Things to consider when buying school furniture

Ensuring that students maintain good posture, on chairs appropriately designed for their size is absolutely vital. Children sitting comfortably are more prone to be attentive and focused on learning.

Safeguarding children’s health and building a conducive learning environment is a must. However, with so many factors involved in the buying process, including price and what size tables and chairs are suitable for which age group, making the right decision is a daunting challenge for many school administrators. 

Tables, desks and chairs made for school use should be properly shaped, sized and developed to prevent long-term damage to children’s backs and help children concentrate on learning in total comfort. 

1. Health and safety 

Research shows that high-quality, well-designed furniture improves concentration and reduces misbehavior, leading to better learning outcomes, so it is worth taking the time to make the right decision for your students.

2. Ergonomics

The wrong choice of chair could result in back pain. Remember that the height of a chair should relate to the height of a table. There should be adequate knee and leg room. For younger students, it’s always better to have furniture with no sharp edges to prevent injuries.

3. Mobility and functionality

In general, most products are designed for either indoor or outdoor use. 

Many outdoor furniture items will be floor fixed to prevent theft.  However, some suppliers may offer free-standing equipment that can be ordered with the option of having casters fitted to support mobile use. 

Within the classroom, mobility is very important as class dynamics are constantly changing. Ideally, school staff should be able to re-position furniture as per their wish without having to call on maintenance personnel. 

To help this, furniture should be modular with the opportunity to be either mobile or stationary.

4. After care and servicing

Generally furniture suppliers manufacture and supply directly from their head offices and work with their client schools. Many companies also distribute their product ranges through third party resellers. The manufacturer guarantees apply regardless of who supplies the products.

Because the manufacturer has to give a financial margin to any reseller, schools may find they can get a better deal if they go directly to the manufacturer. Coupled with this comes the experience and knowledge that a furniture manufacturer has in knowing the best products and configuration for the school’s specific requirements.

A company that stands behind its equipment will offer a warranty and have a system in place to track all goods in the field, should a customer call with a query. After care services can include telephone and email support, on-site visits if necessary, product training, operation and maintenance. 

5. Value for money

Some of the budget furniture available in showrooms might seem like good value for money at the outset and a cheaper option than some purpose-made school furniture, but it needs to be long lasting to survive for an appreciable length of time in a classroom environment. In the current economic climate, whole life cycle costs are very important. Look at the supplier’s references and don’t hesitate to get feedback from schools already using the equipment.

6. Durability and strength

If the product has not been manufactured to cope with the stress and high-impact use in the classroom, its lifespan may be shorter than furniture purpose-made for classroom use and therefore prove more costly in the long run. A warranty is a good indicator of durability and company history is also an important quality by which to measure a supplier. 

7. Fit-for-purpose

It will be crucial for you to identify where and how the furniture will be used before making a purchasing decision. If your school is looking for furniture that can be used both indoors and outdoors, ensure your supplier is a specialist in this particular area. Materials such as moisture resistant MDF, architectural grade powder coat paintwork, and UV stable plastics are necessary for outdoor use. 

Magnum is a leading supplier of school and office furniture in India. We have supplied furniture to over 300 educational institutions across the country and our products speak for themselves. Feel free to contact us with any queries about purchasing furniture for your school or college!