choices this week.
Acrylic Solid Surface:
Brand names like Corian, Staron, Hi Macs, Laminex Freestyle come to mind.
Features: non porous, stain & scratch resistant, able to be repaired, hygienic anti-bacterial properties.
It’s an elegant, dressy look.
At the higher end of the budget, but considering its ability to be repaired and rejuvenated, the longevity of this product can make it affordable and highly practical.
Compact Laminate:
Brands like Laminex, Abet, Wilsonart, Lamicolor, Polytec are all proud of this product.
You might recognise it by its black core (see table tops pictured at one of our food court projects).
It’s actually layers and layers of Kraft paper dipped in resin and dried, placed between the laminated top and bottom sheets and put under intense pressure and heat.
The result? An extremely strong, prefinished product with a solid (generally black) core, highly durable and even water resistant.
Although at the higher end of the budget scale, its durability and longevity as well as its sleek, smart look make it so desirable.
Solid Timber:
New, unused timbers like Tasmanian Oak and Victorian Ash and old, recycled hardwood timbers like Spotted Gum,
Brushbox and Blackbutt are still popular.
The new, refined Tas Oak or Vic Ash will find their place in fresh, crisp fitouts eg: Asian or healthfood, and the recycled timbers in highly popular industrial look fitouts.
Timber doesn’t ever really go out of fashion, nor does it lose its’ warmth, durability and versatility.
Tops can be edged with metal or copper, kept plain, or the edges squared off or rounded.
They must also be sealed.
Being solid, sanding and re-finishing come easily to keep them looking good for years and years.
Sitting at the mid to higher end of the budget, they’re still certainly worth their weight if that’s the look you’re going for.
Laminate:
Brands like Laminex, Formica, Lamicolor, Wilsonart plus many more supply this low cost product to be made into table tops.
Features: good durability and resistance to stain.
A laminate top needs edging, so choices like abs high grade plastic or timber offer the best practicality and look.
There’s a vast colour and pattern range from which to choose which means it’s easy to create any look you want.
Many fitouts use laminates which look like timber without suffering the cost of solid timber, though they’re different to the touch.
Laminate tops are really worth considering when the budget is stretched.
Moulded Resin:
Werzalit is a brand name you might recognise.
Made in Austria & Germany, it’s a fully moulded triple layer resin which is then coated.
Being entirely moulded, there’s no need for a separate edge like the laminate product above.
Features: moisture resistance, scratch resistance, weather resistance which makes it suitable for outdoor use and is able to take considerable impact.
Cost wise it’s at the lower end, so is great for a limited budget.
In terms of finishes, there’s heaps of options: timber and marble “looks” as well as lots of solid colours, though don’t expect a highly realistic interpretation.
Browse the manufacturer’s sites to see colours and patterns and talk to your fitout team about getting table tops organised and on the floor so they start earning their keep.
