A common dilemma encountered commonly by those shopping for office furniture is whether to go with laminate or veneer casegoods. This decision is often decided by budget, but other factors should be considered. In today's post we have decided to run down a few pros and cons of both styles.
First, let's discuss both sides of Veneer Office Furniture...
For those who don't know, veneer is a fancy way of saying "finished wood". While Veneer often not a solid hardwood, it is still quite durable and ideal for executive office applications. The durability of veneer office furniture is often greater than that of most laminate lines.
Veneer furniture is a popular choice for upscale home offices. At first glance it is easy to see that veneer furniture typically has a very rich an warm look. That being said Veneer is definitely a more suitable and professional choice for higher ups.
The weight of veneer furniture can be a downside. Moving furniture is never fun, but a large executive desk suite in veneer can be a real bear. We definitely recommend using safety belts for added back support any time furniture is relocated. Additionally, the weight of individual pieces can make installation harder and you should definitely plan on having at least two people before starting assembly. Overall, the weight of your furniture should not be a deciding factor of what style to go with, but should definitely be considered if you plan on moving often.
Veneer furniture is typically quite environmentally friendly. Commonly, saw timber is cut into 1" thick pieces. During the manufacturing of veneer boards close to zero wood is wasted and the process is much more efficient than that of pure hardwood. On average 40 veneer surfaces can be produced to every 1 hardwood surface. That is pretty impressive!
The stability of veneer furniture is another important factor. Since veneer products are typically glued with a waterproof adhesive, work surfaces are not as likely to warp over time.
Now let's take a look at laminate furniture...
The obvious first positive for laminate office furniture is the price. Due to the fact that laminate furniture is much less expensive to produce it of course costs less to outfit a space. In today's workplace laminate casegoods are rapidly replacing old school cubicle configurations. They look better, cost about the same, and really provide an up to date look and feel. In today's economy cost is of huge importance and with the advancements in modern manufacturing there is no shame in going with laminate furniture configurations. In fact, most of our furniture experts recommend laminate lines like Zira and Princeton casegoods.
The durability of Laminate furniture is never going to surpass that of veneer. However, with modern technology it really comes close! When it comes to laminate furniture the old adage remains true "you get what you pay for". That's not to say you can't save a buck while still providing your home or office with excellent quality laminate furniture. It's just absolutely vital to read reviews on product lines and manufacturers before spending money to outfit your space! Rest assured that our company OfficeAnything.com reviews every line of products we sell. That being said, we can't promise the same for all dealers. In the long run, if you do your homework and select a quality line like Zira, Princeton, Brighton, or Aberdeen furniture you will have no durability issues and should be very please with your purchase.
While the weight of veneer furniture is a bit of a downside, the lightweight design, usability, and functionality of laminate office furniture is really a plus. Whether you're designing a small home office or outfitting multiple floors of your business with new furniture, light weight laminate casegoods can really save your back. Furthermore, most laminate lines are modular and the light weight design makes it relatively simple to experiment with new configurations or add on new pieces.
Hopefully this post has shed some light on the pros and cons to both veneer and laminate furniture. No matter your preference it is extremely important to do your homework before hand. Research the lines your considering and compare them to each other. Speak with professionals and ask their personal opinions. A little extra work up front really goes a long way.
If you have any questions regarding office furniture and seating please don't hesitate to contact us directly. Our staff of trained experts will be more than happy to assist with product suggestions, space planning, and installation. Thanks so much!
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