Laboratory Design and Buildout Planning Guide

Laboratory design and buildout planning should begin with how the lab will actually function: the work being performed, the people using the space, the equipment required, the utilities needed and the furniture systems that will support daily operations. A successful lab is not just a room with benches and cabinets. It is a coordinated workspace where layout, casework, storage, safety, utilities and flexibility work together.

For new laboratory builds, renovations and expansions, furniture decisions should be made early. Lab benches, casework, sinks, workstations, mobile storage, overhead service carriers, wet lab zones and dry lab areas all affect workflow and long-term performance. If these elements are planned too late, the result can be crowded work areas, poor utility access, storage shortages, expensive redesigns or lab furniture that does not match the work being done.

LabTech Supply Co. provides laboratory furniture, casework, benches, tables, storage systems and full-service lab furniture solutions for education, research, biotech, healthcare, food and beverage, industrial and commercial laboratory environments. Whether you are planning a new lab buildout or redesigning an existing facility, the right furniture plan can help create a safer, more flexible and more productive workspace.

 

Why Laboratory Design Requires Early Furniture Planning

Lab furniture is often treated as a later-stage purchase, but it should be part of the earliest planning conversations. The furniture system determines where people work, where equipment sits, how supplies are stored, how utilities are accessed and how easily the lab can adapt over time.

Early furniture planning helps teams avoid:

• Casework that conflicts with utilities
• Bench layouts that do not support workflow
• Inadequate storage capacity
• Crowded or unsafe circulation paths
• Poor placement of sinks, fume hoods or equipment
• Work surfaces that do not match chemical or heat exposure
• Limited flexibility for future growth
• Accessibility issues
• Expensive changes after installation

Modern lab design is strongest when facilities teams, lab users, designers, furniture partners and installation teams coordinate before the layout is finalized.

 

Quick Planning Guide for New Lab Builds and Renovations

 

Open Labs vs. Closed Labs

One of the first laboratory design decisions is whether the space should use an open, closed or hybrid layout. Each option supports different workflows.

 

Open Laboratory Design

Open labs use larger shared work areas with fewer walls and more shared bench space, equipment and support zones. This layout can improve collaboration and make the lab more adaptable as research needs change.

Open labs are often useful for:

• Team-based research
• University research environments
• Shared lab facilities
• Biotech startups
• Flexible teaching spaces
• Facilities with changing workflows
• Labs that need modular furniture and shared equipment

Open layouts work best when storage, safety zones, equipment areas and circulation paths are carefully planned. Without enough structure, open labs can become cluttered or inefficient.

 

Closed Laboratory Design

Closed labs use dedicated rooms or separated spaces for specific research, equipment or processes. This layout may be necessary when the work requires isolation, privacy, containment, specialized ventilation or dedicated equipment.

Closed labs are often useful for:

• Sensitive research
• Specialized equipment
• Certain chemical or biological workflows
• Controlled environments
• Private work areas
• Labs with safety or contamination concerns
• Dedicated principal investigator spaces

Closed labs can provide control and separation, but they may offer less flexibility than open layouts.

 

Hybrid Laboratory Design

Many modern labs use a hybrid approach. Shared open areas support collaboration and flexibility, while enclosed rooms are reserved for specialized work, equipment, chemicals or controlled processes.

 

1. Plan Flexible Engineering and Utility Systems

Most laboratories rely on utilities such as supply and exhaust air, water, drains, electricity, gas, data, vacuum and ventilation. These systems should be planned alongside the furniture layout because they directly affect where benches, casework, sinks, fume hoods and equipment can go.

Flexible engineering systems can make future changes easier. This may include utility corridors, ceiling access, service chases, overhead carriers and quick-connect options where appropriate.

Plan early for:

• Electrical outlets and power needs
• Data and communication lines
• Water and drainage
• Gas and vacuum
• Exhaust and supply air
• Fume hood placement
• Sink locations
• Equipment connections
• Future utility expansion
• Maintenance access

The goal is to support current work while leaving room for future changes. A lab that cannot adapt to new equipment or workflows may require costly renovations sooner than expected.

 

2. Create Equipment Zones

Equipment zones are dedicated areas where instruments, machines, carts, computers or specialized tools can be placed without disrupting the main workflow. These zones are especially important because equipment needs often change during or after a lab buildout.

A lab project can take months or years from planning to completion. During that time, research priorities, technology and staffing may change. If every inch of the lab is locked into fixed casework, the space may lose flexibility before it is even fully occupied.

