High stools for use in school laboratory classrooms, art and design classrooms and other areas where standing height worksurfaces are in use. School lab stools can be supplied with or without backs, and as a stacking frame.
Most stools for classroom seating in educational use are made using hard surface materials such as ply and polypropylene. An alternative is a PU seat that offers a degree of softness coupled with a maintenance free surface. A Lab stool can be lightweight and easily moved to encourage multiple postures, and making it easier for school cleaning as the furniture is not too heavy to clear. Alternatively heavy duty lab stools witll prioritise sturdiness and stability. Art stool chairs generally prioritise style and flexibility with ease of cleaning. Art classroom stools can be design-led in appearance.
What size should school stools be?
The size of a stool partly relates to the worksurface it accompanies. Typically a stool seat will be 200mm – 250mm lower than the bench. True standing-height benches are set at 1m to 1.1m high but in many classrooms the surface will be nearer to kitchen height at 900mm. This is partly to do with student height, partly for stability as a very high stool can be a greater topple risk even with anti-tilt frames. Too often a learning environment will not be designed with both the stool height and bench height coordinated leading to a mismatch. Fusion will advise on both in conjunction.
The choice of stools over chairs stems from the style of learning. Science and Art classrooms often have practical work which is best performed standing. Moving around the room can be helped if seats are compact to take up less of the circulation space. For these reasons classroom stools best support the teaching and learning methods.
The choice between plastic and wood stools depends on many aspects. Plastic stools are good due to lightness, are often best for stacking, and usually offer a lower unit cost. Set against this a wooden stool may be the most durable, adds a natural material to balance the mostly man-made interior of a science classroom, and can add a design statement that works well in art environments.
Get in touch with Fusion for guidance on the best school stool for your classroom.
