Whether you are a salon, gym facility or restaurant, your commercial upholstery needs to be tough and capable of withstanding repeated use. Furniture design and style can set the tone for your workplace and is the first thing people will see and use when walking into your office, seating area or gym. Making a good first impression to your customers is essential. We know the last thing potential customers want to see is torn and worn furniture or gym equipment.
Choosing Fabric for Commercial Use
Choosing the right fabric for your furniture can be a daunting process because there are hundreds of materials to choose from. This is why we have a fantastic and experienced team of upholsterers to help you. Your fabric needs to be a perfect match to represent your brand aesthetic while also adding a visual flair.
Leather is durable and easy to maintain. Using a leather fabric can stamp a unique and up-to-date style on your interior and its character will only get better with age. It is also a natural and hardwearing material.
Patterned fabric is versatile and there is a huge range of designs to choose from. This is a great choice because you are bound to find something which fits your brand. Patterned fabric is great at disguising stains and would be perfect for a restaurant or salon setting.
Choosing the Right Commercial Furniture
Durability and hardwearing are essential when choosing furniture for commercial use. It is paramount to have high-quality upholstery which doesn’t only look good, but stands up to prolonged wear and tear.
For commercial furniture, it is crucial it meets the Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations 1988. Most commercial furniture is designed and upholstered using specific fabrics and padding including combustion modified high resilient padding. Your furniture also needs to stand up to the Martindale Rub Test.
Factors to Consider with Commercial Upholstery
Martindale Rub Test
This strict abrasion test makes sure your furniture can stand up to everyday wear and tear. If you are looking for good commercial upholstery furniture, look for fabric with a Martindale number of 40,000 or above. This shows that it is suitable for commercial use. During the Martindale Rub Test, it measures the durability of fabric according to the number of times discs can oscillate sandpaper or wool across the fabric before it starts to show distress.
This test is internationally recognised. It measures the durability of upholster fabric for general domestic or commercial use.
Fabric Composition
If you are using fabrics such as wool, cotton, silk and linen, check they can stand up to a busy commercial environment. You need to check whether they are liable to fade and how easy they are to keep clean. This is essential for settings where you are more likely to get stains on your furniture, like a restaurant or salon.
Fire Safety Regulations
British Standard BS5852 applies to all commercial environments that are classed as ‘medium hazard’. You need to check any contract furniture materials are high quality and Crib 5 fire retardant.
Our upholstery team are expertly trained in commercial upholstery. If you would like to get in touch with the team, fill in the form on our contact us page or get in touch by emailing info@upholsteryguru.com
