Stand Materials

Selecting materials for exhibition stand is like selecting materials for a house, only with more extremes at the low and high price ranges. An exhibition stand can be constructed for only a few dollars per square foot out of millwork and plastic, or for hundreds, even thousands, of dollars per square foot, out of stone, bronze, and glass.

Selecting materials is closely tied to the budget of the exhibition stand as well as its size and context. The most beautifully crafted booths are in trade shows and showrooms, where a combination of large budgets, small areas, and intense competition produce designs that use the best materials throughout. Even details such as furniture can be purpose made using expensive hard woods and metals.

An all too common mistake is to choose materials solely to match the budget of a project. This can result in materials being used that are not durable enough to survive in high traffic areas or interactive exhibition stands. At the same time, it makes little sense to use expensive materials in locations where the audience will not see them. The designer’s role is to prioritize the quality of materials for the task of the stand, and to ensure the budget correctly reflects the material needs.

Finally, just as all materials are different, fabricators also have different levels of skill for handling materials. Stone, bronze, and glass require specialized craftsmen to detail and install. It makes little sense to spend the extra money on quality materials if they are not implemented successfully.