How can you tell if you are getting a good deal on used cubicle partitions? Knowing what a high quality panel looks like is one way to evaluate its worth. Here are several features to check:

Basics

Generally, higher quality cubicle panels are thick. A 2.5- 3” cube wall is very stable and sturdy. The panels should feature small leveling devices at the base. These allow adjustment to keep the partitions level even if your floor isn’t completely flat.

Panels that can be connected at more angles than just 90 and 180 degrees offer greater flexibility and can be used to save space. If your cubicles need to be wired, it’s worth it to pay more for panels with one or more raceways to hold cabling and multiple points of access to data ports.

If noise reduction is important, you’ll need to ask your office furniture dealer about the acoustic ratings for each set of panels you are considering buying. That’s because you can’t really tell just by looking how well a panel absorbs or transfers sound.

Fabric

The quality of fabric used on cubicles varies a lot from one manufacturer to the next and from one model to the next. Sometimes, customers will choose their own fabric and have the manufacturer apply it to the panels during assembly.

A highly textured fabric, one with a design that appears raised from the surface, or one that is woven from fibers of multiple colors is usually more expensive. These textiles are often resistant to wear and may also be stain resistant. Cheaper fabrics are usually slightly fuzzy to the touch and come only in basic blue, grey or beige. With high quality cubicle partitions, you will usually be able to feel a thin layer of padding under the fabric.

Stackable Tiles

Some of the better cubicle brands have panels that can be outfitted with different facades. These consist of tiles that slide onto the surface or are attached to the top of the panel to change its look and function. Used cubicles that contain glass tiles are very popular right now. They add value to the work environment by allowing more light to penetrate into individual workspaces.

Laminate tiles are another common option in high-end cubicles. These may be brightly colored to complement the surrounding fabric tiles. Or, they may look like wood grain to match the top of a worksurface.

Some specialty tiles include corkboard and whiteboard. These can be useful if they are in good condition but may suffer wear and tear faster than other materials. If you can remove and install new tiles without taking the used cubicle partitions completely apart, you can change the look of these panels easily.