AIC's 47th Annual Meeting

In search of a versatile wash table design, appropriate for a small private textile conservation studio, a number of goals were set: it should be low in cost, it should be built from easily available materials, it should be large enough and deep enough for wet cleaning of the textiles most commonly treated, but be adaptable to smaller-volume needs, it should be at an appropriate height for both standing and seated work, and it should not require permanent dedicated space in the studio. The designed bath incorporated inexpensive workbench bases, pre-fabricated raised garden bed corners, sealed sections of scrap lumber, reinforced hydroponic waterproof lining material, snap fittings, plastic plumbing parts, and linchpins. While the size of the bath could be customized to fit the needs of the user, the finished bath constructed for the studio is 6’2" x 4’3" x 8” deep, the longer dimension can be adjusted to smaller measures with the addition of a moving support wall under the flexible liner. The disassembled bath portion can be stored in very little space, freeing the base for use as a work surface.