A guide to Plinths, Pedestals and Podiums?
Many customers don’t understand the terms plinth, pedestal or podium, and we’re often asked to explain what we mean. It’s understandable as they’re quite similar really but used in slightly different ways.
The Plinth
Technically speaking, a plinth is a heavy base supporting a statue or vase. Consider for a moment those statues you’ve seen in museums and grand homes featuring perhaps a king or queen set in marble.
In the world of Display, a plinth is a simple stand onto which a product might be placed as a means to display it, draw attention to it or place it at waist height. Display plinths tend not to be heavy, unless they need to carry a heavy object or because they’re made from timber for aesthetic reasons. Our basic plinths weigh just a few kilos each, but will support over 70kg in weight themselves.
As these plinths get bigger and higher, then they also serve as a desk or small demonstration table. As part of an exhibition kit, these plinths are often placed at the front of the stand as a meet-and-greet station.
At Displays 2 Go we have a whole range of these plinths, made from various materials and in various sizes and configurations.
If we look at what materials we use, you have the option of covering your plinth with a branded wrap, usually made from graphic vinyl and attached to the plinth using hook and eye velcro. This is a cost-effective solution but the vinyl panel needs to be stored carefully and can suffer from wear and tear quite quickly. These basic plinths are made from 5mm extruded polypropylene, whilst the tops are made from 12mm melamine mounted to MDF.
The next option to consider is a fabric-based plinth. These feature a 360 degree fabric wrap placed over a lightweight frame with a solid top. They’re washable, super lightweight and last for years. They fit into a small case so they’re easy to transport as the plinths fold flat and require no tools to assemble. Often we sell these as part of a total fabric based exhibition solution, including a branded SuperWall at the back and then these plinths with a consistent complimentary design.
If the plinth is not going to feature high impact graphics, then we also stock a range of timber, glass, mirror finish and acrylic plinths, plus options to light an acrylic plinth to really stand out from the crowd!
The Pedastel
The pedestal tends to be a number of plinths working together, either joined or placed next to one another. For instance, Displays 2 Go offers four plinths at differing heights which together make up our Staircase Display Pedastel, or a number of hexagonal plinths which fit together to form the Hexagon Pedastel. The pedestal is perfect as a walk around display, in a window or against a wall.
The Podium
Sometimes the pedestal is not very high and is designed to be a branded box to stand on. We call these podiums, and we can create these for events and media moments too. We can make them any size and with specific branding that you require.
At Displays 2 Go we can custom build any design you require, so give us a call and let our expert team guide you into what would best suit your campaign.