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When it comes to healthcare environments, materials in these spaces have to stand up to a lot. They need to be clean, durable and strong. In many of critical environments, it comes down to two materials—solid surface or stainless steel.

Stainless steel as an option… it’s fine, but we know that healthcare facilities these days want better than fine. Striving for the top is what makes patients choose your services and with Shield Casework, you’ll be one step closer to that goal. Solid surface offers more versatility and features for less investment.

Why? Read on:

Cleanability

While both solid surface and stainless steel do not allow the growth of bacteria and pathogens, solid surface’s ability to create seamless joints and connections make it easier to clean and disinfect. For example, interior corners are often the hardest to clean. Stainless steel cabinet corners are tight and difficult to fully clean, leaving room for bacteria and germs to hide.

Durability

Solid surface is a tough, sturdy material that can handle just about anything you throw at it. In fact, just to show how durable it is, we put one of our cabinets to the test in the wilderness for 10 months. Should any damage occur, solid surface is easily repairable. Solid surface can be easily cleaned with a light abrasive sponge to remove a lot of marks and scuffs. Deeper refinishing involves sanding. You cannot repair stainless steel – any mark on it is there for the lifetime of the product.

Affordability and designability

Stainless steel costs more – typically 30 percent more than solid surface – and doesn’t offer much design flexibility. Solid surface comes in various color options and can be heat formed into just about any shape. Solid surface provides a customizability that stainless steel can’t.

Shield offers a wide range of solid surface products from pass throughs to casework to mobile carts to documentation stations and beyond. Got a healthcare project? Let’s chat.