Not sure what podiums to choose for your event or venue? Learn how to make the right choice between acrylic vs traditional podiums.
Podiums are visually attractive aid stands that elevate a person standing near or on it. They serve a multitude of purposes apart from being an eyeball-grabbing stage property.
Podiums act as resting aids for speakers or orators to rest their arms when orating for a long time.
A podium with a countertop also called a lectern. It helps speakers to place and refer to reading materials during speeches.
Mikes, charging sockets, illuminations, and inner racks are some facilities available on podiums. One may choose and customize their podiums depending on the event or venue.
So, podiums are an inevitable part of any gathering or event. Here comes the confusion. How to choose between acrylic and traditional podiums?
Both acrylic and traditional podiums have their share of pros and cons. It can be confusing to decide what podium suits best for a given event or locational need.
We will analyze some factors that decide how you can choose a podium.
1. Acrylic Podiums (Advantages and Disadvantages)
Podiums made of acrylic material have a glass-like appearance but are unbreakable. Acrylic is transparent like glass with a radiant shine but is durable enough to withhold any weight placed on it.
Podiums are common in places like church sermon halls, exhibitions, and celebration events.
The customizable nature of acrylic makes it a versatile choice for any kind of location and occasion. Let us see more about acrylic podiums and weigh their pros and cons.
Let us See Some Advantages
- Visually Pleasing – the transparent nature of acrylic makes any light that falls on it radiate with a unique color tone. This visually attractive feature makes acrylic an apt choice for any indoor or outdoor event.
- Sleek and Modern Appearance – acrylic podiums are not huge and bulky like their traditional podium counterparts. One can have thin or wide podiums depending on their requirements.
- Lightweight and easy to transport – as much as these types of podiums can handle heavy weights, they are easy and light to carry from place to place.
- Durability and long-lasting – speakers can lean on podium lecterns at any time. And place their reference materials without fear of breakage.
- Customizable design options – you may carve or laminate acrylic podiums with logos, slogans, and other designs. Also, add lighting to showcase your brand.
But Acrylic Podium has Some Drawbacks
- Cost considerations – acrylic comes in several grades, from the basic plexiglass to high-grade lucite. Stunning finishes look more attractive in high grades of podiums that can be costly.
- Susceptibility to scratches and damages – acrylic is sensitive to scratches and its transparent nature makes scratches, visible. Also, damages like chipped parts can affect the look of a podium.
- Manufacturer/seller trust – not all manufacturers provide free servicing, polishing, and refurbishing in case of repair. Finding a trusted manufacturer selling acrylic podiums at reasonable prices is a challenge.
2. Traditional Podiums (Advantages and Disadvantages)
Podiums made of wood or metals like iron, steel, brass, etc., have been used for generations. You can observe in places like churches, auditoriums, religious gatherings, and so on.
Their durability and sturdiness can be spotted in many traditional podiums even today. Moreover, materials used to make traditional podiums can be customized and carry them to the future.
Let us look at the comparison of acrylic vs traditional podiums.
Traditional Podiums Have Some Advantages
- Classic and timeless appearance – traditional podiums have their own charm while lasting several years. Intricate wooden carvings on church podiums convey so many stories of the past. Designer frames in iron elevate the attractiveness of a podium.
- Sturdy and stable construction – materials like wood and metal are sturdy. They can withstand and live through harsh weather conditions and frequent usage.
- Available in different materials – traditional podiums made of plywood, MDF wood, iron, steel, and brass. These materials have high durability and are easily available.
- Cost-effectiveness – investing in a traditional podium for your venue. It can be a cost-effective one-time investment that will last for many years to come.
- Versatility in design – traditional podiums offer a range of design options, from classic to contemporary styles. Customization is available to match the specific decor and ambiance of any venue.
But, It has Limitations too
- Limited customization options – many prefer podiums with carved brand logos, text lamination, and 3D panel designs. But, these customizations are tough to carve or cut on wood and metals. Brand logos can only be visualized by sticking stickers on such traditional podiums.
- Heavier and bulkier than acrylic podiums – as much as wood and metals are sturdy and durable, they can be heavy to carry from one place to another. They incur significant transportation costs even the very first time when they are brought from the manufacturer to the actual venue.
- Maintenance – traditional podiums often need more maintenance due to their material, such as wood or metal, which can be prone to scratches, dents, and rust.
