SIST-TP CEN/TR 17538:2020

Furniture - Common test equipment - Test foams and mattresses

This document contains suggested requirements for commonly used test mattresses and test foams specified in test method standards for furniture.
The document contains guidance that may be used by standards developers to ensure test equipment is consistent throughout furniture test standards.
The document contains guidance that may be used by test laboratories to provide a consistent source of test equipment when new standards are developed or older standards are revised.

Möbel - Gängige Prüfeinrichtungen - Prüfschäume und Prüfmatratzen

Ameublement - Équipement d’essai courant - Mousses et matelas d’essai

Le présent document contient des suggestions d’exigences concernant les matelas et mousses d’essai couramment utilisés, spécifiées dans les normes de méthodes d’essai relatives aux meubles.
Le présent document contient des recommandations pouvant être utilisées par les concepteurs de normes pour s’assurer de la cohérence de l’équipement d’essai dans toutes les normes d’essais relatives aux meubles.
Le présent document contient des recommandations pouvant être utilisées par les laboratoires d’essais pour fournir une source cohérente d’équipement d’essai lors de l’élaboration de nouvelles normes ou de la révision d’anciennes normes.

Pohištvo - Skupna preskusna oprema - Preskusne pene in posteljni vložki

General Information

• Status: Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 19-Jul-2020
• Publication Date: 15-Nov-2020
• ICS: 97.140 - Furniture
• Technical Committee: POH - Furniture
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 04-Nov-2020
• Due Date: 09-Jan-2021
• Completion Date: 16-Nov-2020
• Ref Project: CEN/TR 17538:2020 - Furniture - Common test equipment - Test foams and mattresses

Overview

CEN/TR 17538:2020 - "Furniture - Common test equipment - Test foams and mattresses" is a CEN Technical Report published in 2020 that provides non‑normative guidance on commonly used test foams and test mattresses for furniture safety and performance testing. Its aim is to harmonize test equipment across furniture test standards so that test laboratories and standards developers use consistent, reproducible materials and procedures.

Key topics and technical requirements

The report specifies recommended characteristics, tolerances and usage rules for test mattresses and foams. Key technical points include:

• General tolerances:

  • Masses: ±1% of nominal mass
  • Dimensions: <300 mm → ±1 mm; ≥300 mm → ±0.5% of nominal

• Adult test mattress (guidance):

  • Foam sheet thickness: 100 mm
  • Bulk density: 35 ± 5 kg/m³
  • Indentation hardness index: 170 ± 40 N HA (EN ISO 2439; 40%/30 s)
  • Minimum size: 700 × 700 mm
  • Optional cover: 100% cotton, mass per unit area 120 ± 20 g/m², tight fit

• Children’s test mattress:

  • Foam sheet thickness: 60 mm
  • Same density and hardness as adult mattress
  • Size: at least 400 × 800 mm, not larger than the tested bed base
  • Same cover recommendations as adult mattress

• Test foams:

  • Standard test foam: 25 mm thickness, 120 ± 25 kg/m³ bulk density
  • Test foam for glass: 100 mm thickness, 35 ± 5 kg/m³, same indentation hardness spec as mattresses
  • When used with loading pads, foam may be attached to pads or positioned between pad and test structure

• Recommended usage and replacement:

  • Do not re‑use the same part of a mattress or foam within 30 minutes of a test
  • Replace mattresses after 30 complete bed tests (or sooner if damaged)
  • Replace test foam after 100 impact tests, or if in contact with broken glass or damaged

Applications and users

This guidance is for:

• Standards developers drafting furniture safety and performance standards who need harmonized test equipment specifications
• Test laboratories and quality/ compliance teams that source and maintain reference foams and mattresses for repeatable furniture testing
• Manufacturers, product safety engineers, and regulators seeking consistent test setups for beds, cots, bunk beds and related furniture

Using CEN/TR 17538 helps improve repeatability, comparability and credibility of furniture test results across labs and standards.

Related standards

• Normative reference: EN ISO 2439 - Determination of hardness (indentation technique) for flexible cellular polymeric materials.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2020
Pohištvo - Skupna preskusna oprema - Preskusne pene in posteljni vložki
Furniture - Common test equipment - Test foams and mattresses
Möbel - Gängige Prüfeinrichtungen - Prüfschäume und Prüfmatratzen
Ameublement - Équipement d’essai courant - Mousses et matelas d’essai
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TR 17538:2020
ICS:
97.140 Pohištvo Furniture
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

CEN/TR 17538
TECHNICAL REPORT
RAPPORT TECHNIQUE
September 2020
TECHNISCHER BERICHT
ICS 97.140
English Version
Furniture - Common test equipment - Test foams and
mattresses
Ameublement - Équipement d'essai courant - Mousses Möbel - Gängige Prüfeinrichtungen - Prüfschäume und
et matelas d'essai Prüfmatratzen

This Technical Report was approved by CEN on 24 August 2020. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 207.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TR 17538:2020 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Test equipment . 5
4.1 Tolerances . 5
4.2 Test mattresses . 5
4.2.1 Adult test mattress . 5
4.2.2 Children’s test mattress . 6
4.3 Test foams . 6
4.3.1 Standard test foam . 6
4.3.2 Test foam for glass . 6
4.3.3 Recommended usage . 6

European foreword
This document (CEN/TR 17538:2020) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 207
“Furniture”, the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Introduction
This document is a non-normative CEN publication which provides guidance information on the most
current specifications for common test foams and test mattresses for consideration when developing
safety standards for furniture.
This document has been drawn up
...