Where can I find an affordable, fire code compliant armchair?
November 29, 2011 1:15 PM Subscribe
Where can I find a comfy armchair for my office that is Cal TB-133 compliant, is not butt ugly, and is not over $400?
I am looking to find a comfortable reading chair for my office, which I'd have to pay for out of pocket. Wrinkle: I work in Boston, which requires all office furniture to be compliant to the California Technical Bulletin 133 fire code, which is the strictest in the country. I would typically go to IKEA or Goodwill, buy something squishy for $100, and be done with it, but IKEA furniture is typically not TB-133 compliant, and nothing vintage passes the test. The company we use internally to provide furniture is quoting me $700 and up for the most uncomfortable, waiting-room looking chairs. Googling has found me similarly ugly, uncomfortable looking things starting at $1000. Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and West Elm have nothing about the fire code compliance on their websites. Any suggestions?
I am looking to find a comfortable reading chair for my office, which I'd have to pay for out of pocket. Wrinkle: I work in Boston, which requires all office furniture to be compliant to the California Technical Bulletin 133 fire code, which is the strictest in the country. I would typically go to IKEA or Goodwill, buy something squishy for $100, and be done with it, but IKEA furniture is typically not TB-133 compliant, and nothing vintage passes the test. The company we use internally to provide furniture is quoting me $700 and up for the most uncomfortable, waiting-room looking chairs. Googling has found me similarly ugly, uncomfortable looking things starting at $1000. Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and West Elm have nothing about the fire code compliance on their websites. Any suggestions?
So after reading the actual code, a couple thoughts:
-If I'm reading this correctly, the code only applies to upholstered furniture and plastic chairs. It's not an arm chair, but I have heard that the Eames molded plywood lounge chair (LCW) is very comfortable, and at least it doesn't look like it came from an airport lounge. Without upholstery, I think it would also be compliant. Google Shopping shows some LCW replicas that may be within your price range.
-The actual Boston Fire Department code covers reupholstery. If you find something cheap and vintage that needs to be reupholstered anyway, and if your company will allow it, it may actually be easier to have an upholstery shop strip a non-compliant chair down to wood and springs and reupholster with compliant materials. (I'd keep the documentation showing the materials are compliant -- and I wouldn't be surprised if some upholstery shops already have experience with this issue.)
posted by pie ninja at 2:56 PM on December 9, 2011
-If I'm reading this correctly, the code only applies to upholstered furniture and plastic chairs. It's not an arm chair, but I have heard that the Eames molded plywood lounge chair (LCW) is very comfortable, and at least it doesn't look like it came from an airport lounge. Without upholstery, I think it would also be compliant. Google Shopping shows some LCW replicas that may be within your price range.
-The actual Boston Fire Department code covers reupholstery. If you find something cheap and vintage that needs to be reupholstered anyway, and if your company will allow it, it may actually be easier to have an upholstery shop strip a non-compliant chair down to wood and springs and reupholster with compliant materials. (I'd keep the documentation showing the materials are compliant -- and I wouldn't be surprised if some upholstery shops already have experience with this issue.)
posted by pie ninja at 2:56 PM on December 9, 2011
« Older How many soldering irons can I plug in before... | Help me nip an infestation of bed bugs Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by FlamingBore at 10:51 AM on December 8, 2011