Furniture Definitions

The word “sled” usually refers to the legs of the chair and their shape. Sled Chairs typically curve forward and down on the ground, making a “C” shape from a side view of the chair (if the front of the chair is facing left).  The feature of having a sled base is usually with guest or side chair seating.

These are chairs that can be used for the main desk chair, used all day, or in a conference room or work room. They are built to last and endure years of usage. The majority of task chairs have a star base and are on rollers for easy mobility. There are varying levels of ergonomic design with adjustable features associated with this type of chair.  Since every chair cannot come out of the box designed specifically for your body, these chairs usually come with adjustments.  These adjustments are: Pneumatic gas lift (height adjustment), tilt lock with tilt tension (A chair that leans is important for relieving the users back occasionally throughout the day), adjustable arms (up-down, forward-backward, in-out), lumbar adjustment, and seat slide are the main adjustments that you will see to varying degrees as you look at office chairs.  Note, just because a chair does not have a lot of adjustments doesn’t necessarily mean it is not as good as another chair.  The adjustability of a chair is merely for those companies that have a large number of employees that may need more adjustments to cater to a larger group of individuals who will not be involved with “trying out” the chair before it is purchased.  In most cases, having more adjustments costs more money, so unless you have a large number of employees, you may not need all the adjustments as long as the current employees are comfortable in the chair without all the adjustments.

Stationary chairs are used for guest chairs and side chairs in an office or conference room. They also work great for waiting rooms, classrooms and training rooms.  In most cases they either have 4 straight legs or a sled base.  These chairs are not meant to move around much since they are typically not on casters though casters are an option for some.

This is real wood cut into thin sheets, usually about 1/16th inch for office furniture.  The purpose for a manufacturer to use veneer instead of solid wood is to save money and to ensure that bulk orders will have matching color and grain pattern.  The veneer can be stained and will always have a finish to protect it, typically lacquer.

If a label says it’s solid wood, it should be 100% wood. The furniture item may be a “one of a kind” piece because solid wood isn’t typically mass-produced.  These desks are usually antique, or custom made by a local wood worker.

These are found as cubicles and desks at most corporations. They typically come with a laminate top, which may be a different color than the rest of the workstation. The desk can be set up with a pedestal drawer system, metal legs of varying sorts and usually comes with overhead bins, and lateral file cabinets. They can also be used in conjunction with a cubicle system. They are highly customizable and can be changed to fit any office layout since all parts are ordered separately and assembled onsite.

Cubicles are found in many office settings, as they are highly changeable. They are easily reused and can be maneuvered around for a variety of office needs. They offer a cheaper way to divide an office space, as opposed to full-size walls. They come in fabric material and in a variety of shades and colors. They are available in different heights and widths.  They are best for efficiently and economically utilizing a space for many employees and giving them their own “private” work area.

Call stations are used at many call centers around the country. They are different from modular workstations in that they are typically a smaller space, meant for representatives to have space to use a phone and a computer. They are made up of cubicle and laminate countertop. They vary in size, colors, and shape depending on the business’s needs.

This is a desk that usually comes with a credenza, overhead cabinet, and a wardrobe cabinet along with a couple lateral file cabinets.  Executive Desks are made for large offices with lots of room for the big pieces of furniture.

This is the term used for a standalone desk. The single desk can have drawers on both sides or not at all. It can come in many widths and lengths, many materials (laminate, metal, wood, veneer), and many colors.

U desks are for those people who need a lot of workspace and storage. U desks come with a desk, credenza and bridge that connects the two, and typically have drawers and/or lateral file cabinets. They can be used in an office or open office space.  Whether a U-desk is a right or left is determined by sitting behind the main desk and looking to see which side the bridge is.  If the bridge is on the right, the U-Desk is right-handed, and the vice versa for left.

L desks are great for maximizing desk surface in regular sized to smaller offices. They are L-shaped, with the main larger part being the desk and the smaller part being the return.  Lateral file cabinets or drawers are usually included in the L desk setup in the desk and/or return.  Whether an L-desk is a right or left is determined by sitting behind the main desk and looking to see which side the return is. If the return is on the right, the L-Desk is right-handed, and the vice versa for left.

This term is used for a desk that has a higher wall or shelf along the walls, called a transaction top. Secretary stations work well for receptionists who are greeting guests, security guards, or executive assistants that need higher counter space. They are typically L-shaped and can be used in conjunction with cubicle walls to make a U shape for more privacy.

Manager U stations are used for supervisors or managers. They are higher in height with 3 walls, which allows the occupant privacy, whether they need to review confidential materials or have discussions with employees. Many call stations and businesses use them for their managers.

Lateral file cabinets vary in height and can have 2-5 drawers for files. They range in length as well and can be used with modular workstations, cubicles, and many L- and U-shaped desk units. They are good for offices with limited depth, but a lot of wall space. They come in widths of 30, 36, and 42 inches.

Vertical file cabinets are “skinny” and typically only 15-18 inches wide. They vary in height and, therefore, can have 2-5 drawers for files. They come in metal, legal, and wood. Most businesses use them to store hard copies of customer information.

This term is used for large tables that aid in business meetings and can usually sit 6-20 or more people.  Companies use conference tables in their own conference rooms to allow for privacy during meetings.

Training tables can come in many shapes and sizes. They are used for work areas, classrooms and training rooms and can be reconfigured to become conference tables if needed.  They can be in different styles such as nesting, which allows the table to flip up and “nest” into another table while rolling out of the way against the wall or in a closet if the room is needed for another purpose.  They can also be equipped with electric and data, which may need planning with a project manager.

In the office furniture industry, this usually refers to the 3-Drawer or 2-Drawer system in a desk or cubicle.  The 3-Drawer system can also be referred to as a BBF (Box/Box/File) Pedestal where the “B” is the smaller 2 drawers on top and the “F” is the larger file drawer on the bottom of the unit.  The 2-Drawer system can also be referred to as an FF (File/File) Pedestal where the “F” is 2 file drawers in the unit.

The bridge is the middle part of a U-shaped desk, connecting the main desk to a credenza.

The return is the smaller part of an L-Desk extending from the main desk and is either on the right or left while sitting at the desk.  This determines whether the L-Desk is right or left-handed.

One term for the main electric feed from the building to a run of cubicles.  Typically, this feed has the capability of running up to four 15 AMP circuits into the run of cubicles.

The arm support that extends from a cubicle panel in order to support a worksurface.  It will have “teeth” that clip into the side rail on a cubicle panel and, typically, holes for screws to attach the worksurface on the extended section of the cantilever.  Note, some manufacturers design their cantilevers to work with other types of fasteners to attach to the work surface.

Work Surfaces are any surface where work can be performed for any situation.  Work surfaces can be ordered separately from any desk or cubicle and used for any purpose including desks, cubicles, tables, modular workstations, etc.  This is an easy and economical way to customize any office by maximizing a work area within a space and matching throughout the office by utilizing this worksurface for tables, height adjustable desks, benching desk systems, cubicles, etc. by just ordering the accompanying supports for the work surfaces, which can be drawer systems, H-Legs, T-Legs, Post legs, etc.