Tables and Chairs 101
By: JJ Astor
Here's how you can become an enlightened school administrator when it comes to classroom furniture. For the first time, here is the definitive, unabridged version of “Classrooms…In The Beginning.”
The Holy Chair
In truth, the chairs for the classroom don't have to be blessed or holy in any particular way, but if the education of a new generation is a holy task, then you want your children to have the best at a price that doesn't break the budget.
The color and design of the typical classroom chair may vary (for example, some have triangular slats, some vertical, some ovular, etc.) but the basic school chair has a polypropelene shell. Polypropelene is a fancy word for plastic, sometimes referred to as “soft” plastic. This is in contrast to classroom chairs made of “hard” plastic.
“Soft plastic” does not mean it is soft like a cushion, but rather that it is soft enough to “give” a little if you lean back in it enough. This is the chair you see in the vast majority of classroom in the United States and around the world.
If you have a little more money and have kids that might be rougher than average on the furniture, a hard plastic chair is a good choice. It is made of harder material, has no “give,” and is more durable. But, generally, the soft plastic is strong enough in the vast majority of cases.
Heights & Colors
Whichever style you choose, the most common question about classroom chairs is what height to choose. Here's the general rule:
* 4th grade and above: 18”
* 2nd-3rd grade: 16”
* 1st-2nd grade: 14”
* Kindergarten-1st grade: 12”
The height in this case is measured from floor to seat. Generally, you and I and everyone from fourth grade and above sit on seats 18 inches off the ground. Note that some chairs come with options for adjustable heights and even wheels (called casters), but those are usually reserved for teachers or special situations.
A final, but very important consideration in school chairs is color. Navy and burgundy are the most common colors you find in classroom chairs, but you probably want a company that offers more colors such as red, yellow, green, teal, blue, black, etc. Color is an inexpensive way to set the atmosphere of the classroom.
School administrators, here is a tip: it's a good idea to ask your teacher what color she thinks would work best.
Unique & Inspiring Alternatives
There is a third type of chair one can find on the market. This type varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but it differs in that it comes in an unusual design, often a design that looks more contemporary or fancy. The idea is that if you have a program that emphasizes something unique and want the kids (and their parents) to feel that they are unique, you would consider classroom chairs that look and feel unique.
Of course, such chairs often come at a “unique” price (i.e., higher), but the gain might be worth it if you really want to attract a particular parent body and inspire students to achieve heights above the norm and out-of-the-box.
Desks & Table
So, you have your children sitting on something, but what are they going to write on?
Most classrooms of fourth grade and above, but many from first grade on, seat their children at desks (as opposed to sitting them around tables).
Most desks these days have a bookbox, but there are generally two types of book boxes: open or closed.
An open bookbox is one that you can see from all sides. It is also sometimes referred to as a wire bookbox. However, don't let that fool you. They are not made of thin wire but a solid piece of metal reinforced with several crossbars to hold heavy textbooks and the like.
The closed bookbox is more common. They can be metal or plastic and are characterized by the fact that you can't see what's inside the box unless you are sitting at the seat. Some schools insist on the open ones so they can see what their kids have in their bookboxes at all times, but most seem to not be concerned to this degree.
It's rare but one can still find, if one searches hard, for flip-lid desks. These are desks where the table top flips up and opens up to the compartment underneath (usually the closed variety). There was problems (read: lawsuits) of kids sometimes having the lid slam on their fingers, so these are increasingly rare and generally not recommended.
Most desks come with adjustable legs that will enable you to seat kids as small as kindergarten and as old as high school (and adults). Like chairs, the typical desk height for everyone fourth grade and above is 30 inches (that is measured from ground to desk top). For the smaller kids, you want the desk to adjust down to at least 22-24 inches and perhaps smaller for toddlers.
Desks, like chairs, come in different colors. The most common colors are the wood colors (e.g., walnut, light oak, medium oak), but gray also is common. Some manufacturers offer other colors for their tops (such as red, green, yellow, etc.), but this is a lot less common than different color chairs and, thus, usually cost significantly more.
