Custom Counters and Podiums
Made to Be Seen
-
Sets Up in Minutes
Folds into a carry bag, no tools needed
-
Locking Storage Inside
Keep stock and bags off the floor
-
Rush Service Available
Quick Production!
-
Free Shipping & Assistance
Expert Design help and Shipping on us
A counter is the one piece of a booth your team actually touches all day. It holds the demo, hides the boxes, gives staff somewhere to stand, and puts your logo at waist height where people are already looking.
Firebird Prints builds and prints custom trade show counters and branded podiums in Vancouver for exhibitors across British Columbia and Canada. Portable frames, printed wraps, locking storage, and countertops chosen to suit how the unit will actually be used.
Counter Types We Build
Pop up fabric counters. A collapsible frame with a stretch fabric wrap that stays attached when you fold it down. The fastest option on the floor, usually up in under a minute, and the lightest to carry.
Tension fabric counters. An aluminium tube frame with a printed sleeve pulled over it. Smooth, seamless finish with no visible hardware, and the graphic washes and packs flat.
SEG extrusion counters. Rigid extruded frames with silicone edge graphics that push into a channel for a flush, gallery style edge. The most solid looking of the portable options and the base for backlit units.
Case to counter units. A wheeled shipping case that carries your display to the show, then takes a printed wrap and a countertop and becomes the counter. One item to ship instead of two.
Backlit counters. LED lit from inside so the graphic glows rather than reflects. Worth it in halls with dim or uneven overhead lighting. See also our backlit displays if you want the whole booth lit.
Modular counters with locking doors. Panelled units with a laminate top, internal shelving, and a lockable cabinet. Heavier and less portable, but the closest thing to real furniture.
If the counter is going to be built into the structure of a larger stand rather than standing on its own, that belongs with a custom trade show booth instead.
Trade Show Counter Sizes and Dimensions
Most trade show counters stand about 40 inches high. That is deliberate. It is tall enough to lean on, high enough that a laptop or tablet sits at a comfortable angle, and it puts your logo in the sightline of someone walking past rather than below it.
- Height: roughly 37 to 40 inches, counter height rather than table height
- Width: commonly 3ft, 4ft, and 6ft, with wider curved units around 7ft
- Depth: usually 15 to 21 inches depending on the frame type
- Packed weight: portable fabric counters typically land between 25 and 35 lb
- Shapes: straight, curved, oval, S shape, and L shape corner units
In a 10×10 space, a 3ft or 4ft counter leaves room for people to stand beside it. A 6ft counter across the front of a 10×10 tends to block your own booth. Tell us the footprint and we will say which one fits.
Countertops, Storage, and Hardware
Countertops. Laminate in black, white, silver, or woodgrain for a solid furniture look. Acrylic for something lighter and more modern. Printed tops are possible where the surface itself needs branding.
Inside the counter. Most units take an internal shelf, which is where the stock, the water bottles, and the bags end up. Lockable doors are worth specifying if you leave the booth unattended overnight or at lunch.
Transport. Portable counters fold into a padded carry bag. Heavier modular units ship in a hard case. Both are sized to be handled by one person.
Extras. Monitor mounts, literature holders, tablet stands, cable pass throughs, and levelling feet for uneven hall flooring.
Counter Wrap Graphics and Printing
Wraps are dye sublimated onto stretch polyester, typically around 240gsm, so the colour is bonded into the fabric rather than sitting on the surface. It does not crack along fold lines and it can be machine washed when it picks up marks on the floor.
Because the graphic is separate from the frame, you can reprint the wrap for a new campaign and keep the hardware. For anyone doing three or four shows a year, that is the cheapest way to look new every time.
A few things worth knowing before you send artwork. The front panel is the only surface most visitors read, so put the message there. Anything within a couple of inches of the top edge disappears under the countertop lip. And logos near the corners of a curved counter will bend, so keep them centred.
Send vector where you can. We check placement and resolution and send a proof before anything is printed.
Counter or Podium?
The words get used interchangeably, but in practice a counter is wider and built for two people to work behind it, with room for a demo unit, literature, and a lead capture tablet.
A podium is narrower, usually around 20 inches wide, and made for one person greeting, scanning badges, or presenting.
Booths that only need somewhere to stand and greet people use a podium. Booths doing demos or handing out product need the counter.
Where Trade Show Counters Get Used
- Trade shows, expos, and exhibition booths
- Conference registration and check in desks
- Product launches and demo stations
- Retail activations and mall pop-ups
- Sampling tables for food and beverage brands
- Campus recruiting and open house events
- Lobby and reception points at corporate events
Local Production in Vancouver
We build and print at our shop on Victoria Drive in East Vancouver, so you can see the wrap before it goes out and collect it yourself if the show is in town.
That matters more than it sounds for exhibitors at the Vancouver Convention Centre, BC Place, or the PNE. A counter that arrives in your own vehicle usually avoids the material handling charges that apply to freight coming through the loading dock, which on its own can cover a decent part of what the counter cost.
We supply across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, and ship nationally for shows outside BC.
Building the Rest of the Booth
Counters are rarely ordered alone. We print the table throws, backdrops, pop up display kits, and tension fabric displays at the same time so the colours match across every surface instead of drifting between suppliers.
Browse everything under trade show displays, or see what a full setup costs in our trade show booth cost breakdown.
Trade Show Counter FAQ
How tall is a standard trade show counter?
Around 40 inches, which is counter height rather than table height. It lets staff stand comfortably, keeps a laptop at a usable angle, and puts branding at eye level for people walking the aisle.
What is the difference between a counter and a podium?
A counter is wider, generally 3ft to 6ft, and built for demos, literature, and two people working behind it. A podium is narrower, closer to 20 inches, and suits greeting, badge scanning, or presenting.
Do trade show counters have storage inside?
Most do. An internal shelf is standard on portable units, and modular counters can be specified with lockable doors if the booth is left unattended.
Can I change the graphics later and keep the counter?
Yes, and it is the main reason to buy rather than rent. The printed wrap is separate from the frame, so a new campaign only costs a reprint.
How portable are they really?
Portable fabric counters pack into a carry bag at roughly 25 to 35 lb and go up in a few minutes without tools. Modular counters with laminate panels are heavier and ship in a case.
What size counter fits a 10x10 booth?
A 3ft or 4ft counter usually works best. A 6ft unit across the front of a 10×10 space tends to wall off your own booth and discourage people from stepping in.
Can the graphics be washed?
Yes. Dye sublimated stretch fabric can be machine washed cold and hung to dry. Show floors are dusty, and a wrap that cleans up is worth having by the third event.
Fill out this quick form. We will get back shortly!
Rush Production Available
Premium Products only*
Deliveries are on us
Get Professional Designer help
info@firebirdprints.com
+1 778 368 0288
Order a Custom Counter
Send your booth size, event date, and whether you need storage, lighting, or a specific width. We will recommend a frame, confirm the fit, and check your artwork before printing.
