Carton drop test furniture
A practical guide to carton drop test furniture: what to check on site, what a photograph cannot establish, and what to write in your purchase specification.
Load figures in furniture contracts are frequently written in one unit and tested in another. The mismatch is where arguments start.
The common figures
| Standard | Test | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| BIFMA X5.1 | Seat static load, functional | 1,020 N (225 lbs) |
| BIFMA X5.1 | Seat impact | 225 lbs dropped 150 mm, once |
| BIFMA X5.1 | Stability, rearward | 45 lbs without tipping |
| BIFMA X5.1 | Stability, forward | 21 lbs without tipping |
| EN 12520 | Seat static load | 1,300 N, 10 × 10 s |
| EN 12521 | Table top, centre | 1,000 N |
| EN 12521 | Table top, edge | 350 N |
| GB/T 10357 | Commercial desk top | 1,500 N for 10 min, deflection ≤5 mm |
how our verification works covers where seating tests sit; how our verification works covers desk load testing.
The unit problem
1,500 N is about 153 kg. A portable weight set on a factory floor typically reaches 100 to 150 kg. This is not a reason to skip the test — it is a reason to state what was actually done.
A report that says "load tested to 150 kg for 10 minutes, deflection 2 mm" and then records that the contract figure was 1,500 N which was not reached, is honest and usable. A report that says "load test PASS" without a figure is not.
Stability is two tests
Rearward stability is the more demanding direction on most seating, and it is the more common failure. A chair that will not tip forward may still lift a rear leg under a person leaning back.
If your specification names a standard, state both directions.
What to write in your specification
"Seat load tested to [figure] for [duration]. Stability tested forward and rearward to [figures]. Report to state the figure actually applied."
Common questions
Can I verify goods without sending anyone to the factory?
Partially. A remote photo review can identify gross problems but cannot establish count, dimensions, materials or physical performance. Those require someone on site.
Do laboratory reports replace on-site inspection?
No. They answer different questions. A laboratory report tells you whether a product meets a standard. An inspection tells you whether these goods match what you ordered.
What should my purchase specification contain?
Model and quantity, dimensions with tolerance, materials named rather than described generically, colour standard with a grey scale value, and any standard the goods must meet.
Verifying a furniture order?
We check your goods at the factory against your PI, your agreed specification and your approved sample. Three levels, published prices, report within 24 hours.