ISO 10131

Foldaway beds – Safety Requirements and Tests

Tests based on the ISO 10131 standard are now available at Micom Laboratories. Separated in two sections, this standard assesses the safety and performance of a foldaway bed also known as a murphy bed. “ISO 10131-1: Safety requirements” lists the constraints to be met for the bed to be considered safe and the acceptance criteria for the various tests while “ISO 10131-2: Test Methods” describes the steps required to complete each test.

Before Starting the ISO 10131-2 Tests

The foldaway bed structure must be conditioned for at least one week in a normalized atmosphere with a temperature of (23 ± 2) °C and relative humidity of (50 ± 5) % according to ISO 554.

Minimum and maximum mattress weights must be provided. This requirement applies only if the bed is not supplied with a specific mattress (or an adjustable tension device).

Tests Covered by ISO 10131-2

This standard’s accuracy requirements are similar to the BIFMA standards for office furniture. The tests required in ISO 10131 are as follows:

  • Creation of a graph of the opening/closing force as a function of the angle of the bed (see graph below)
  • Execution of 10,000 open-close cycles of the bed (with a mattress in it)
  • Verification of the durability of the bed under repeated application of a weight
  • Verification of unwanted bed opening/closing following the application of a force
  • Verification of the durability of the fastening device

ISO 1031 Foldaway Bed Testing_ForceVsAngle Graph
Force VS Angle Graph for Bed Opening and Closing

Specialist in Furniture Testing

Testing to ISO 10131 is just one of the many tests Micom offers. We can also perform many other furniture tests according to BIFMA and SEFA 8 standards.

As a material testing laboratory, we can perform a wide range of additional tests according to your needs to evaluate your product’s durability or obtain the required certifications.  For example, we have expertise in UV testing, corrosion testing, package testing to name a few.

To learn more about our testing services for residential and commercial furniture manufacturers, visit our Furniture Testing page.