Equipment zones help support:

• New instruments
• Shared equipment
• Mobile carts
• Robotic analyzers
• Computer workstations
• Sample processing tools
• Testing equipment
• Future expansion
• Changes in research needs

Where possible, leave intentional space for future equipment rather than filling the entire lab with fixed cabinetry from the start.

 

3. Consider Generic Lab Planning When Future Use Is Unclear

A generic lab layout may be useful when the final users, research priorities or equipment needs are not fully known. In this approach, labs are designed with similar sizes, core services and basic casework, making them easier to assign, adapt or modify later.

Generic lab planning can be useful for:

• Universities
• Shared research buildings
• Multi-user facilities
• New research programs
• Incubator spaces
• Flexible lab facilities
• Organizations expecting future changes

A generic lab should still include flexibility. Adjustable shelving, modular benches, utility access and adaptable casework can help the space evolve as users and equipment needs become clearer.

 

4. Use Mobile Casework and Modular Furniture Strategically

Mobile casework and modular lab furniture help labs adapt without major construction. As technology changes and more processes become automated, labs need furniture that can accommodate new equipment and changing workflows.

Mobile and modular options may include:

• Mobile base cabinets
• Mobile carts
• Modular lab benches
• Adjustable-height tables
• Mobile computer workstations
• Rolling equipment carts
• Moveable storage units
• Adjustable shelving
• Flexible write-up stations

These systems can make it easier to reconfigure the lab, move equipment, create temporary project zones or expand storage.

 

Common Mobile Casework Options

Mobile furniture is valuable, but it should be used intentionally. Some areas, such as sinks, fume hoods and utility-heavy work zones, may still require fixed casework.

 

5. Use the Full Volume of the Lab Space

Laboratory space is expensive and often limited. A strong lab design uses the full volume of the room, not just the floor area. Vertical storage, overhead cabinets, adjustable shelving and under-bench storage can help keep work surfaces clear while increasing storage capacity.

Ways to use space more effectively include:

• Wall cabinets above workstations
• Tall storage cabinets
• Adjustable shelving
• Under-bench cabinets
• Overhead service carriers
• Mobile carts for stacked equipment
• Open equipment zones
• Dedicated storage walls
• Pullout shelves or trays
• Properly planned supply areas

The key is to increase capacity without creating unsafe reaching, cluttered aisles or inaccessible storage.

 

6. Consider Overhead Service Carriers

Overhead service carriers can deliver utilities from above instead of routing every service through fixed furniture or walls. They can support flexible laboratory layouts by giving teams access to utilities while preserving more freedom at the bench level.

Overhead service carriers may support:

• Electrical service
• Data
• Gas
• Vacuum
• Air
• Other lab utility connections

They can be useful in labs where bench configurations may change over time. Utility services should be planned with quick connect and disconnect options when appropriate, so future adjustments are easier.

Overhead service carriers are not required for every lab, but they can be valuable in flexible research environments, open labs and spaces where equipment layouts may evolve.

 

7. Plan Wet Labs and Dry Labs Differently

Wet labs and dry labs have very different furniture and utility requirements. Treating them the same can lead to poor material choices or unnecessary costs.

 

Wet Lab Design

Wet labs typically involve liquids, chemicals, biological materials, sinks, piped gases, fume hoods or other utility-intensive work. These spaces often need more durable and resistant materials.

Wet labs may require:

• Chemical-resistant countertops
• Moisture-resistant casework
• Sinks and drainage
• Fume hoods
• 100% outside air in some applications
• Fixed utility zones
• Epoxy or phenolic work surfaces
• Chemical storage
• Safety equipment
• Durable, cleanable materials

 

Dry Lab Design

Dry labs are often more computer-intensive and may require extensive electrical, data and equipment support rather than sinks or wet-process utilities.

Dry labs may require:

• Computer workstations
• Data and power access
• Adjustable shelving
• Mobile casework
• Plastic laminate or lower-exposure surfaces
• Equipment benches
• Monitor placement
• Documentation areas
• Flexible layouts

 

Additional Laboratory Design Considerations

Storage

Storage is one of the most important elements of lab design. Without enough storage, work surfaces become cluttered, supplies are harder to find and safety risks increase.

A strong storage plan should include:

• Base cabinets
• Wall cabinets
• Tall storage
• Mobile cabinets
• Chemical storage
• Flammable storage
• Acid storage
• Glassware storage
• PPE storage
• Overflow supply storage
• Equipment storage

Storage should be planned by workflow, not only by available space.

