School dining halls are a hub for the campus community. Students come to dining halls not just for food, but to spend time with friends, study, or prepare for the rest of the day. A student center is easily one of the most important places on campus for students. School dining furniture is what makes this community possible. Proper furniture can help foster a thriving community on campus without worrying that either will fall apart prematurely. Eustis Chair has manufactured school dining chairs for decades, so we know what customers are looking for. In fact, you can check out our school dining furniture gallery here.
School dining furniture must endure a lot of stress. Students are known to move chairs and tables around to accommodate different-sized groups. These chairs are typically utilized at least three times per day up to seven days per week. What elements can you look for to figure out if a piece of furniture will be able to handle all of the demands of a busy school dining hall?
School Dining Furniture Purchasing Guide
Ease of cleaning
Dining halls tend to get messy. School dining hall furniture must be easy to clean. Dining furniture made from hardwoods can be easily cleaned with a bit of cleaner and a damp cloth, while plastic can invite dings and scrapes that make cleaning more difficult.
In a post-2020 world, we know how important it is to disinfect indoor spaces. A school dining hall may be one of the few spaces where everyone is maskless. This makes easy disinfection a high priority. Products made of wood can be easily disinfected. To learn how to disinfect wood, check out our guide here.
Stability of joints
Dragging chairs and tables around so you can fit your party of 25 in one consecutive row is commonplace in dining halls. To be able to endure all of that, moving chairs and tables require proper joints for longevity. In addition, the chairs must accommodate the weight of hundreds of students a day! Joint stability is one of the most important components of chair design. Discover what joinery the manufacturer is using before purchasing is important.
Aesthetic Flexibility
If you choose quality, the furniture you’re buying today will last decades or longer. While strong joints will keep the furniture in excellent shape it is likely the design of the space will change. Instead of purchasing new chairs every time you redesign the dining hall, consider the aesthetic flexibility that wood furniture offers. Wood furniture can be restained, refinished, and repainted numerous times to match the interior design of a space. Metal or plastic chairs are minimally customizable. Consider the needs of your institution when it comes to redesigning a space when selecting your material. Aesthetic flexibility saves money over time.
From our community to yours, please feel free to contact Eustis Chair about any of our chairs or tables the next time you are in the market for school dining furniture.