How contract furniture differs from retail
A dining chair in a home is sat on a few times a day. The same chair in a restaurant is sat on, dragged, tipped back on two legs and wiped with cleaning chemicals many times a day, by people of every weight. Hotel and restaurant (contract) orders also differ in the way they are bought:
- Specification by project. An interior designer or purchasing agent issues an FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) schedule. Each item has a code, a drawing, a finish and a fabric reference, and a quantity per floor or outlet.
- Mock-up first. A prototype or mock-up room is approved before production. That mock-up, not a catalogue photo, is the master sample.
- Large identical runs. Two hundred identical chairs must look identical when set out in one room, even when they were finished on different days or in two factories.
- Fixed opening date. Late or short deliveries delay the opening. A Hold verdict needs a fast rework plan.
General checks for chairs and tables are on the dining chairs and dining tables pages. This page covers what the contract use adds.
What we check on hotel and restaurant furniture
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Construction against the shop drawing | Rail and leg sections measured; joints, corner blocks and screw sizes checked on opened or unfinished pieces at a during-production visit | Thinner rails, missing corner blocks, dowels where mortise and tenon was drawn |
| Match to the mock-up | Sampled pieces set beside the approved mock-up in the same light | Colour, sheen, fabric or profile differs from the mock-up |
| Match across the run | Pieces from different finishing batches or factories lined up together | Visible shade or sheen steps between batches |
| Finish durability | Finish hardness checked with a fingernail and coin on a hidden area; cure checked by smell and tack; lab panels from the same batch where specified | Soft or under-cured finish, solvent smell, marks from light pressure |
| Glides and floor protection | Every foot checked for the specified glide, felt or cap, fixed and level | Missing or loose glides, bare metal or wood feet, rocking |
| Stacking and ganging | Stacking chairs stacked to the stated height; ganging clips fitted | Stack leans or marks the finish, clips do not engage |
| Upholstery and labels | Fabric reference and contract fire label checked on every sampled piece; cushions opened where agreed | Domestic label only, wrong fabric, missing label |
| FF&E codes and marks | Item code, room or outlet, and quantity on each label and carton checked against the schedule | Wrong code, mixed items in one carton, counts short by code |
Common hotel and restaurant furniture defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Class | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Loose or cracked leg joint on a chair or stool | Critical | Collapse under a guest |
| Bar stool or chair tips back or sideways easily | Critical | Fall from height |
| Missing or wrong contract fire label | Major (critical where the project spec says so) | The piece cannot be accepted on site |
| Construction lighter than the shop drawing | Major | Will not survive contract use |
| Shade difference between batches in one room | Major | Visible when set out together |
| Wrong FF&E code on carton | Major | Pieces go to the wrong floor or outlet |
| Missing glide | Minor (major if the piece rocks) | Damages floors and loosens joints |
Contract standards and fire rules
Domestic standards are not enough for contract use. The standards below are voluntary unless a project specification, building regulation or fire authority calls them up; the project specification decides which apply.
- UK, BS 7176. Sets ignition resistance for upholstered seating in non-domestic use, tested to BS 5852 or BS EN 1021-1 and -2, by hazard category. Hotel bedrooms, restaurants, pubs and bars are examples of medium hazard premises. At every level, fillings must also meet the 1988 UK fire regulations.
- EU, EN 16139 and EN 15372. EN 16139:2025 sets safety, strength and durability requirements for non-domestic seating for adults; it excludes outdoor seating, office work chairs and educational seating. EN 15372:2023 does the same for non-domestic tables; it excludes office desks, educational and outdoor tables. Terrace furniture is covered by the EN 581 series, which includes contract use. See EN furniture testing.
- US, BIFMA. ANSI/BIFMA X5.4-2020, Public and Lounge Seating, was expanded in 2020 to include restaurant, dining and cafeteria seating and stools. Office chairs fall under BIFMA X5.1.
- US upholstery. 16 CFR 1640 defines upholstered furniture as indoor seating with an upholstered seat, back or arm; see TB 117-2013. Confirm with your compliance adviser how it applies to contract-only pieces, and what the local fire code adds.
- Materials. Plywood and MDF casegoods fall under TSCA Title VI; wood under the Lacey Act and EUDR.
All of these are lab tests. An inspection checks that production matches the tested construction and materials.
Packing, delivery and loading
- Carton marks by FF&E code. Each carton shows the item code, description, quantity and destination (floor, room type or outlet) in the format the installer asked for.
- Phased deliveries. Projects often ship floor by floor. Each container must carry complete rooms, not half a room of chairs.
- Stacking chairs. Chairs packed in stacks need separators so the finish is not marked at contact points.
- Attic stock. Spare fabric, glides and touch-up kits are often ordered as separate line items and forgotten at loading.
Container loading supervision checks counts by FF&E code against the shipment plan.
What to put in your purchase order
- The FF&E schedule with item codes, quantities and destinations, and the approved shop drawings.
- The approved mock-up as the master sample, with a sealed finish panel and fabric cutting for the inspector.
- Each standard required, with the lab report that covers the production design.
- Fire label wording for the market and hazard category.
- Finish system and durability tests on panels from each finishing batch.
- Glide type, stacking height and carton marking format.
A factory audit before award shows whether one unit can handle the volume. Related: benches and stools and metal chairs.
Sources
- SATRA: Upholstered contract furniture flammability (BS 7176 hazard levels)
- SIS: SS-EN 16139:2025, non-domestic seating (abstract)
- Genorma: EN 15372:2023, non-domestic tables (scope)
- Contract Furniture News: BIFMA revises standard for seating in public spaces (X5.4-2020)
- 16 CFR 1640.3, definitions (Cornell LII)