 

Monitor and Computer Positioning

Many labs now include data entry, computer analysis, instrument software and documentation. Monitor placement affects ergonomics, comfort and workflow.

Computer workstations should support:

• Comfortable viewing height
• Proper keyboard and mouse placement
• Reduced glare
• Cable management
• Easy movement around equipment
• Space for documentation
• Ability to move screens when not in use

Poor monitor positioning can contribute to neck strain, back discomfort and workflow frustration.

 

Space and Circulation

Lab users need enough space to sit, stand, move, handle materials and work safely around equipment. Crowded labs can slow productivity and increase accident risk.

Design should account for:

• Aisle widths
• Bench spacing
• Equipment clearance
• Seating and standing zones
• Door swings
• Emergency access
• Shared work areas
• Material movement
• Cart circulation
• Future equipment additions

The lab should not only fit the furniture. It should fit the people and work.

 

Safety

Safety should guide the layout, furniture and material decisions. A well-designed lab allows users to focus on their work without constantly navigating preventable hazards.

Safety planning may include:

• Fume hoods
• Ventilation systems
• Biosafety cabinets
• Fire suppression
• Emergency showers
• Eyewash stations
• Chemical storage
• Clear emergency exits
• Proper cabinet placement
• Adequate storage
• Chemical-resistant surfaces
• Accessible safety equipment

For labs handling chemicals or gases, storage and ventilation should be discussed early with the appropriate safety stakeholders.

 

Accessibility

Accessible laboratory design supports a wider range of users and helps the lab meet important usability needs. Accessibility should be considered early, not added after the furniture has already been selected.

Accessibility planning may include:

• ADA-compliant casework
• Adjustable-height tables
• Accessible sink areas
• Open knee-space workstations
• Reach-conscious storage
• Clear circulation paths
• Desk-height work areas
• Proper aisle spacing

LabTech offers ADA-compliant lab cabinetry, workbenches, tables and related furniture options for accessible laboratory environments.

 

Laboratory Furniture Decisions to Make Early

Furniture choices should be coordinated before construction or renovation details are locked in. Early decisions can reduce conflicts and improve the final result.

 

Common Lab Design Mistakes

Waiting too long to plan furniture

Furniture affects utilities, workflow, storage and installation. If it is planned too late, the lab may require costly redesigns.

Overbuilding fixed casework

Fixed casework is valuable in the right areas, but using it everywhere can limit future flexibility.

Underestimating storage

A lab without enough storage quickly becomes cluttered and harder to work in safely.

Treating wet and dry labs the same

Wet labs and dry labs have different utility, material and furniture needs.

Ignoring future equipment

Labs evolve. Planning equipment zones and flexible furniture can reduce the need for future renovations.

Poor coordination between teams

Lab users, designers, facilities teams, safety stakeholders and furniture partners should be aligned early. Poor coordination can lead to conflicts between shelves, utilities, casework and equipment.

 

Laboratory Buildout Planning Checklist

Before finalizing your lab design, review:

1. What type of lab is being built or renovated?
2. Will the space function as an open, closed or hybrid lab?
3. What workflows need to happen in the space?
4. What equipment will be used now and later?
5. Which areas require fixed utilities?
6. Which areas should remain flexible?
7. Where will sinks, fume hoods and safety equipment go?
8. What storage is needed for supplies, glassware, chemicals and equipment?
9. Are wet lab and dry lab areas clearly defined?
10. What work surface materials are required?
11. Does the lab need modular benches or mobile casework?
12. Are ADA-compliant workstations or sinks needed?
13. Is there enough room for staff movement and equipment clearance?
14. Can the lab support future growth?
15. Has installation been coordinated with the overall project schedule?

 

Work With LabTech Supply Co. for Laboratory Design and Buildout Furniture

The right laboratory furniture helps transform a lab design into a functional workspace. From casework and lab benches to mobile cabinets, sinks, storage, workstations and specialty furniture, each decision affects how the lab performs after installation.

LabTech Supply Co. provides laboratory furniture solutions for new lab buildouts, renovations, university science labs, biotech facilities, healthcare spaces, food and beverage labs, industrial workspaces and research environments. Our team can help you plan furniture that supports workflow, safety, utility access, storage, flexibility and long-term use.

Whether you are designing a new laboratory from the ground up or updating an existing lab, LabTech can help provide the furniture, casework and installation support needed to bring the space together.

Request a Quote or call (833) 559-0705 to discuss your laboratory design and buildout project.