Chapter 20: Selection of Materials, Finishes, and Furnishings

Question 1

Why is material and finish selection so important?

Answer 1

Because there are legal consequences of poor selection.

Question 2

What are the general guidelines for material and finish selection?

Answer 2

• Obtain as much info as possible
• Inform clients of risks and obtain approval
• As manufacturers about potential problems
• Notify manufacturer in writing about intended use
• If appropriate, obtain shop drawings from manufacturer or installing contractor
• Visit site to confirm proper installation
• Investigate production capability and financial standing of manufacturer

Question 3

What are the groups of selection criteria?

Answer 3

Function
Durability
Maintainability
Safety/health
Cost

Question 4

What are the most important aspects of the “function” selection criteria for materials, finishes and furnishings?

Answer 4

Acoustic qualities
Aesthetics - including choice of colors, textures, etc
Availability of materials
Installation method

Question 5

What is abrasion resistance?

Answer 5

Ability of a material to resist being worn away or to maintain its original appearance when rubbed with another object.

Question 6

What is blocking resistance?

Answer 6

Capability of a material to resist adhesion or sticking between two surfaces of a wallcovering.

Question 7

What is breaking strength?

Answer 7

Refers to the load that, when placed on a material, is just great enough to break the material.

Question 8

What is chemical resistance?

Answer 8

A material’s resistance to damage, change of finish, or other deleterious changes resulting from exposure to chemicals.

Question 9

What is coating adhesion?

Answer 9

Refers to the ability of a thing coating, like wallcovering or paint, to adhere to its substrate.

Question 10

What is cold-cracking resistance?

Answer 10

The resistance of coated or decorative surfaces to cracking when they are exposed to low temperatures?

Question 11

What is colorfastness?

Answer 11

The resistance of a finish to change or loss of color when exposed to light, most commonly the ultraviolet light of the sun.

Question 12

What is corrosion resistance?

Answer 12

A product’s resistance to deterioration by a chemical or electrochemical reaction resulting from exposure to moisture, chemicals, or other elements.

Question 13

What is crocking resistance?

Answer 13

A material’s resistance to the transfer of color from a wallcovering surface when rubbed.

Question 14

What is fabrication quality?

Answer 14

Measure of how well a product is assembled in the factory.

Question 15

What is heat-aging resistance?

Answer 15

A wallcovering’s resistance to the deterioration caused by high temperatures over an extended time.

Question 16

What is lightfastness?

Answer 16

The ability of paint or other finishes to resist loss of color when exposed to sunlight. Similar to colorfastness.

Question 17

What is scrubbability?

Answer 17

Material’s ability to be cleaned repeatedly with a brush and detergent?

Question 18

What is shrinkage?

Answer 18

A decrease in dimension when a material is exposed to moisture.

Question 19

What is resilience?

Answer 19

A material’s capacity to recover its original size.

Question 20

What is outgassing?

Answer 20

The release of toxic gases from materials, most commonly after the material has been installed. Include formaldehyde, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Question 21

What is a product’s life-cycle cost?

Answer 21

The entire cost of a product over its life or the life of the building and includes the initial cost, maintenance costs, energy costs, financing costs, and replacement costs.

Question 22

What is the best source for product information?

Answer 22

The product manufacturer.

Question 23

What is negligence?

Answer 23

The failure to use the care ordinarily exercised in similar cased by other qualified members of the profession and failure to use reasonable diligence and best professional judgement in the exercise of work.

Question 24

What is the best way to combat negligence claims?

Answer 24

Documentation can provide evidence that the interior designer acted appropriately and professionally, should product problems later develop with a particular project.

Question 25

What is systems furniture?

Answer 25

A collection of modular components designed to fit together in various ways to make up office workstations.

Question 26

What are cellulosic fibers in fabric?

Answer 26

Come from plants.

Question 27

What are protein fibers in fabric?

Answer 27

Come from animal sources.

Question 28

What is wool and what are its pros/cons?

Answer 28

Obtained from the fleece of sheep. Has excellent resilience, has excellent elasticity and wears well, resistant to soiling, cleans easily, self-extinguishing.
Is expensive, not as dimensionally stable as some fabrics.

Question 29

What is cotton and what are its pros/cons?

Answer 29

A celluosic fiber that comes from the seed hairs of the cotton plant. Relatively inexpensive, has good tensile strength and moderately good abrasion resistance. Poor resilience and recovery properties and degrades under prolonged sunlight exposure.

Question 30

What is linen and what are its pros and cons?

Answer 30

Made from fibers of the flax plant. Is a bast fiber, meaning it is derived from the stalk of a plant, like jute, hemp. Lacks resilience and flexibility and is susceptible to abrasion. Does not take printed dyes well. Dimensionally stable and resistant to fading.

