Laboratory Design / Lab Casework & Cabinetry

Premium Lab Casework and Cabinetry Solutions

SEFA 8 compliant laboratory casework in painted steel, stainless steel, wood and phenolic — base, wall, tall storage, sink and fume hood base cabinets, with epoxy resin and phenolic work surfaces. Free layout design, in-stock cabinets in days, professional installation nationwide from Salt Lake City.

Custom laboratory casework and cabinetry installed along a laboratory wall

SEFA 8

Compliant construction

4

Casework materials

5–10

Business days on in-stock cabinets

Free

Lab layout design

MaterialsConfigurationsWork SurfacesQuick ShipApplicationsProjectsShelvingFAQs

Casework Is the Structure of the Lab, Not the Furniture

Laboratory casework run with base cabinets, drawers, wall shelving and a sink at the end of the bench
Casework run with base cabinets, drawer banks, wall shelving and an end-of-bench sink

Laboratory casework carries the countertops, hides the plumbing and gas runs, absorbs a decade of chemical spills and cleaning cycles, and decides how people move through the room. Get it right and the lab still works after the third instrument refresh. Get it wrong and every future change is a demolition project.

Material Handling USA and our laboratory division, Labs USA, supply and install casework built to SEFA 8 — the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association standard for laboratory-grade cabinetry — in painted steel, stainless steel, hardwood veneer and solid phenolic. Base, wall, tall storage, sink, utility, fume hood base, specialty and mobile cabinets all share standard dimensions, so a run can mix materials without a filler puzzle.

Every project includes free layout design and an itemized specification, so you can see exactly what you are buying line by line and change it before anything is released to the factory. Below: the four materials and where each one belongs, the cabinet configurations, work surface options, our in-stock quick-ship program, and the applications we build for most often.

Casework Materials: Steel, Stainless, Wood and Phenolic

The material sets chemical resistance, cleanability, cost and lead time. Everything else — sizes, hardware, colors, configurations — is available across all four.

Painted steel laboratory casework with black work surfaces and glass-front wall cabinetsPainted Steel CaseworkThe workhorse of laboratory casework and the widest range of sizes and configurations. Cold-rolled steel shells with a powder-coat finish, SEFA 8 compliant, and the fastest material to get on site — steel ships in roughly 2–4 weeks and stock sizes ship in days. Good chemical and moisture resistance at the lowest cost per linear foot, which is why it dominates general-purpose, teaching and QC labs.
Stainless steel laboratory casework with an integral sink and stainless work surfaceStainless Steel CaseworkType 304 stainless (316 where chlorides are in play) with a satin finish, specified where the cabinet itself has to be washed down. Excellent chemical and moisture resistance with no coating to chip, full-extension drawer suspension, and coved or welded details that leave nothing for soil to sit in. The standard for cleanrooms, sterile processing, bacteriology and wet chemistry. Lead time is typically 4–8 weeks.
Laboratory wood veneer casework with black epoxy resin countertops and glass-front wall cabinetsWood CaseworkHardwood veneer casework with chemically resistant catalyzed finishes, built the way architectural millwork is built. Chosen for university chemistry departments, executive and client-facing labs, and any space where the casework has to match the rest of the building. Moisture resistance is moderate, so we keep it out of constant-wet zones. Typical lead time 6–10 weeks.
Laboratory bench with a black phenolic resin work surface on a painted steel framePhenolic CaseworkSolid phenolic resin panels — the same material family used for lab work surfaces — formed into cabinet bodies with a black core. Excellent chemical, moisture, impact and bacteria resistance with nothing to rust, which makes it the practical answer for wet chemistry, biology and any bench that gets hosed down. Priced with wood, typical lead time 6–8 weeks.

Material Comparison

Property Painted steel Stainless steel Wood veneer Phenolic
Chemical resistance Good (powder coat) Excellent Good (with catalyzed finish) Excellent
Moisture resistance Good Excellent Moderate Excellent
Relative cost $$ $$$$ $$$ $$$
Typical lead time 2–4 weeks 4–8 weeks 6–10 weeks 6–8 weeks
SEFA 8 compliant Yes Yes Yes Yes
Best for General labs, education, QC Cleanrooms, wet and sterile labs Academic and client-facing labs Wet chemistry, biology

How we usually zone a lab

Painted steel down the length of the room, stainless at the sink and in any classified or wash-down area, phenolic on constant-wet benches, and wood in the write-up or client-facing space. Specifying stainless everywhere is the most common way to blow a casework budget without improving the lab.

Not sure which material your lab needs?

Send us a floor plan and your chemical list and we will mark up the room by exposure zone, then quote the casework, work surfaces and installation as one number. Free layout design, no obligation.

Request a Casework Quote Open the Lab Layout Configurator Call (800) 326-4403

Cabinet Configurations

Standard cabinet families cover nearly every bench. Custom dimensions are available on all of them when an instrument or a wall says otherwise.

