Choosing a Desktop Material

After much research, you decide on the style of school desk that is perfect for your classroom. Now you face the next question - what desktop material should you choose? Today's school desks are offered in many different materials to fit educators' budget, durability and aesthetic needs.

Let's take a look at some of the most popular classroom desktop materials:

High-Pressure Laminate

Traditionally the most popular desktop material for school desks, high-pressure laminate is affordable, durable and often has the woodgrain look schools often prefer. High-pressure laminate is created when multiple layers of kraft paper are saturated with a special type of resin and attached to a backer. The material is then fused together under high heat and pressure and sealed with a clear coating.

High-pressure laminate is water-resistant but not waterproof so it stands up to daily disinfecting but should not be left outside where it can be exposed to long periods of moisture. An over-saturated high-pressure laminate desktop will peel and warp.

Since high-pressure laminate desktops are scratch resistant, they look great through years of student use. When wear and tear happens, it is typically found along the edges and corners of the desks. Protective edge banding helps prevent damage to the desktop in its most vulnerable areas. On the other hand, bored students will sometimes pick at the edge banding, causing damage to desktop edges. Some brands have stopped using edge banding on high-pressure desktops, opting for smooth edges.

Hard Plastic

Hard plastic desktops have become increasingly popular because of their excellent durability and clean, sleek look. Since hard plastic desktops are molded and compressed from one piece of material, there are no cracks or crevices for microbes and bacteria to hide and grow. Even young students can effectively wipe the surfaces clean in between classes.

Solid plastic is the most waterproof of all desktop surfaces. With the right frame, desks with solid plastic desktops can even be used in outdoor classrooms. They are also popular in makerspace classrooms, labs and high schools. Hard plastic desktops are very durable but can show scratches. They are typically priced higher than other desktop types.

Woodstone

Woodstone desktops were developed with busy classrooms in mind. They feature the durability of hard plastic and a lower price point similar to high-pressure laminate.

Each Woodstone desktop is a combination of wood fibers and melamine resin that is baked and placed under high pressure to form one solid piece. The desktop is easy to clean and disinfect but is lighter and more affordable than hard plastic tops.

Academia offers many of its desks with a Woodstone desktop option.

Thermofused Melamine (Low-Pressure Laminate)

A thermofused melamine desktop is created when one or two layers of melamine are heated and applied with resin to a substrate, typically particleboard. Thermofused melamine desktops are easy to wipe clean, show minimal scratching and are typically the most affordable of all desktop types.

Unlike high-pressure laminate, thermofused melamine tops do not feature multiple layers of kraft paper for added durability.

Thermofused melamine desktops - also known as Low-Pressure Laminate - are best suited for low-traffic classrooms and areas of your school where impact and wear can be kept to a minimum.

Choosing the right desktop can seem confusing, but it doesn't have to be. Ask fellow educators what works for them, read product reviews or consult with our knowledgeable sales team by calling (877) 839-3330. We will point you in the right direction when shopping for classroom desks and more.