How to Protect Wood Veneer Desks and Tables

If you plan to use your veneer desk or table for years, you’ll want to know how to keep that beautiful finish looking its best even after daily use. Make a habit of performing these regular maintenance tasks, and you’ll thank yourself for it in the long run.

Use Desk Pads and Coasters

Writing on a piece of paper directly over your veneer conference table or desk can irreparably damage the beautiful surface. Instead, try using a desk pad, and provide employees with desk pads around your conference table. Be careful not to use desk pads with a plastic backing, as these can cause scratches. However, leather and fabric desk pads are soft enough to protect your veneer. In addition to writing over a protective surface, you should also keep coasters within reach to prevent water and heat damage caused by beverages.

Keep Your Desk or Table out of Direct Sunlight

Sunlight can damage veneer over time, so do your best to keep your desk or table out of its reach. If the desk or table has to be under direct sunlight, you may want to rearrange items on top of it occasionally to ensure the entire surface is exposed to an even amount of sun over time.

Add a Glass Top

If you want to keep the veneer looking new, purchase a custom glass top. This option is a great alternative to needing desk pads and coasters. If you decide to go this route, use felt or silicone bumpers in the corners between the glass and veneer so that the glass isn’t directly on the wood.

Clean Your Desk or Table Regularly

Don’t wait until your table is already damaged before giving it a good wipe-down. Take the time to clean your veneer often, and consult the manufacturer of your furniture for specific cleaning instructions. For general cleaning, use a soft, lint-free cloth. You can use a dry cloth or dampen it in a mild soap and water mixture. Avoid using aerosol cleaners, polishes, or oil-based or wax cleaners.

Furniture Maintenance

Real Wood vs. Wood Veneer vs. Laminate: What’s the Difference?

Years ago, in a much different environment than I work in now, a coworker said, "We spend more time with each other at work than we do with our families—I'm glad I like you guys." How true, I thought. I still think so today in my corporate office environment. Unless you work with your spouse or teach in your children's school, you likely spend more waking hours in close contact with coworkers than with your family.

The same goes for your office furniture. Even if you sit in the same spot on the couch at home to put your socks on in the morning and watch a show before the news at night, you still can't top the number of hours you sit in your office chair or use your desk or filing cabinet.

If you’re a decision-maker or influencer concerning office purchases at your workplace, there’s a lot to consider when you make the leap to new furniture. You'll be using it every day for years, so it needs to be aesthetically pleasing and functional for the long haul—not to mention durable. Even the graceful among us occasionally slam a drawer or roll their chair into the edge of their desk.

Most of your choices for wood desks come in veneers or laminates. You would be hard-pressed to find a solid wood desk (at a price most any of us could afford) these days. Despite its beauty, solid wood can warp or crack more easily than its veneered counterparts. Here are some facts about veneers and laminates that might help you choose between these 2 viable options. If you have already been desk shopping, you’ll know that veneers tend to be more expensive than laminates. Here’s why.

What Is Veneer?

Wood veneers are thin slices of hardwood bonded to a less expensive wood like birch or a wood composite like plywood, particle board, or medium-density fiberboard. Manufacturers can do marvelous things with veneers that give a beautiful appearance to furniture.

What Is Laminate?

Laminates are printed surfaces often made to look like wood. Laminate is produced on tough paper, plastic, or foil and bonded to a composite base. High-pressure laminates are molded and cured at 1,200–2,000 pounds per square foot, resulting in a very smooth and durable surface.

Choosing Between Veneer and Laminate

Knowing the differences between furniture materials won’t necessarily help you choose between them. Some thin veneers will curl away from their core while good laminates stay firmly in place for years. There is a range of design, material quality, and craftsmanship within each of the material types.

It can really pay off to look around, see what you like, and then investigate options in your personal range of design, craftsmanship, and price. Ask yourself the following questions before making your decision.

Where is the furniture manufactured?
Will shipping the furniture to your location be costly?
Is the manufacturer reputable; do they have a reliable history?
Is there a guarantee on the furniture? (Don’t worry—you’ll get a lifetime guarantee through NBF!)
How are the parts of the furniture held together? If joins and joints loosen, will you be able to fix them?
Does the manufacturer use wood or veneer from sustainably grown forests?
How thick is the veneer? Can it be easily sanded and retouched, if necessary?
If it’s a laminate, how is it produced and with what materials? Is the result durable?
Does your manufacturer supply a retouching kit or instructions on repairing any scratches or dents to your laminate?

If you’re still having trouble choosing between wood veneer and laminate, consider turning to a professional for help—NBF offers free space planning and design services. You can also check out our guides to learn how to clean laminate and how to clean wood veneer.

Waiting Room Design on a Budget

Depending on the size of your front lobby and the type of business you're running, outfitting the waiting room can become an expensive task. You'll need a statement reception desk to use as the focal point in the room, occasional tables and décor to make the space feel professional, and the right seating to keep your guests comfortable while they wait. Whether you're furnishing a large lobby or a little waiting area, here's how you can get the look you want in your reception area without busting your budget.