Clinical laboratory bench with base cabinets, drawer banks and instrument space beneath the counterBase CabinetsUnder-counter units in door, drawer or combination fronts, in standard 22″ and 25″ depths and 18″, 24″, 30″, 36″ and 48″ widths. They carry the countertop and give you the chase space for plumbing, gas and electrical. Full-extension drawer slides and adjustable levelers are standard; corner and knee-space units keep long runs continuous.
Laboratory wall cabinets mounted above a black work surface with utility outletsWall CabinetsMounted above the work surface for glassware, reagents and consumables. Available in 12″ and 15″ depths, 30″ and 36″ heights, with hinged or sliding doors, solid or glass fronts, and adjustable shelves. ADA-compliant mounting heights are available where the bench has to serve a seated user.
Row of full-height laboratory tall storage casework cabinets with locking doors along a lab wallTall Storage CabinetsFull-height units at 84″ (90″ available) for bulk stock, instruments and wardrobe-style lab coat storage. Adjustable steel shelves, and locking doors where reagents or controlled items need to be secured. Also the cleanest way to close off the end of a casework run against a wall.
Laboratory island bench with casework below the counter and analyzers on the work surfaceSink & Utility CabinetsSink bases with waterproofed interiors in 36″ and 48″ widths, sized around epoxy, stainless or polypropylene sinks, with removable access panels so a plumber never has to cut into the casework. Utility cabinets carry the service fittings, cup sinks and gas turrets for island benches.
Laboratory casework layout with chemical storage cabinets and a fume hood baseFume Hood Base & Safety StorageAcid storage bases with corrosion-resistant liners, flammable storage bases, and general storage bases built for the load and ventilation requirements of an under-hood installation. Specify these with the hood, not after it — the base has to match the hood width and the exhaust connection.
Height-adjustable mobile laboratory workstation with a phenolic resin top and open under-bench spaceMobile & Modular CaseworkCabinets on heavy-duty locking casters and modular bench frames that can be reconfigured as programs change. The right call when you lease the space, when instruments turn over quickly, or when a bench has to convert between standing and seated work.
  • Base cabinets in 18″, 24″, 30″, 36″ and 48″ widths; 22″ and 25″ depths
  • Wall cabinets in 12″ and 15″ depths, 30″ and 36″ heights, solid or glass doors
  • Tall storage at 84″ and 90″ heights, lockable, adjustable steel shelving
  • Full-extension drawer suspension and adjustable levelers as standard
  • ADA knee-space and lowered work-surface heights where a seated user has to be served
  • Acid, flammable and general storage bases sized to the fume hood they sit under

Laboratory Work Surfaces

Close-up of a one-inch black epoxy resin laboratory work surface with a molded sink and cove backsplash
One-inch black epoxy resin work surface with a molded sink and cove backsplash

The countertop takes the chemical abuse, so it is specified separately from the cabinet body. Our in-stock work surfaces are 1″ (2.5 cm) black epoxy resin and phenolic resin, both of which can also be custom fabricated to your sizes, depths, edge details, backsplash heights and cutouts.

Custom black epoxy and phenolic tops are fabricated within 6 business days of approved drawings, which is usually faster than the cabinets they sit on. Stainless steel, chemical-resistant laminate and hardwood tops run 7–8 weeks after approved drawings, so those need to be released early in the project.

Sinks are selected with the top, not after it. Epoxy tops take molded epoxy sinks and cup sinks; stainless tops take integral coved sinks; laminate accepts drop-in polypropylene. Tell us the sink and the service fittings you want and we will draw the cutouts before fabrication.

Surface Construction Best suited to Lead time
Epoxy resin Molded 1″ (2.5 cm) black epoxy; sinks available in the same material Strong acids and bases, solvents, heat and flame Custom tops fabricated within 6 business days of approved drawings
Phenolic resin Solid 1″ black-core phenolic panel Moderate chemicals, constant moisture, impact Custom tops fabricated within 6 business days of approved drawings
Stainless steel Type 304 with a satin finish; integral coved sinks and marine edges Cleanrooms, sterile processing, food and pharma 7–8 weeks after approved drawings
Chemical-resistant laminate High-pressure laminate over a moisture-resistant core Light-duty labs, write-up and office areas 7–8 weeks after approved drawings
Hardwood Solid maple, oil finished Balance benches, instrument tables, non-chemical work 7–8 weeks after approved drawings

In-Stock Quick-Ship Casework

Standard casework orders run 8–16 weeks from release to delivery, and custom wood or phenolic can run longer. That does not work when a renovation date is fixed, a lab is opening, or a flood took out a bench run. Our in-stock program keeps the configurations that cover most lab needs — base, wall, tall storage and sink cabinets in painted and stainless steel, plus epoxy, phenolic and stainless tops — on the shelf and shipping in 5–10 business days.

