Schools
Learning Lab 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
- Arrange tables around a central demonstration surface and keep material storage along the perimeter.
- Detail
- Choose hard-wearing worktops, task lighting, and clearly labeled storage for shared tools.
- Trade-off
- More open collaboration area reduces fixed storage capacity.
- Set up a typical project activity
- Check teacher visibility across the room
The Elixir portfolio
Details worth a closer look
