Elko's oldest provider of testing and inspection services. Local and veteran-owned for two generations.

The Early Years

Thurston Laboratories, LLC began as Thurston Testing Laboratory in 1982. Our founder, Dan Thurston, was working for a national construction testing agency when he was assigned to work the Elko area. After falling in love with Northeastern Nevada, he decided to stay and offer his own testing services. Thurston Testing Laboratory opened its doors at 1340 Idaho Street in 1982. Thurston Testing Laboratory was the only locally owned and operated provider of construction testing services in the area.

Business boomed, and in 1991 Thurston Testing Laboratory purchased an industrial foundry building and moved to 776 Silver St. The new permanent location offered the opportunity to build out custom laboratory facilities. This included dedicated space for the curing and testing of concrete and a fully furnished soils laboratory. Thurston Laboratories, LLC continues to operate out of this location.

Business Flourishes

In the following decades Thurston Testing Laboratory has gone on to provide testing and inspection services to numerous projects in Elko County and beyond. These projects include construction or modernizations on almost every school in the Elko County School District, numerous streets and sidewalks in the city of Elko, the former Red Lion (now Maverick Hotel and Casino), the Sunrise Shopping Center, the Elko WalMart Super Center, the Elko Home Depot, PetCo, many industrial buildings along East Idaho St., and many others. You can find some of our most interesting construction projects here.

The Modern Era

In late 2023 the second generation took the reins of Thurston Testing Laboratory. The business was reorganized as Thurston Laboratories, LLC to reflect the growing scope of services offered. A company-wide training effort ensured that all Thurston Laboratories staff were fully certified in their respective duties as field technicians, lab technicians, and special inspectors. A research program was established to advance the understanding, capabilities, and use of exotic materials in construction and other industries. Thurston Laboratories continues to deliver professional and reliable testing services to the Northeastern Nevada community.

In early 2024 Thurston Laboratories founded an environmental laboratory. The initiative began as an effort to provide water testing to ensure the quality and safety of drinking water throughout Northeastern Nevada. This venture quickly grew in response to consumer demand to include a variety of other chemical analyses, including specialized chemical purity monitoring and soil chemistry analysis. Thurston Laboratories Environmental continues to grow these services and strives to deliver reliable testing at an affordable price.

Leadership