Materials & Construction

What goes into every piece

Core material

Engineered wood. CARB 2 compliant. Lower formaldehyde than CARB 1, responsibly sourced wood content. The core panel is the foundation of the piece. Stable, dimensionally consistent, and tested for residential indoor air quality at the strictest US standard.

Surface coating

Thermally-fused laminate (TFL). Heat- and pressure-bonded laminate, scratch-resistant, water-resistant, stain-resistant. The same specification used in corporate-grade office furniture and hospitality applications. Color-stable under typical indoor lighting (does not yellow over time).

UV clear coat over the laminate. Adds an additional protective topcoat that resists scuffing from sliding objects (laptops, phones, paper). Solvent-free formulation.

High-pressure laminate (HPL). The step-up surface, used on our thickest-panel tables and large-format pieces. Where TFL is fused to the panel directly, HPL is built separately under much higher pressure as a dense multi-layer sheet, then bonded to the panel. The result is a thicker, harder wear layer with stronger impact and abrasion resistance, which is why it is specified where a surface takes the hardest daily use. Product pages state the surface for each piece, and the difference is part of why two same-sized tables can sit at different prices.

Edges

Edge banding thickness follows panel thickness, not product line. A 3/4 inch panel carries 1mm PVC edge banding; 1 inch, 1-1/8 inch and 1-7/8 inch tops carry 2mm, with 2mm radiused PVC standard across the table and conference lines. The banding prevents chipping at corners, blocks moisture at the panel edge, and matches the surface color. Conference and executive lines offer hardwood edge profiles, including 3/8 inch radiused and 1-1/8 inch beveled options. Our thickest mitered-corner tables use a self edge, where the surface material wraps the edge in one continuous face. Each product page states the edge for that piece.

Hardware

Cam-bolt assembly. The piece comes apart and goes back together cleanly. No nail-and-glue construction. Cam bolts can be tightened over time without stripping the wood.

Cable pass-through grommets. Plastic or aluminum grommets depending on product line, sized for cable pass-through.

Cable management trays. Routed channels under the desk surface for power strip and cable management.

Drawer slides (where applicable). Full-extension ball-bearing slides rated for 75-100 lbs per drawer.

Adhesives

SCS Indoor Advantage Gold certified adhesives. Used for panel lamination and edge banding. Meets indoor air quality standards for residential and corporate use.

Compliance and certifications

  • CARB 2. Lower formaldehyde than CARB 1. The core panel meets the strictest US indoor air standard for wood products.

  • Responsibly sourced wood. Our panel supplier runs published FSC and SFI sourcing programs for the wood content in the core.

  • SCS Indoor Advantage Gold adhesives. Low-VOC verification for residential and corporate indoor use.

Available finishes

Eleven standard laminate colors are included in the listed price of every made-to-order piece, four premium finishes and HPL are quoted per piece. See every swatch on the laminate colors and finishes page. Workstation panels, tackboards and dividers come in 84 fabric options across five grades.

Care instructions

Daily: microfiber cloth + warm water. Stains: gentle dish soap. Avoid: solvent-based cleaners, abrasive scrubbers, bleach, ammonia. The TFL surface is durable but those will damage the finish over time. See the FAQ for more care tips.