If color is important to you, yet you are budget-conscious, consider manufacturers that make a line of desks that come with a trim (the band around the edge) in a variety of colors (red, blue, green, etc.). The tops of these desks may be limited to coming only in, say, gray, but the colorful trim adds color to your room and can be coordinated to match the color of your chairs, if both are made by the same manufacturer – all without taking an excessive bite out of your finances.
Desk Tops
The last but probably most important consideration in choosing school desks is the type of top.
The least expensive top is called a laminate. This is essentially wood top with a processed surface protecting it from minor damage. These are fine if you don't think your kids will try to write on the desk itself and/or dig pens and/or sharp edges into it.
If you are concerned about that – and, let's face it, most are – you want to consider a hard plastic desk top. As it sounds, this is a solid piece of hard plastic. A kid can try to dig his or her pen into it, and nothing will happen. Some of these are even tested by being dropped from second-storey heights or the like. Hard plastic is extremely durable and a smart choice that could save you money over the life of the desk even if they cost more initially (and even if they cost significantly more, which they usually do).
There is, however, a third choice that combines the strength of hard plastic yet approaches the price point of a laminate (wood) surface. One company calls this Woodstone. This is really a hard plastic surface (it's not wood and it's not stone) with a core of wood and/or wood parts. The surface is hard enough to resist essentially everything a regular hard plastic top will resist, but because the inside is not hard plastic through and through, they are less expensive to make. A Woodstone top desk may shatter before a Hard Plastic top desk if you drop both off the roof of your school, but for everyday purposes, it will in essence perform like Hard Plastic and save you money.
Activity Tables
In kindergarten and classrooms for younger kids, you often find what are called “activity tables.” These come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.
Shapes include everything from round to rectangle to kidney and flower shaped. The round ones are most commonly 42 inches and 48 inches in diameter, but a little larger or little smaller are not uncommon. You can usually fit about six adults around a table 48 inches in diameter, so for smaller kids, figure anywhere from eight to 10, depending how young and small.
The most common rectangular shaped activity table is 30 x 60, but 30 x 72 and 30 x 48 inches are also fairly common. Calculate about 20 inches for every kid, so a 30 x 60 inch table can fit three kids on each side of 60 inches and maybe one more at each end if you need to squeeze them. For toddlers, you should be able to fit an extra one or even two on each long side.
Kidney-shaped activity tables are very popular in kindergarten classrooms. This is because the teacher can sit in the middle part with the kids all around her. You might be able to fit maybe eight kids around a kidney-shaped table, give or take a couple depending on their age or size.
Like desks, activity tables often come with adjustable legs and in a variety of colors. Similarly, the wood colors and gray are the most popular tops, but look for manufacturers offering ones with colorful edge trims if you want an inexpensive way to add color to your room and perhaps coordinate it with classroom chairs of the same color.
If you are looking at a new classroom without any furniture, or are thinking of replacing old furniture with the new, hopefully this information helps to shed some light on your path.
JJ Astor writes professionally on a broad range of topics, including furniture articles on the Hertz Furniture Web site, www.hertzfurniture.com. He has more than six years of experience as a sales representative and regional sales manager for Hertz.
Product Roundup
Samsonite Folding Tables Available at ChurchPartner
ChurchPartner offers a new line of lightweight folding tables manufactured by Cosco/Samsonite. These folding tables, appropriately called Samson tables, offer that lightweight mobility and strength through a unique bracing configuration and patented folding design. The Samson table features easy-release Snap Lock legs, with one-hand folding mechanism, Tuff-Core construction, and Bar None leg design, increasing leg room and seating capacity.
