Use case · Hospitality
Hotel banquette seating,
with the right fire evidence.
Hotel banquette seating is chosen first on the fire evidence the inspector will accept. In France, the fire safety rules for public buildings cover furniture and upholstered seating; Spain and Italy apply other frameworks. Pick your country and type of venue: the tool shows what to ask the maker for.
What the tool tells you, and what it does not
The tool links a country and a type of venue to the fire framework most often required, and to the document to request from the maker. It does not set the final requirement: that depends on the venue category, the exact position of the banquette (dining room, corridor, escape route) and the reading of the inspection body or local authority.
In France, the fire safety regulations for public buildings (arrêté of 25/06/1980) devote chapter III to interior fittings, decoration and furniture. For upholstered seating, the requirement takes the form of ignitability tests (NF D 60-013, close to EN 1021) or a fire reaction classification of the materials, depending on the type of ERP and the room.
Requirement to be confirmed by the project’s inspection body before ordering. A test report only covers the model, filling and cover actually tested.
The test report: what to check before signing
We attach these documents to the handover file, line by line, so the operator can show them during a fire safety inspection.
- Laboratory name, date and test standard (EN 1021-1, EN 1021-2, NF D 60-013, or M class / Euroclass for materials).
- Exactly what was tested: foam, wadding, fabric, any flame-retardant treatment and its resistance to cleaning.
- Match with the fabric ordered: customer’s own material (COM) needs its own report, or must be tested with the chosen foam.
- Any validity period or renewal conditions stated by the laboratory.
Designing a lobby or restaurant banquette
Hotel banquettes are often bespoke: they follow a wall, a curved façade or the length of a bar. They are built in modules of roughly 1.2 to 2.4 m, joined on site, to get through doors, lifts and stairs. Modules also let you replace a single damaged section.
Comfort benchmarks for restaurant banquettes: seat height 45 to 47 cm facing a 75 cm table, seat depth 45 to 50 cm, back 40 to 45 cm above the seat. In a lobby, depth increases and the seat drops to around 42 to 44 cm.
For covers, contract-grade velvet or bouclé usually shows high abrasion resistance (Martindale test) and can be treated for fire reaction. Ask for the fabric’s report tested with the chosen foam, not a generic report for the collection.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is an “M1” banquette enough for a French hotel?
M1 is a fire reaction class for a material, often the fabric. For upholstered seating, inspectors usually also expect an ignitability test on the seat or on the foam-and-cover combination (NF D 60-013 or EN 1021-1 and -2). Check the exact requirement for your ERP type and the banquette’s position.
Can we supply our own fabric (COM) for fire-rated seating?
Yes, but that fabric needs its own fire test report, or must be tested with the planned foam and filling. Without it, the banquette cannot be presented as compliant, even if the model is compliant in the maker’s fabric.
Are requirements the same in Spain and Italy?
No. In Spain, the CTE (DB-SI) requires UNE-EN 1021-1 and -2 for fixed upholstered seats in theatres and meeting halls; for hotels, the requirement often comes from the specification. In Italy, upholstered hotel furniture is generally required in classe 1 IM, a homologation distinct from an EN 1021 report.
What is the maximum length of a banquette module?
It depends on access: door widths, lift car, stair landings. In most buildings, 2 to 2.4 m modules get through; beyond that, assembly on site is planned. We survey access dimensions before setting the module split.
Is a flame-retardant spray applied afterwards valid?
Only if a test report covers that treatment on that fabric, and its resistance to cleaning is demonstrated. A spray treatment without an associated test is not acceptable evidence.
A project in mind?
Let’s talk.
Send us a brief: floor area, uses, timing, ideas. We usually reply within two working days with a first selection and a method. Meetings in Levallois-Perret (Greater Paris), by video call or on your premises.