3. Common Pain Points with Traditional Podiums
Now, we have a clear comparison of the pros and cons of acrylic vs traditional podiums.
In today’s events and gatherings landscape, one looks for sleek and customized podiums for both ease of use and plenty of usage features.
Traditional podiums lack acrylic podium needs due to the following factors.
3.1. Bulky and Unwieldy Design
Podiums made with wood or metal are heavy. Right from the raw materials to the finished podium, transportation is a challenging process.
Also, traditional podiums come pre-assembled. It is difficult to carry and reuse them across various events in different locations.
Some podiums are also drilled to be fixed on stage in places like churches, school auditoriums, and college lecture halls.
So, acrylic raw materials and finished podiums are lighter in weight. But these podiums can handle the same load and durability.
Because of their lightweight feature, acrylic podiums can be easily carried to various locations or event venues. It can be dismantled and re-arranged at its destined location. This makes transportation more user-friendly.
3.2. Limited Customization Options
Today, every office or establishment is on the lookout for a classy podium for use in formal and informal events.
From religious ceremonies to trade shows, customized podiums elevate the stage setup of the event.
Traditional podiums have limited aesthetic flexibility. Such podiums do not fit in all kinds of event themes.
For instance, a designer metal podium in a dark color does not suit corporate conferences. Such podiums can be a distraction or even an eyesore when focusing on the speaker.
In contrast, it is possible to laminate any design on the panels of acrylic podiums.
Many corporate companies have their logos or brand names laminated on podiums, to act as an excellent branding tool.
Laser cutting and printing make it easy to visualize any design on acrylic podiums.
These customizations are difficult to do in metal. Also, it is impossible to print on wood-based traditional podiums.
3.3. Lack of Modern Aesthetics
Traditional podiums are opaque and do not reflect light. No matter whether you make use of matte or glossy laminates in plywood, they lack that visual appeal.
Moreover, traditional podiums made from metals tend to rust and need painting frequently.
Acrylic is transparent and reflects any light falling on it. The reflected light has a unique color that blends with the aesthetics of your venue.
Such modern aesthetics and elevating an event’s ambiance are not possible with traditional podiums.
Most traditional podiums have outdated designs and appearance. But, acrylic podiums appear sleek and classy and fit for both corporate and informal events.
A transparent acrylic podium can be used in both an official conference of a brand, As well as an informal award party within the same company.
4. Addressing Pain Points with Acrylic Podiums
Comparing acrylic vs traditional podiums reveals some potential drawbacks for traditional podiums
Acrylic podiums are the best solution to overcome the cons discussed earlier.
From trendy and versatile designs with many functional properties that are portable and lightweight. This will suit all kinds of venues and occasions.
Let us see more about the benefits of acrylic podiums over traditional options.
4.1. Sleek and Contemporary Design
Today, minimalism is the new rule of modern fashion. People want just what is needed for their requirements. Unlike bulky and aging designs, acrylic podiums offer sleek and contemporary choices.
The transparent nature of acrylic elevates the minimalistic look of a podium.
Acrylic allows the light falling on it to radiate with a unique sheen in all directions. This feature gives a glass-like rich look to the podium and also elevates the aesthetics of the stage where it is placed.
There are various designs of acrylic podiums available online. Depending on your audience size, hall size, acoustics, and branding requirements, choose a podium.
For long speeches and orations, ensure that your podiums are sturdy, with enough side panels and a broad base. You can choose the podium’s height depending on your speakers.
For instance, schools may need shorter podiums to encourage budding speakers at the elementary level.
4.2. Versatility and Customization
Acrylic podiums appear transparent and clear. But, you can customize your podiums to complement their environment by coloring them in any shade of your choice.
Transparent podiums are very versatile and merge with any background. It can be customized to meet specific requirements and design goals.
Furthermore, they may act as an excellent branding tool for a company.
You may laminate your company’s brand elements, like logo, name, slogan, etc., on the front panels of your acrylic podium.
For instance, if you need a podium for your church, you can laminate or carve verses from the bible on your podium along with the emblem.
Schools can laminate their motto and emblem on the front panel of transparent podiums for hall visibility. Such customizations make acrylic podiums a better choice for purposeful usage.
4.3. Portability and Ease of Use
At first glance, one may mistake acrylic for glass because of its radiant sheen in all kinds of light.
