How to choose a childcare furniture supplier: 10 questions to ask

The 10 Questions

1. Who makes your furniture?

Many furniture brands design nothing and make nothing: they buy from a factory and add a label. That isn't wrong, but it adds a margin and puts another business between you and the people who can answer a technical question or change a design. A supplier who makes its own furniture can tell you exactly what it is made from, and can make custom sizes and finishes.

2. What standard is it tested to, and by whom?

The National Regulations require furniture to be safe, clean and in good repair (regulation 103), but they don't name a standard. So ask. For educational chairs and tables, BS EN 1729 covers sizes, strength, stability and durability. A good answer names the standard, the testing body and the products tested.

3. What are the actual seat and table heights?

"Toddler" and "preschool" mean different things to different suppliers. Ask for the seat and table heights for each size, and match them to the ages in each room. Our table and chair heights by age guide has the reference sizes.

4. What is it made from?

Solid hardwood, plywood, particleboard and plastic wear very differently, and only some can be repaired or refinished. Ask what every part is made from, including the tabletop and the edges. See wooden or plastic childcare furniture for how they compare.

5. What does the warranty cover, for how long, and who honours it?

Read what is covered and what isn't, and how to claim. Then ask the practical question: if a chair fails, how quickly can you fix it? A long warranty from a business overseas, or one that has to order parts from a factory, is worth less than it looks.

6. Do you hold stock in Australia?

If the furniture is made to order or shipped from overseas after you order, ask for the real lead time, and what happens if it slips. For a new centre, furniture that is already in an Australian warehouse takes the biggest risk out of your fit-out timeline.

7. Can you supply spare parts and do repairs?

Glides wear, hardware breaks and joints loosen over years of daily use. Ask whether parts are kept locally, whether the supplier repairs and refurbishes furniture, and what that costs outside warranty. See repair, refurbish or replace.

8. Can I see it before I buy?

Photos don't show how a chair feels, how heavy it is or how the finish looks under your lights. A showroom visit or a sample tells you more than a catalogue.

9. Will you help plan the rooms?

The best supplier for a fit-out works from your floor plan, the ages in each room and your program, and shows you the layout before you commit. Ask whether layouts and 3D drawings are included, and how quickly you'll get them.

10. What exactly does the quote include?

Compare like for like: the same products, sizes, materials and quantities, plus delivery, installation, packaging removal and GST. A low price that excludes delivery and assembly can end up dearer. If you're thinking of importing yourself, read what importing really involves first.

How Edu Fun Answers These Questions

Question	Our answer
Who makes it?	We do. Edu Fun Australia is the direct Australian office of ESCO, which has designed and made educational furniture in its own factories since 1989. Our factory supplies around two-thirds of Australia's early learning furniture brands.
Testing	Chairs and tables are made to BS EN 1729 and tested for strength, stability and durability by FIRA International. See our quality policy.
Sizes	Size marks C01 to C6, with seat and table heights in our size guide.
Materials	Solid European beech from responsibly managed forests, kiln-dried for stability.
Warranty	5 years against manufacturing faults from delivery, from Edu Fun Pty Ltd in Pakenham. See the warranty.
Stock	Held in our warehouse in Pakenham, Victoria, with delivery Australia-wide and to New Zealand.
Parts and repairs	Replacement parts at our Pakenham warehouse. Refurbishing a room or a whole centre with us gets the same 25% discount as our fit-outs.
See it first	Our Pakenham showroom, Monday to Thursday, 9am to 1pm, by appointment.
Room planning	Send your floor plan and within 24 hours you'll have an itemised quote, 2D room plans, 3D renders and a video walkthrough. See design and 3D.
Price	Send us a like-for-like quote that's cheaper and we'll beat it by 10%. See our price promise.

Ready to compare? Send us your floor plan and we'll quote in 24 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I look for in a childcare furniture supplier?

Furniture tested to a recognised standard, real sizes for each age group, durable materials, a warranty the supplier can honour quickly, stock and spare parts in Australia, help planning your rooms, and a clear quote that includes delivery and installation.

Should I buy childcare furniture from a local supplier or import it?

Importing can lower the factory price, but you take on freight, customs, GST, biosecurity, delivery, assembly and after-sales risk yourself. For most centres, a supplier with local stock, parts and a warranty they can honour quickly works out better over the life of the furniture.

How do I compare childcare furniture quotes?

Line them up product by product: the same sizes, materials and quantities. Then check what each quote includes: delivery, installation, packaging removal, GST and warranty. The cheapest headline price isn't always the cheapest quote.

How far ahead should I order furniture for a new centre?

Start talking to suppliers as soon as you have a floor plan, and confirm lead times in writing. Furniture held in stock in Australia gives you the most certainty for your opening date.