Question 31

What is silk and what are its pros and cons?

Answer 31

Obtained from fibers spun by silkworm larvae. Very strong and has good resilience and flexibility. Very expensive and degrades in sunlight.

Question 32

What is rayon and what are its pros and cons?

Answer 32

Regenerated cellulosic fiber. Very poor resistance to sunlight and poor resiliency. High absorbancy, low resistance to water and is flammable. Seldom used for upholstery.

Question 33

What is acetate and what are its pros and cons?

Answer 33

Regenerated cellulosic fiber composed of cellulose, acetic acid, and other chemicals. Although low in cost, it is flammable and does not wear well.

Question 34

What is nylon and what are its pros and cons?

Answer 34

Most of the most popular synthetic fibers. Strong, high resiliency, elasticity. Resistant to many chemicals, water, and microorganisms. Often combined with other synthetic or natural fibers to obtain the superior advantages of both.

Question 35

What is acrylic and what are its pros and cons?

Answer 35

Often used as a replacement for wool because of its appearance. Had moderately good strength and resilience and is very resistant to sunlight but can be flammable.

Question 36

What is olefin and what are its pros and cons?

Answer 36

Inexpensive, highly resistant to chemicals, mildew, and microorganisms, highly resilient, nonabsorbant. Useful for carpeting and carpet backing. Low resistance to heat, sunlight, and flame.

Question 37

What is polyster and what are its pros and cons?

Answer 37

Has many desirable qualities including good resilience and elasticity, high resistance to solvents and other chemicals, and good resistance to sunlight. Tends to absorb and hold oily materials.

Question 38

What is Crypton?

Answer 38

Engineered fabric made by a patented process of immersion in a chemical solution followed by a heat set to form a durable coating on the face. It is then fiven a polyurethane chemical spray on the back which is stain, water, flame and bacteria resistant.

Question 39

What are PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers)?

Answer 39

A flame retardent that has been found to cause neurological, developmental, and reproductive damage in laboratory animals and to persist in the environment.

Question 40

What are the fabrics that are most resistant to fire?

Answer 40

Wool, silk, modacrylic, nylon, olefin

Question 41

What are the fabrics that are least resistant to fire?

Answer 41

Cellulosic fibers (cotten, linen, rayon), acetate, acrylic, polyster

Question 42

What are the most common cushioning materials?

Answer 42

Cotton batting, polyester batting, polyurethane foam, latex foam, rubberized fibers, and shredded fibers.

Question 43

What is a cushion’s indentation load deflection (ILD)?

Answer 43

A metal plate with an 8” diameter is pushed against a sample of foam 4” thick. The number of lbs. required to compress the foam down 1” (or 25%) is the ILD rating.

Question 44

What is the support ratio of a cushion?

Answer 44

The ratio of force required to compress a foam sample to 65% of its original thickness to the force required to compress the sample to 25% of its original thicnkess (the normal ILD rating).

Question 45

What is a vertical ignition test?

Answer 45

Establishes two procedures for testing the flammability of draperies, curtains, and other window treatments.

Question 46

What is a cigarette ignition resistance test of furniture components?

Answer 46

Tests the resistance of upholstered furniture components, separately, to flame and cigarette ignition.

Question 47

What is a cigarette ignition resistance test of furniture composites?

Answer 47

Tests the resistance of a seat cushion mockup to a lighted cigarette.

Question 48

What is a full seating test?

Answer 48

Test evaluates the effect of an open flame on an actual sample of a chair. One of the strictest tests for furniture and is required in many states.

Question 49

What is the Wyzenbeek abrasion resistance test?

Answer 49

Determines the abrasion resistance of woven textile fabrics; A fabric is considered good if it withstands 15k double rubs.

Question 50

What is the Taber abraser test?

Answer 50

Determines the abrasion resistance of textiles, most commonly of carpet.

Question 51

What is the Martindale abrasion test?

Answer 51

Similar to the Wyzenbeek test.

Question 52

What is the Fade-Ometer test?

Answer 52

Determines the colorfastness under light exposure of textile materials using six different test options. The most common test option uses a zenon arc lamp with continuous light.

Question 53

What is the Crocking resistance test?

Answer 53

Determines the resistance of a colored textile to transfer its color from its surface to other surfaces by rubbing.

Question 54

What is the tearing test, tongue method?

Answer 54

Measures the tearing resistance of fabrics after an initial cut has been made in the fabric.

Question 55

What is the bacterial resistance test?

Answer 55

Detects backeriostatic activity on textile materials.