You would have been able to go into a home or perhaps an office in the 1950s and often found a Formica table. This style has always been there in the background even though there have been times when it has gone out of fashion. Now it is back - bolder and brighter than ever!
Rigg offers a selection of stylish options whether for a large office meeting room, a home dining room or small desk. As standard we offer certain models with tops of this enduring finish but we can often others not shown in a selection of simple to complex surfaces.
Brands
Formica is a brand name and one of the pioneers of of the material used on the top surface. Other players in the market include Abet Laminati from Italy and Egger of Germany, both also with their own great history.
What’s in a name?
The general name for the material offered by these companies is “high pressure laminate” (HPL) or sometimes “laminate” for short. Whilst easier to say, the latter can have connotations of budget flooring for some people, rather than their dream of a high performance, stunning centrepiece for their dining room. With this confusion and misunderstanding about the correct name, you can understand why (at least in the UK) the phrase Formica Table is common. Think of it a bit like Hoover being used to describe a vacuum cleaner.
Know your Top
For stability – i.e. to avoid warping of the resulting table top, we bond laminates to a stable substrate such as birch plywood. This creates a wonderful combination as you can experience the laminate on top but also see the edge of the layers. A good demonstration of this is our Quad table.
Easy Maintenance
The surface is low maintenance usually needing nothing more than a wipe over with a damp cloth. Harsh abrasives and chemicals are not required and should be avoided.
A World of Colour
A huge range of colours is available covering vivid punchy shades to more subtle hues. Combine this with either a clear lacquered steel frame or a powder coated option and you have a staggering range of possibilities.
Surface Textures
Whilst great for many applications, the “standard” laminate texture is augmented by a selection of others from matte to very high gloss. Innovative surface patterns are also available as it the reproduction of a photographic image.