Quick-ship (in stock) Custom order
Lead time 5–10 business days 8–16 weeks
Materials Painted steel, stainless steel Steel, stainless, wood, phenolic
Sizes Standard widths and heights Any dimension
Colors Select standard colors Full color range
Work surfaces In-stock epoxy resin, phenolic and stainless tops Any surface material, any cutout
Best for Deadline renovations, damage replacement, expansions New builds, matched millwork, non-standard footprints
Laboratory casework and furniture installation with stainless work surfaces
Casework and work surface installation in progress in a laboratory

What ships from stock

Painted steel base cabinets in 18″, 24″, 30″, 36″ and 48″ widths; wall cabinets in 24″, 30″, 36″ and 48″ widths; tall storage cabinets in 24″ and 36″; sink bases in 36″ and 48″; plus filler panels, end panels and trim kits so a stock run finishes cleanly against a wall. Stainless base cabinets, sink bases, wall cabinets, work surfaces and adjustable shelving inserts ship on the same schedule.

Standard colors only, and standard sizes only — that is the trade. If 80% of your run can be stock and the remaining 20% custom, we split the order so the room is usable while the specials are built.

Working against a deadline?

Tell us the date you need the lab back in service and we will tell you what can ship from stock, what has to be built, and how to phase the install so you are not down twice.

Request a Quote Design a Bench Call (800) 326-4403

Where We Build Casework

The cabinet is the same standard; the specification is not. What changes is the material, the cleanability requirement and how the bench is laid out around instruments and people.

Microbiology laboratory bench with a biosafety cabinet and casework storage below the counterClinical & Hospital LabsChemistry, hematology, histology and microbiology benches built around the analyzer footprint, with stainless or epoxy tops, drawer banks at the point of use and knee spaces where staff sit for long runs. Cleanability and instrument service access drive the layout more than storage volume does.
Modular cleanroom under construction in a laboratory facility ready for stainless caseworkPharmaceutical & CleanroomStainless casework with coved details for classified spaces, plus flush wall cabinets that do not trap particulate. Pair it with a modular cleanroom and the casework, the panel system and the gowning furniture can be specified as one package.
University teaching laboratory with grey casework, black countertops and overhead service shelvingUniversity & EducationTeaching labs take abuse from a new group every hour, so we specify steel or phenolic bodies, epoxy tops and service shelving that keeps reagents off the working surface. Multi-room departmental projects get phased so each lab is back in service before the next one is torn out.
Research laboratory with white casework, continuous countertops and open bench aislesResearch & BiotechFlexible bench systems for programs that change faster than the building does — modular frames, mobile cabinets, adjustable service shelving and open under-bench space for equipment that has not been bought yet. Fixed casework where utilities land; mobile casework everywhere else.

Recent Casework Projects

Three Utah-area laboratories where we supplied the casework, work surfaces and lab furniture as a single package.

Balchem research laboratory corner with off-white casework, black countertops and glass-door wall cabinetsBalchemCasework, fume hoods and lab furniture for Balchem’s human nutrition, animal nutrition and oil and gas research groups — off-white base and wall cabinets with black work surfaces and glass-front upper storage.
Sensapure Flavors laboratory with white casework, work surfaces and overhead shelvingSensapure FlavorsA complete casework and lab furniture package for Sensapure Flavors’ flavor research and development lab, with continuous bench runs, overhead service shelving and sink stations for sensory and formulation work.
Dyad Labs materials testing laboratory bench with casework, instruments and organized suppliesDyad LabsNew casework and laboratory furniture for Dyad Labs’ materials testing laboratory in Salt Lake City, built around instrument benches with dense drawer storage for standards, consumables and sample retention.

Bench, Wall and Mobile Laboratory Shelving

Laboratory bench with reagent shelving above the work surface and casework storage below
Reagent shelving above a laboratory work surface with casework storage below

Shelving is the other half of a casework package, and it is where most labs run out of room first. Bench and wall shelving systems mount to the casework or the wall and get reagents, glassware and consumables off the working surface without eating floor space.

Phenolic shelving uses 1″ black phenolic resin shelves with front and rear retaining lips — chemically resistant, moisture-proof and the right choice above a wet bench. Painted steel wall shelving with adjustable bookend brackets and 1″ height increments is the economical option for dry storage and instrument shelves. Custom cross members, shelf depths and lip configurations are available on both.

Bench-mounted reagent poles are threaded at both ends and bolt through the work surface, so you can build tiered shelves exactly where a procedure needs them without touching the wall. Open wire shelving minimizes dust accumulation and allows air circulation, in mobile (rubber-caster) or stationary form — the usual answer for clean, dry storage and supply rooms.

