Choosing Commercial Upholstery: Double Rubs Explained

Upholstery is usually the first part of a chair to show wear. In restaurants, bars, casinos and hotels, seats see thousands of guests a year, so choosing the right fabric or vinyl matters as much as choosing the right frame. The key number to know is the double-rub rating.

What is a double rub?

A double rub is one back-and-forth pass of an abrasive across a fabric sample in a lab test, meant to simulate a person sitting down and getting up. The test keeps going until the fabric shows noticeable wear. The more double rubs a material withstands, the more abrasion-resistant it is. In North America, the most common method is the Wyzenbeek test.

What rating do you need?

Most Designform upholstery materials are rated at 75,000 to 100,000 double rubs or more, well above the heavy-duty threshold, so they hold up to round-the-clock use. For details on a specific material, ask your Designform rep or project manager.

Abrasion isn’t the only factor

• Cleanability: vinyls and performance fabrics that take a sanitizer wipe are popular in restaurants. For healthcare, bleach-cleanable vinyls are available on request.
• Fire codes: Designform’s upholstered products, including foam and upholstery materials, meet CAL TB 117-2013. Check whether your project or local code requires more.
• Moisture: moisture-barrier seat construction is available for healthcare and senior living.
• Outdoor use: choose materials rated for sun and weather, such as our Al Fresco and Poly-Molded All-Weather collections.

Using your own fabric (COM)

Most upholstered Designform products accept COM (customer’s own material) or COL (customer’s own leather). We’ll tell you exactly how much yardage or square footage each item needs, and those quantities are listed on your proposal. We’ll need a swatch of your COM to confirm it can be used on the products you’ve specified. If you send us the COM spec, we can check our records, and if it’s a material we’ve used before, we may be able to approve it without a swatch.

Care extends life

Harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners can damage finishes and upholstery and aren’t covered under warranty. See our Care Guide for material-specific instructions.

See the options

Browse fabrics, faux leathers and finishes on our Finish Options page, request swatches from your local Designform rep, or see how we furnish casinos and bars.