www.churchpartner.com
Artco-Bell's Discover Chair
Finding a stylish classroom chair that is ergonomically correct, durable, and affordably priced is a challenge for schools. Artco-Bell solves the dilemma with its new Discover chair and desk line, now available to the K-12 market. Artco-Bell's Discover combines thoracic and lumbar support with flexibility so that students can sit comfortably in ergonomically correct positions. With its sleek and contemporary good looks, choice of frame finishes, and comprehensive color palette, Discover is also a style leader in its price category. A d ual-textured front and back and an innovative ribbed back design complete the Discover chair's attractive appearance.
www.artcobell.com
Alulite Table by Southern Aluminum
Constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum, Southern Aluminum's Alulite table will not crack, rust or warp after extended usage or exposure to heat, moisture, or sunlight. With an average weight of only 35 pounds, the Alulite table can hold up to 4,000 pounds of distributed weight. With a finish option of anodized or durable baked-on powder-coat finish, the heavy-duty tables are easy to clean and maintain. The company also offers an antimicrobial and anti-graffiti finish that is perfect for cafeterias. Tables come with adjustable-height legs for children. Table trucks help save valuable storage space and make set-up and take down quick and easy.
www.southernaluminum.com
Discover Mobile Tables by Midwest Folding
Discover Mobile Tables from Midwest Folding offer the benefits of ergonomically designed seating combined with the operational efficiencies of mobile tables equipped with attached seats. The rib-reinforced, injection molded, structural polypropylene chairs provide support to the lumbar region of the student's back. Discover chairs provide just the right amount of flexibility to accommodate varying seating positions for maximum comfort when used for dining. Seats swivel for easy access to the table and allow all seats to face the same direction. As with all Midwest Folding Products' mobile table units, the tables have undergone exhaustive load and cycle testing to assure that they will withstand the riggers of high-use environments.
www.midwestfolding.com
McCourt ErgoStack Classroom Chair
The ErgoStack Classroom Chair is an ergonomically correct stacking chair manufactured by McCourt. The chair is available in heights from 10 inches to 18 inches in 2-inch increments, allowing the correct height chair to maintain proper foot-resting position. The ErgoStack features a lumbar support to maintain proper back alignment while sitting and working at a variety of tasks. Schools can choose from 12 seat colors with black or chrome legs.
www.mccourtmfg.com
Mity-Lite
Mity-Lite is famous for incredibly light, yet durable folding tables, folding and stacking chairs, room dividers, lecterns and storage carts. The award-winning products come in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Schools and other institutions all over the world depend on Mity-Lite because of superior quality. The products are built well, long-lasting and are reliable.
www.mitylite.com
BioFit
The shape of BioFit's 10-seat oval tables make them ideal for use in schools. Featuring 14-gauge robotically welded steel frames and Lotz Armor Edge technology for superior bacteria resistance, these products can stand up to the heaviest use without calling on a substitute. Even better, the oval-seating configuration of the tables dramatically decreases noise, as students can talk face-to-face rather than shouting down the row. Other features include anti-pinch, recessed vertical safety hinges, six non-marring, neoprene casters for smooth, easy moving, and one-piece ABS plastic seats with curved ergonomic edges. Plus, they only take 30 pounds of manual force to open and close.
www.biofit.com
MetalKraft Systems
MetalKraft Systems is a leading provider of folding table legs for new or replacement tables. Several styles of legs are available, including wishbone, adjustable, H-leg and risers. Legs can also be ordered as overlapping or non-overlapping, depending on the application. While many companies use 16 or 18 gage thin steel tubing, MetalKraft uses 14 gage thick tubing to ensure the legs will stand up to the toughest applications.
www.metalkraft.com
SchoolPlaza
SchoolPlaza works with the leading providers of school chairs to offer schools a selection that will meet their needs. There are many choices in style, design, color, comfort, flexibility and durability. Classic designs to the latest in designer styles are available from SchoolPlaza. Shown here is the ZUMA chair from Virco, one of many styles available. Graceful lines and the intrinsic flex of the Zuma bucket combine with a rock-solid frame to yield the next generation of classroom seating. During their school careers, students have more physical contact with chairs than any other piece of equipment, which is why selecting the right chair is so important.
www.schoolplaza.com