Where floor space is the binding constraint, high-density mobile shelving on tracks compresses aisles and can nearly double the storage in the same footprint. See laboratory shelving and storage for the full range, including inventory shelving with RFID and barcode tracking, ergonomic basket handles and label holders for medical supply rooms.

How a Casework Project Runs

1

Assessment

We walk the space or work from your floor plan: room dimensions, existing utilities, equipment list, chemical exposure, headcount and how the work actually flows today.

2

Layout & specification

You get a CAD layout, elevations and an itemized specification at no cost — every cabinet, top, sink and fitting listed separately so you can adjust scope line by line.

3

Material & lead-time plan

We zone the room by exposure, choose steel, stainless, wood or phenolic per zone, and split stock versus custom items so the schedule holds.

4

Fabrication & approval drawings

Work surfaces and specials are drawn for your approval; epoxy and phenolic tops are fabricated within 6 business days of sign-off.

5

Installation

Factory-trained crews deliver, set, level and scribe the casework, install the tops and coordinate with your plumbing and electrical trades.

6

Walk-through

We punch the install with you, verify drawer and door operation, and leave you the specification and finish record for future matching.

Two things worth deciding early

First, the work surface material — stainless, laminate and hardwood tops run 7–8 weeks and are the usual reason a lab opens late. Second, which cabinets need to be mobile; retrofitting casters onto fixed casework is possible but never as clean as specifying mobile units up front.

Lab Casework FAQs

What is SEFA 8 and why does it matter for lab casework?
SEFA 8 is the laboratory furniture standard published by the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association. It sets minimum requirements for construction quality, chemical resistance, structural loading, drawer and door hardware durability, and finish quality — the things that separate laboratory casework from commercial millwork. Every casework line we supply is built to meet or exceed SEFA 8, and it is worth writing into your specification so competing bids are comparable.
How long does laboratory casework take to get?
Painted steel casework typically ships in 2–4 weeks, stainless steel in 4–8 weeks, phenolic in 6–8 weeks and wood in 6–10 weeks. Our in-stock quick-ship program covers standard base, wall, tall and sink cabinets in painted and stainless steel and ships in 5–10 business days, which is the route we take when a renovation date will not move. Custom 1″ black epoxy and phenolic work surfaces can be fabricated within 6 business days of approved drawings.
Which casework material should I choose?
Start with chemical and moisture exposure, then budget. Painted steel covers most general-purpose and teaching labs. Stainless steel is the answer wherever the cabinet gets wiped down with disinfectant or sits in a classified space. Phenolic handles constant wet work and aggressive cleaning without corroding. Wood is for spaces where appearance matters and chemical exposure is light. Most projects mix them — steel down the room, stainless at the sink and the cleanroom, wood in the adjoining write-up area.
Can I mix casework materials in the same laboratory?
Yes, and most well-planned labs do. The cabinet bodies share standard dimensions, so a stainless sink base sits in a steel run without a filler puzzle, and a single continuous work surface can span both. We zone the room by exposure during design and specify the material each zone actually needs instead of paying for stainless everywhere.
Can casework be reconfigured later, or do I have to replace it?
Cabinet interiors are designed to be changed — shelves are adjustable, and drawer and door fronts can be swapped within the same cabinet shell, so a door unit can become a drawer bank without replacing the cabinet. If your program changes often, specify modular frames and mobile cabinets from the start; those are built to be unbolted and moved. Fixed casework where the utilities land, mobile casework everywhere else, is the layout that ages best.
What countertop material works with each casework line?
All of the casework lines accept epoxy resin, phenolic resin, stainless steel, chemical-resistant laminate and hardwood tops. Epoxy is the default for strong acids, bases and solvents; phenolic for moderate chemicals and constant moisture; stainless for cleanrooms and sterile processing; laminate for write-up areas. The surface, the sink material and the service fittings should be selected together, because the top determines what sink and edge details are possible.
Do you install the casework, or is that our contractor’s job?
We install. Factory-trained crews handle delivery, setting and leveling, scribing to the walls, countertop installation and coordination with your plumbing and electrical trades. A single-room installation usually takes 2–5 days; a multi-room build with 50 or more cabinets and full utility connections typically runs 2–4 weeks on site. You get a project schedule during design, before anything is released to the factory.
Can you work from our drawings, or do you design the layout?
Either. Send us a floor plan, an equipment list and your utility locations and our design team produces the layout, elevations and an itemized specification at no cost. You can also start yourself with our free Lab Layout Configurator or Lab Bench Configurator and send us the configuration when you are done.

Ready to Specify Your Lab Casework?

Send us a floor plan, an equipment list and your target date. We will come back with a layout, an itemized specification and an installed price — and tell you honestly what can ship from stock.

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT • Serving customers nationwide
Local service areas: Salt Lake City • Provo • Ogden • Park City • St. George • Logan • Lehi • Orem