Unlike glass, it can withstand heavy weight and remain unbreakable. So, one need not worry about breakage when transporting podiums from one place to another.
Some models of acrylic podiums can be assembled and dismantled when shifting. This feature makes portability much easier.
They are highly user-friendly with features like:
- Illuminated Panels,
- Countertops,
- Inner shelves for reference materials,
- Charging stations, etc.
Furthermore, maintaining acrylic is not hard. While acrylic is prone to scratches, immediate and proper aftercare will make your podium appear shiny and new.
So, buy acrylic podiums from a trusted manufacturer who can handhold and guide you in the usage and maintenance aspects.
5. Factors to Consider: Acrylic vs Traditional Podiums
Acrylic podiums are very versatile for all occasions and locations. However, some prefer natural materials like wood or metal without analyzing their needs.
Here, we share a few tips for selecting the best acrylic podiums for corporate events.
5.1. Budget Constraints
The pricing of acrylic podiums starts from as low as Rs. 10,000 for simple stands and countertops. The same podium model can range from Rs. 15,000 in wood or metal.
Furthermore, every customization you add can incur more costs. These extra costs are lower when done in acrylic than in traditional podiums made of wood or metal.
A trusted podium manufacturer keeps the pricing transparent. Prices vary depending on the thickness of acrylic sheets used.
Your manufacturer must be clear about the pricing split up and extra costs that you may have to bear.
For those on a tight budget but need a stellar on-stage podium, the acrylic podium is your best bet in acrylic vs traditional podiums.
Model: CCP055
Sleek podium suitable for churches.
₹ 20,350 INR
Model: CCP056
Sleek podium suitable for churches.
₹ 22,000 INR
Model: CCP060
Sleek podium suitable for churches.
₹ 19,800 INR
5.2. Event Theme and Aesthetics
If the theme and decor of a venue or room are going to be the same forever, you can choose a traditional podium that will be fixed in that place for speeches.
Select wood materials with a solid-colored laminate that matches your room’s style and lighting.
So, if a venue’s decor is susceptible to changes depending on the event, acrylic podiums will be the best choice.
It suits any lighting and event theme (be it indoor or outdoor) and gives a pleasing view on stage.
5.3. Portability and Transportation Logistics
Once again, if you want a podium to be fixed in a place forever, you may go for traditional podiums.
Even some traditional churches use wooden carved podiums on their altars for the clergy.
Acrylic podiums are preferred by event management companies for their portability.
It makes them ideal for moving between rooms, parties, and within offices for different occasions.
So, it gives an edge over traditional podiums in terms of portability.
5.4. Durability and Maintenance Requirements
Both acrylic and traditional podiums need proper routine aftercare and maintenance. Polishing and cleaning are mandatory for both acrylic and traditional podiums.
But, wooden podiums are susceptible to termite attacks. Also, they expand and contract depending on the season, which can affect the look of your podium. Metal podiums are prone to rusting over a period.
In contrast, acrylic podiums are not affected by any pests or rust. They always have a clean and glossy look with regular maintenance.
Scratches, though visible on acrylic, can be hidden by buffing up with a stepwise procedure as described by your manufacturer.
5.5. Audience Perception and Branding Considerations
Both acrylic and traditional podiums serve their basic purpose of aiding the speaker.
Podiums let speakers rest their hands and reference material. Shelves, charging sockets, etc., can be installed in either type of podium.
Yet, if you want your podium to act as a stunning branding tool, then acrylic podiums are for you. Brand logos, names, and slogans are better carved or laminated on acrylic panels than wood or metal.
Acrylic’s transparency and radiance showcase your branding elements best at the event venue. It always wins in providing an aesthetic and eye-grabbing experience for the audience.
Acrylic vs Traditional Podiums: A Comprehensive Guide
Now, you must have a clear idea of acrylic vs traditional podiums. Traditional podiums are still relevant today but cannot offer the versatility of acrylic podiums.
Acrylic podiums match the durability, strength, and longevity of wood and metal podiums.
But, one needs to test a set of parameters before deciding on the podium material for their events or venues.
Consider budget, location theme, aesthetics, portability, maintenance, and branding when choosing a podium
When choosing a podium design, you must look at the size of your venue, the acoustics of the surroundings, lighting factors, and audience size.
Above all, choose a trusted podium manufacturer who can guide you on the material. And the most user-friendly design that will fit your requirements.