Built-In Look for Less

If it's a customized, built-in reception desk you're after, consider a statement desk that's a fraction of the cost of a true built-in. The Esquire Collection offers reception desks in a multitude of configurations to fit your space, and each desk comes with a sleek laminate finish and glass transaction top to create the appearance of a piece of large, custom furniture. Best of all? Even the largest version of our Esquire desk can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of custom-built receptionist desks.

Esquire desks are available in several modern finishes, each with silver laminate accents. To complement this contemporary style, incorporate sleek, minimalist artwork and décor into your lobby, including canvas prints, real or faux flowers, and abstract sculptures for bookshelves. We also recommend selecting waiting room seating that has a modern aesthetic by selecting guest chairs with a metal framework or large, comfy lounge seating.

Complete Waiting Room Look for Less

You can have it all when you choose a waiting room collection that includes reception desks, guest chairs, lounge seating, and occasional tables, all with a matching look. Not only are all of the members of the Compass Collection affordable, but they also make outfitting a waiting room as easy as can be.

We recommend selecting the size and style of your reception desk first. The desk should be the focus of the room, and the size you choose will greatly impact how much space is left to work with in the rest of the room. Compass desks are available in a wide assortment of sizes with or without glass panels and come in your choice of a stone walnut or dark walnut finish.

After selecting your desk, determine how much space you'll have for guest seating. The Compass collection offers a huge variety of reception seating options, including metal frame guest chairs and lounge chairs with built-in charging capabilities. Coffee and end tables are designed to match the reception desks in the collection, allowing you to incorporate a coordinating look through the waiting room.

Modular Look for Less

Determining how much seating you'll need to adequately outfit your waiting room can be challenging. Not only do you need to consider how many people you'll need to seat on average, but you'll also want to think about how much physical space is available and the changes your business will go through throughout the years. The solution? Affordable modular waiting room seating.

Chairs, sectionals, and ottomans in the Traffic Collection are designed to be used in a variety of configurations, meaning you'll be able to change up the layout of your waiting room by switching the configuration as often as you'd like. From straight sofa-like configurations against a wall to zigzag patterns in the middle of the room, there's no end to what you can do with the Traffic Collection. In addition to its modular design, Traffic seating features a sleek, modern look and built-in charging in the seats so guests can stay plugged in while waiting.

7 Inexpensive Office Decor Ideas

Looking to update your office but don’t have a ton of money to burn? If you can’t afford new furniture or construction, plenty of low-cost and easy-to-implement options can make your workspace look new. Adding the right décor is not only a cost-effective solution, but it’s also temporary, so you’ll be able to switch up the look of your office with the changing seasons if you choose. Here are 7 pieces of décor that you can add to your office to instantly enhance the look of the space.

1. Area Rugs

Area rugs come in a huge range of styles and sizes, so you’ll be able to find a good match for your space. Not only can rugs be used to bring a pop of pattern or color into a room, but they can also serve as a spatial divider, separating an area that may otherwise feel undefined. For example, when used in a large lobby, area rugs can visually separate a guest sitting area from the rest of the room, defining spaces while maintaining an open concept layout.

2. Accent Pillows

Accent pillows are great for making your office feel like home. Like area rugs, these inexpensive pieces of décor also come in myriad colors and styles, allowing you to achieve a look you love, whether funky modern or high-end luxury. Plus, your guests may find that the pillows provide extra comfort in a waiting room if they have to sit for a long time.

3. Lighting

Good lighting makes a huge difference in an office, and a poorly lit room can damage an employee’s productivity. If you’re looking to shed more light on your workspace, go for a floor or desk lamp with a little style. From sleek and modern to masculine and industrial, there’s plenty to choose from.

4. Artificial Plants

Whether real or fake, adding a plant to your office can have a restorative effect on employees. Simply looking at a nature scene or organic element refreshes the mind, and it can be especially welcome in an office without access to windows or natural light. Best of all, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to bring some greenery into your office, and faux plants are often less expensive and longer lasting than the real thing.

5. Wall Art

If you have wall space to spare, adding artwork is an excellent way to boost your office’s style. Whether it’s a motivational print, a nature scene, or a piece of modern art on canvas, you can choose whatever inspires you.

6. Mirrors

If you can’t decide what type of wall art you want to add to your office, try going with a mirror instead. There are plenty of decorative mirrors to choose from, and the mirror can create the illusion that your office is larger.

7. Decorative Boards

If you like to post notes and memos in your office, why not do it in style? There are plenty of whiteboards and chalkboards with designs so beautiful that you might not know they’re boards upon first glance!

No matter which décor option you choose, upgrading your office is a breeze when you have a clearly defined style in mind. Do you want your office to be simple and modern? Outdoorsy and rustic? Regal and traditional? Once you’ve selected the design elements that define your style of choice, the rest is easy.

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