Schools
Library 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 quiet reading at the far edge and group tables near the entrance or resource counter.
- Detail
- Use readable shelf labels, task light at tables, and soft finishes in designated quiet areas.
- Trade-off
- More group seating can raise noise across the library.
- Listen from the quietest seat during group use
- Check shelf aisles allow two students to pass
The Elixir portfolio
Details worth a closer look
