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Slab Dream Lab: Reinventing LEGO Baseplates for the Boldest of Builders

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Every LEGO master builder knows the frustration: standard baseplates can be flimsy, limiting or just too small for your grand ideas. That's where Slab Dream Lab comes in. Founded by Lyle Thompson in Athens, Georgia, this innovative brick-based company has transformed a simple basement project into a nationally recognised business, offering high-quality, durable LEGO baseplates that bring bigger and bolder creations to life.


Slab Dream Lab first began in 2012 when Lyle's nine-year-old son wanted a 2x4 tabletop for his stop-motion LEGO animations. After ages of searching, Lyle could not find a table to fit his son's brick-building needs, whilst also discovering the flaws in the current LEGO baseplate system, particularly for taking brick-built cities and fantasy worlds to the next level.


With this setback, Lyle took a few trips to Lowe's, got his wallet out and created a makeshift LEGO table. At the time, it may have been nothing special, but this innovation and creativity sparked the idea for the fully fledged business we know and love, Slab Dream Lab.



What started as a basement project quickly and very successfully evolved. Lyle faced challenges scaling production, adapting home-grown equipment, and ensuring each baseplate met the high standards LEGO builders expect. Today, Slab Dream Lab is a go-to brand for avid LEGO builders old and young, schools and educational institutions, and even major organisations like Coca-Cola and IBM.


How Slab Dream Lab Baseplates Work

Slab Dream Lab has reimagined the humble LEGO baseplate, which was first introduced in Europe back in 1964. With a particular emphasis on building anything you can imagine, here's what makes Slab Dream Lab's baseplates stand out:

  • Durable and Stable: Thicker and more rigid than standard baseplates, Slab Dream Lab's plates support the largest and most imaginative of LEGO builds.

  • Modular Design: The patented Dream Title tongue-and-groove edges allow multiple plates to interlock seamlessly.

  • Variety of Sizes and Designs: From smaller SLAB Lite panels to massive wall-length baseplates for large projects, there's a Slab Dream Lab Baseplate for every build and idea. And you can even purchase baseplates with vibrant colours and custom graphics to add further creativity to your epic builds.

  • Education-Friendly: Education is a critical part of Slab Dream Lab's business strategy, resulting in their precisely crafted basplates being perfect for classrooms and STEM programs, helping students develop motor skills, cognitive flexibility and creativity.

Whether you're building in your living room, a classroom, or creating large-scale displays, Slab Dream Lab plates provide the flexibility to bring your vision to life.



Technology & Innovation Meet Bricks

Along with offering baseplates of all shapes and sizes, Slab Dream Lab is also embracing the latest technology within the brick-building sector. The business's Designer app allows users to upload images to create custom baseplates of various designs and sizes. The app has become a crucial component of the Slab Dream Lab for CEO and founder Lyle Thompson, as it acts as the perfect complement to the hands-on LEGO experience.


Collaborations & International Reach

From humble beginnings as a basement project, Slab Dream Lab has grown phenomenally over the last decade. Some of the organisation's most recent highlights include:

  • Walmart: Slab Dream Labs products are now available in over 3,000 stores, providing builders worldwide with access to their customisable and highly durable baseplates.

  • Corporate projects: Exciting partnerships with Coca-Cola and IBM have brought Slab Dream Lab's designs into custom, large-scale installations, further demonstrating the wide demand for businesses' custom baseplates.

  • Art and museum collaborations: Slab Dream Lab's baseplates have featured in exhibitions and hotel designs, showing the versatility and customisability of the products.

These milestones have not only boosted the company's visibility but also challenged Lyle and his ambitions to team to continue to innovate and scale operations rapidly to meet an ever-expanding brick-building community.



Supporting Education Through Play

Education is a core focus for Slab Dream Lab. Their baseplates are being used in classrooms across the US, supporting hands-on STEM projects and enhancing cognitive development in the youngest of learners and LEGO builders. The versatile, durable plates are bringing less to life in ways that spark curiosity and creativity, ensuring the next generation continues to grow and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them through LEGO.


Slab Dream Lab isn't just about baseplates, it's also about giving builders of all ages to dream bigger than ever before by utilising easy-to-assemble and highly durable plates. The brand supports imagination, experimentation and creative growth and continues to be an inspiration to LEGO fans and business entrepreneurs in America and across the world. Lyle and his team have done a fantastic job of creating Slab Dream Lab, but this is just the beginning of their journey...


Browse the baseplate range: https://slabdreamlab.com/shop/

More information about Slab Dream Lab: https://slabdreamlab.com/about-us/


So that's everything you need to know about Slab Dream Lab, the latest innovative brick-based company, but what do you think? Have you tried Slab Dream Lab’s baseplates yet? Are you excited to experiment with larger builds or bring STEM projects to your classroom? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

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