Laboratory Casework Installation in Florida: Labs and Healthcare

Laboratory Casework Installation in Florida: Labs and Healthcare

Laboratory casework installation is the process of setting, leveling, anchoring and connecting the cabinets, work surfaces, sinks and fume hood bases that make up a lab. In Florida universities and healthcare facilities, a good installation depends on early coordination with plumbing, electrical and mechanical trades, chemical-resistant tops chosen for the lab's actual use, and a crew experienced with the tolerances lab equipment requires.

This guide is for facility managers, lab planners, architects and GCs responsible for a new lab or a lab renovation.

What lab casework includes

• Base cabinets: drawer, door and combination units, often with acid or flammable storage below fume hoods
• Wall cabinets and tall storage: glass-door or solid-door units for supplies and glassware
• Work surfaces: epoxy resin, phenolic resin, stainless steel, solid surface or high-pressure laminate depending on the work
• Sinks: integrated or drop-in epoxy sinks, cup sinks and drain troughs
• Support structures: C-frame and suspended systems that let base cabinets move, adjustable-height tables
• Shelving and reagent racks above benches
• Fume hood bases and coordination with the hood supplier

Casework can be wood, plastic laminate, or steel. Wood and laminate casework is common in teaching labs and many research and clinical settings; steel is often chosen for heavy chemical exposure.

Choosing work surfaces

The top is the part that gets abused, so match it to the work:

• Epoxy resin: strong chemical and heat resistance, heavy, traditional for wet chemistry and teaching labs. Integrated epoxy sinks are common.
• Phenolic resin: lighter than epoxy, good chemical resistance, resistant to moisture and bacteria; widely used in biology and clinical labs.
• Stainless steel: preferred for some biological, cleanroom and food-related labs.
• Solid surface or laminate: suited to dry labs, computer labs and light-use areas.

Review the lab's chemical list with the user group and the top manufacturer's chemical-resistance data before finalizing.

Coordination that makes or breaks the install

Lab casework installation is a coordination exercise. Before cabinets arrive:

1. Service locations are confirmed: water, drain, vacuum, gases, air and electrical rough-ins match the casework layout on shop drawings. 2. Floors are level and finished where the cabinets sit, or the plan accounts for leveling. 3. Walls have blocking for wall cabinets, shelving and reagent racks. 4. Fume hood dimensions and exhaust connections are confirmed with the hood supplier. 5. Equipment clearances are verified: under-counter refrigerators, dishwashers, biosafety cabinets and instruments.

Missing any of these leads to cutting cabinets in the field, re-routing services or delays while trades come back.

The installation sequence

A typical lab casework install runs roughly like this:

1. Layout: snap lines and set elevations from the shop drawings 2. Set base cabinets: level, shim, fasten to each other and anchor to walls or floor as specified 3. Install wall cabinets and shelving on confirmed blocking 4. Set work surfaces: resin tops are heavy and joined with chemical-resistant adhesive; seams and backsplashes are sealed 5. Set sinks and coordinate fixture installation with the plumber 6. Fume hood bases and hoods placed in coordination with the mechanical contractor 7. Adjust doors and drawers, install hardware and labels 8. Punch, clean and turn over, including O&M information on tops and hardware

Plumbers and electricians typically make final connections after tops are in place, so the schedule must leave room for those trades.

Accessibility and safety considerations

• ADA workstations: at least a portion of lab work surfaces and sinks often needs to be accessible, with lower heights and knee clearance.
• Emergency equipment: eyewash and safety shower locations must stay clear of casework and be accessible.
• Flammable and corrosive storage: these cabinets have their own requirements and venting; confirm what is specified.
• Seismic or anchoring requirements: follow the project's structural requirements for tall storage and wall-hung units.

Working in an active university or hospital

Many Florida lab projects happen in buildings that stay open. That means badge access, restricted hours, protected corridors, infection control measures in healthcare buildings, and careful material handling through occupied floors. Choose an installer who has done this before and can show it.

Questions to ask a lab casework installer

• Do you produce your own shop drawings and field verification?
• Do you fabricate the wood or laminate casework in your own shop?
• Have you installed resin tops and integrated sinks?
• How do you coordinate with plumbing, electrical and the fume hood supplier?
• Can you work in an occupied campus or hospital building?

SJ Woodwork lab casework experience

SJ Woodwork & Cabinetry has fabricated and installed laboratory casework for the University of Florida in Gainesville, including university laboratory casework and lab cabinets with resin tops and integrated sinks. We also work in active healthcare settings, such as the VA veterans hospital in Tampa.

Planning a lab project in Florida?

If you are a GC, architect or facility team preparing a lab build-out or renovation, see our commercial and institutional millwork services. Contact us or call +1 786-915-1719 to review your lab drawings and casework specification.