Evaluating the Quality of Office Tables

A good way to check the quality of office tables is to examine the construction of the drawers. Higher quality drawers will have a sturdy suspension, using metal suspension rollers. Make sure that the drawers open and close smoothly when bearing weight. Also check to see if the drawers slide out to their full length, allowing the user to fully utilize the space.

With wood desks, continue to examine the drawers to assess the quality of construction. Higher-end office tables will have drawers that are assembled using an interlocking dovetail construction rather than staples or glue. In addition, the bottom of the drawers will use a wood veneer or heavy plywood rather than plastic melanine sheet.

When considering laminate desks, examine the type of laminate used. A thick, high pressure laminate withstands stains, scratches, watermarks, and other day-to-day office abuse much better than a thinner laminate. In addition, more expensive desks typically have rounded corners rather than regular squared-off corners.

The primary indicator of quality for metal office tables is the gauge of steel used in their manufacture. This can be assessed by simply feeling how solid the construction is and checking a desk's overall weight. One area to examine in particular is how the drawers look when they are closed. If the desk is not set right, you will see a gap where the drawer meets the desk.