Wet Lab Tables — Chemical-Resistant Laboratory Work Surfaces
Wet lab tables with epoxy resin and phenolic tops. Marine-edge profiles, integrated sinks, drip edges. For chemistry, biology, and pathology labs.
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Wet Lab Tables — Chemical-Resistant Laboratory Work Surfaces
Wet lab tables are designed for work involving liquids — chemical reagents, water baths, specimen processing, histology staining, and any application where the work surface faces regular exposure to moisture and chemicals. These tables feature chemical-resistant countertops (epoxy resin or phenolic), marine-edge or drip-edge profiles to contain spills, and corrosion-resistant frame components.
Labs USA supplies wet lab tables with integrated sinks, cup sinks, drip troughs, and pegboard drying racks. Frame options include painted steel, stainless steel, and phenolic — selected based on the severity and frequency of chemical exposure.
Key Features for Wet Labs
- Epoxy resin or phenolic countertops — Impervious to acids, bases, solvents, and moisture
- Marine-edge profiles — Raised edges contain spills on the work surface
- Drip edges — Direct liquid runoff away from frame components
- Integrated sinks — Seamless epoxy or stainless sinks molded into the countertop
- Pegboard drying racks — Above-bench drying for glassware
- Corrosion-resistant frames — Stainless steel or coated steel legs and supports
Sinks, Faucets and Eyewash Layout
A wet bench is where the largest number of small decisions collide: the sink, the top, the cabinet beneath, the fittings and the emergency equipment all have to fit the same few feet of bench. These are the ones worth settling on the drawing.
Sink material and mounting
| Choice | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Epoxy resin, integral to the top | Chemical duty wet benches | No joint at all; the strongest solution where budget allows |
| Epoxy resin, undermount | Chemical duty with a separate top | Unbroken surface into the bowl; needs a top that carries the cutout |
| Epoxy resin, drop-in | General laboratory use | Simplest and least expensive; rim joint needs sealing and cleaning |
| Stainless steel | Heat, sterile processing, wash-down | Takes physical abuse; 316 where chlorides are present |
| Polypropylene | Acid and corrosive service | Where even epoxy is marginal on sustained acid duty |
The sink base cabinet
Sink base size follows the bowl and the plumbing, not the other way around. Allow for the trap, the tailpiece and any acid waste treatment, specify hinged doors where access matters, and include leveling feet: a sink cabinet that has to be shimmed into place is harder to seal at the top than one that levels properly.
Faucet and fitting selection
- Mixing faucet for general hot and cold service, deck or wall mounted.
- Gooseneck where tall glassware has to fit under the spout.
- Vacuum breaker where a hose can be attached, to protect the supply.
- Purified water outlet as a separate, clearly distinguished faucet, never a shared spout.
- Remote valves where gas or vacuum has to be controlled from outside the wet zone.
Eyewash and emergency equipment placement
Put the eyewash where it can be reached with eyes closed, and check the swing arc against the faucet and against anything stored on the bench. Alignment between the eyewash and the faucet is one of the most frequent late layout revisions on wet benches, and it is free to resolve on a drawing and awkward to resolve after the top is cut.
Related: laboratory sinks, fittings and faucets, emergency equipment, and work surface selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Epoxy resin or stainless steel sink?
Epoxy resin for chemical duty: it handles acids, bases and solvents and matches an epoxy work surface so the joint stops being the weak point. Stainless steel for heat, sterile processing and wash-down environments, and where the sink has to take physical abuse. Cost is comparable enough that the decision should be made on duty rather than on price.
Undermount or drop-in?
Undermount gives an unbroken surface into the bowl, which is easier to clean and eliminates the rim joint where liquid collects; it needs a top that can carry the cutout and the support. Drop-in is simpler and less expensive, and is perfectly adequate away from heavy wet work. Integral moulded sinks in epoxy tops are the cleanest solution of all where the budget allows.
Where should the eyewash go relative to the sink and faucet?
Close enough to reach with eyes closed, and positioned so it cannot be blocked by the faucet or by whatever is in the sink. A deck-mounted eyewash beside the faucet is the usual answer on a laboratory bench; the detail worth settling on the drawing is which side, because a unit that swings into the faucet arc is the most common revision we see at installation.
What do you need to quote a wet bench?
The bench length and depth, where the utility rough-in lands, the sink size and material, whether you want undermount, drop-in or integral, and the fittings: mixing faucet, gooseneck, purified water outlet, vacuum or gas. Sink base cabinet size follows from the bowl and the plumbing rather than the reverse.
What countertop is best for wet lab tables?
Epoxy resin for heavy chemical exposure (strong acids, bases, organic solvents). Phenolic resin for moderate chemical exposure (alcohols, staining reagents, biological specimens). Stainless steel for cleanroom wet labs requiring autoclave-level cleanliness.
Can wet lab tables have sinks molded into the countertop?
Yes. Epoxy resin countertops can have sinks molded directly into the surface — creating a seamless, leak-proof connection. Stainless steel undermount and drop-in sinks are also available for phenolic and laminate tops.
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