You might not think of an office as being at the forefront of thinking and new ideas, but you’d be surprised the amount of thought and theory that goes into where you work. This modern thinking and looking to get the most out of an office has seen the landscape shift from that of a dull, dreary cubicle-based office to a modern one with demountable walls as a key feature. However, it’s not just as simple as putting up a demountable partition walls – there are several factors to consider, with arguably the most important one being the height of the demountable wall itself.
The Varying Height of Demountable Walls
A great product with a wide range of benefits, demountable walls are available in a range of sizes and heights. The choices include:
- Low walls
- Medium walls
- High demountable walls
- Floor to ceiling options
- Others
All great products in their own right, each one comes with a series of benefits which may mean that one particular type is more suitable for your office space than another, and some just might not be what you need at all. Here’s a look at different kinds of demountable walls and their pros and cons.
Demountable Walls
Low Walls
A far cry from the days of spending 9-5 in cubicles, rather than restricting daily interaction with colleagues, low walls actually work the other way and encourage them. If you’re working in a creative industry or one where teamwork is a large part of the job then low walls are the type for your office. They allow for effective communication between the people sitting behind them, encouraging the sharing of information and the free flow of ideas, which can be great for teamwork and team morale. They allow for eye contact to be maintained without standing up.
However, in some circumstances low walls might not be the best fit for your business. Whilst sharing information is good, constant chatting between those sitting behind the low walls may prove to be distracting for other people who wish to get on with their work. Not only that, but they provide little in the way of acoustic privacy; external sounds aren’t kept from coming through to you which can again cause further distractions. Finally, given their low height they may prove a problem if you’re in an industry which requires privacy or handles sensitive information, as it will be easy to see.
Medium Walls
Medium walls combat some of the problems that would arise if low walls were used. Their taller nature means that employees are given further privacy, but it would still be possible to see information on a screen if you’re standing up around the wall. Their added height also means that they’ll be more effective when it comes to preventing external sounds and the din of the office from distracting your team, but not exactly by a great amount. Whilst they can offer some degree of cooperation for your staff, they’re second for teamwork when compared with low walls, and would see people having to awkwardly stand up to high five or congratulate others for a job well done.
One real benefit of medium walls is they have space on which shelving can be installed; helping to keep the desks more organized and providing a more homely feel to the workplace.
High walls
High demountable walls are perfect when it comes to those who require a great deal of privacy, as the height of them means that look at someone else’s screen is only possible by walking into their working area. Not only that, but the high walls provide a much quieter place to work. This is good for several reasons. If the office is one where talking on the phone is a large part of the job, it will provide enough quiet for the conversation to be had. Furthermore, it ensures that workers can simply get on with their jobs and not have to worry about distractions keeping them from their work. They also provide ample opportunity to install shelving or overhead bins to them.
However, this formal way of working isn’t for everyone. It can leave some feeling isolated or out of the loop, and isn’t the best for morale.
Floor to Ceiling Demountable Walls
The most modern wall type, this wall type is a clear winner when it comes to the office. Whilst they are the most expensive type of wall, they’re high quality and extremely versatile, which more than justifies their price.
Their versatility is their main strength. If there is a team project to work on, they can be changed to a more open plan style. This takes all the benefits of a low wall – creativity, teamwork and increased moral – whilst also offering a high degree of privacy and noise protection like high walls do. Once the project is over, they can be repositioned to whatever office layout is appropriate.
They’re also great if you plan on growing your business – drywall will be costly, but a demountable wall isn’t permanent and so you’ll have a product that you can keep and use as and when your business grows.
So Which Wall Type is for You?
As you’ve already read, when it comes to choosing the height for your demountable wall, it really comes down to what you’re looking to get out of them and what industry you’re in. If you’re dealing with a large volume of sensitive information or if calls are a large part of your business, it’s advisable to pick higher walls over lower ones due to their privacy and noise reduction qualities. Yet if you’re in a creative industry or a team-based one, then picking a lower wall will work better for you than picking a high one.
Still can’t decide? Then you’re best off going for the floor to ceiling option. Not only do they offer great privacy and noise limitation, they can be open plan and foster teamwork at the same time – truly the best of both worlds.