In thickness and health

• 16 March 2025|
• Product|
• Velstone

When it comes to solid surfaces in laboratories and educational facilities, it’s time to move beyond the limitations of conventional 13mm surfaces says Sameer Sawant, Director of Velstone. You’ll be glad you did…

As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” – and this is particularly true when it comes to designers and specifiers in the construction sector.

Turning to products you have used time and time again due to familiarity is understandable, of course, and it has been particularly apparent in the solid surface industry during the last two-plus decades.

However, as we look to the future of design in this space, it’s essential that architects, designers, and specifiers are aware of, and familiarise themselves with, the alternative options that are available for future projects.

For decades, the standard for solid surfaces has been 13mm thick solid surfacing materials with an added MDF substrate. This long-held view, however, is due for a change. I believe it’s time for designers and specifiers to embrace 25mm thick homogeneous solid surfaces.

Twenty years ago, most worktops in educational laboratories were made from solid grade laminate. However, schools, colleges and universities wanted a better product that was more long lasting, better looking, easier to clean and maintain and easier to repair as they would get damaged in such a high-traffic area, and popularity of 13mm solid surfaces among designers and specifiers for such projects was born.

However, the 13mm thickness comes with inherent limitations. Without an added MDF or Plywood substrate, 13mm material can’t bear its own weight, so long worktop runs in Laboratories will sag,  The requirement of an additional MDF substrate, often by specialist fabricators introduces complexity and cost to the installation process.

Laboratory Furniture makers, whose core products are cabinets and furniture, are traditionally not worktop manufacturers and are often reluctant to take on this extra work due to a lack of time, knowhow or machinery. Employing a fabricator increases costs, adds to lead times and often forces the product out of reckoning in this environment.

Recognising these challenges, and with budgets particularly restricted in the education sector, Velstone launched a 25mm thick solid surface to address the limitations of 13mm surfaces while offering numerous benefits.

The 25mm thickness provides sufficient mechanical strength to support its own weight, eliminating the need for an MDF substrate and outsourcing to a third party. By removing the need for substrate fixing and on-site templating, our 25mm surface halves working time and saves money.

This increased thickness offers better resistance to damage and wear in high-traffic educational facilities and, unlike solid grade laminates, our 25mm solid surface can be seamlessly replaced and repaired if damaged, extending its lifespan.

The 25mm surface can be machined by furniture makers, like solid grade laminates, or Velstone can provide finished worktops directly straight to site, ready for quick and easy installation. The 25mm option is particularly suited to sizeable jobs where its cost-effectiveness can be fully realised.

Despite these clear advantages, the simplified procurement process, and the significant cost savings alone, 13mm solid surfaces are still widely specified for laboratories and educational facilities.

But, while 13mm solid surfaces have served the industry well, the 25mm represents a significant advancement. And the tide is already starting to turn, with designers and specifiers who have experienced the benefits of a 25mm solid surface firsthand now recognising it as the superior choice.

It’s time to move beyond the limitations of 13mm surfaces and embrace a solution that offers better value, durability, and performance. The 25mm solid surface is not just an alternative; it’s the future of laboratory and educational facility design. And by making this shift, we can create more efficient, cost-effective, and long-lasting spaces that better serve the needs of students, researchers, and educators alike.