Schools
Art Room Materials and Finishes for Schools
Select materials by where they will be installed, how they are cleaned and what can be repaired when one part wears.
Explore the ideas
Compare the options
- Set the brief
- Mark high-touch, wet and impact-prone surfaces separately before picking finishes.
- Compare
- Ask suppliers for care instructions, repair options and a full sample with exposed edges and joints.
- Before buying
- Price installation, replaceable pieces and long-term maintenance alongside the initial material cost.
Worked example
Imagine a study table used for glue, markers and frequent wiping, where a delicate finish is attractive but already shows marks on the sample.
Test cleaning and stain behavior on a spare sample using the household's normal products. Compare a repairable or replaceable work surface and protect its edges, then choose based on upkeep the family can sustain.
How to test it
Put the sample beside its adjoining materials and test the agreed cleaning method on a spare piece.
Apply it to this space
- Layout
- Place sinks and messy work together, with drying and display surfaces away from splash zones.
- Detail
- Use washable finishes, task lighting with good color clarity, and accessible drying racks.
- Trade-off
- More sink and cleanup capacity uses space for making and display.
- Trace a project from setup through cleanup
- Check drying work does not obstruct exits or sightlines
The Elixir portfolio
Details worth a closer look
