Fabrication

With over 144 years of experience building frames, we understand how to optimize the strength and structural integrity of steel tubing. Our mandrel bending process achieves a bend that is superior in strength to press bends or frame designs with parallel tubing. We contour and 360° weld all exposed intersecting tubes to create frames that are unmatched for rugged durability.

Finishes

Columbia’s attractive and extremely durable frame finishes are applied using our award-winning, environmentally sound multi-stage cleaning and etching process prior to a chrome over nickel plating finish. Our exterior grade nickel chroming process provides a luxurious, gleaming finish while recapturing and recycling all usable water and chemicals.

Our Spec Flek® powder coat process provides a textured finish of pure epoxy blend resins that far exceeds standard powder coat finishes, resulting in a finish that is 17% thicker than others with very high mechanical properties and exceptional durability.

Book Bag Hook

Our patented book bag hook is standard on several furniture models and optional on several others. It is designed to allow book bags to hang neatly upright, allowing for easy accessibility while keeping bags out of aisles, eliminating potential tripping hazards.

Lift Lid Hinge

Our patented lid support allows desktops to open well over 60° for easy access to books and school supplies. It is reinforced with an 18-gauge, full-width piano hinge for safety and durability.

Color Choices

You don’t have to sacrifice style for durability. We offer more color options than anyone else in the industry, many of which are exclusive to Columbia. Choose from 13 seat and back colors, 26 frame and metal book box colors, 9 hard plastic top colors, a wide variety of soft plastic colors, numerous mdf and hpl tabletop colors and 14 table molding colors to create a custom look that’s all your own.

Book Boxes

Our exclusive “see-thru” perforated book box design is also available, offering security without compromising quality. It is the largest seamless book box on the market to date and offers a unique perforated design to ensure visibility of contents by both student and teacher. Its updated design features a solid bottom to allow for ease of maintenance.

All our book boxes are finished with our environmentally friendly, award-winning finishing processes.

Ergonomic Design

Student comfort and durable performance are the primary criteria behind the ergonomically designed polypropylene shell featured on our Classic Comfort series. Our Silhoflex line offers the ultimate in comfort and ergonomics, with seats that flex while encouraging good posture.

Felt, TPR, Armor II, Steel Glide

We offer a wide array of glide options beyond the standard Armor (nylon) glide, including steel, felt or Q-ball.