Technical Data Sheet
FIRA Standard 6250
FIRA standard 6250 specifies performance
requirements for surface finish and adhesion of
surfacing and edging materials for domestic and
contract cabinet furniture.
The standard is based on performance
requirements previously referred to in BS 6250 Part
3: 1991. This standard has now been withdrawn
following the publication of European test method
standards.
Withdrawal has left the industry without a standard
in respect of finish performance and bond quality. It
is anticipated that it will be some years before a
European standard is available. FIRA has carried
out an extensive research programme comparing
the new European test methods with the old British
Standard methods. The full report is available in a
research report ‘A Comparison between the British
and European Standards’.
From the results of this programme FIRA has
published FIRA standard 6250 - as a link between
the old and new standards. This will also enable the
UK, at sometime in the future, to present an industry
standard to the European committee for inclusion in
a new European standard. The FIRA standard
incorporates the new European test methods whilst
maintaining the integrity of the performance
requirements in the authoritative BS 6250
The following summarises the FIRA standard
6250 requirements for surface requirements:
The standard is applicable to all domestic and
contract cabinet furniture, including kitchen furniture
and office cabinet furniture. It is not applicable to
outdoor, nursery, or school furniture.
Surface finish
Surface finishes that can be tested include paints
and lacquers on wood, wood based sheet materials
or other substrates, plastic laminates, paper and
PVC foil.
For testing purposes the surface finish of an item of
cabinet furniture is classified according to its use
category.
Use category Examples
Careful Delicate cabinets for light use
This material may not be copied, reproduced or stored in any retrieval system without the prior written permission of FIRA
For further information on this topic please contact Sue Calver
FIRA International Limited, Maxwell Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2EW, England
telephone: + 44 (0) 1438 313433 fax: + 44 (0) 1438 727607 e-mail: fira@ttlchiltern.co.uk
No. 11
General Home office, bedroom, living and dining room
cabinets for domestic use, bathroom and kitchen
cabinets
Severe Cabinets for contract and institutional use (not
24hr)
The surface finish requirements in the table below
have taken account of the publication of:
BS EN 12720: 1997 Assessment of surface
resistance to cold liquids
BS EN 12721: 1997 Assessment of surface
resistance to wet heat
BS EN 12722: 1997 Assessment of surface
resistance to dry heat
These replace British Standard 3962 Part 2 - wet
heat, Part 3 - dry heat and Part 4 - cold liquids
The damage sustained by each surface finish is
assessed using a numerical rating scale - from 5 -
no damage to 1 - severe damage.
Compliance with the standard will be adopted by
FIRA for certification work and Gold Award testing
from January 1999. FIRA standard 6250 can be
substituted for any document that previously
referred to British Standard 6250 Part 3.
Overall compliance with FIRA Standard 6250 will
demonstrate fitness for purpose in respect of finish
performance and bond quality for all types of
cabinet furniture. It is an invaluable aid in raising the
profile of products by testing.
Purchasing bodies can apply FIRA standard 6250 to
give them confidence that the manufacturer has
made every effort to demonstrate suitability for use.
Compliance highlighted in trade literature promotes
the quality of the product. Suppliers can assess the
performance of their products against a particular
end environment. Furniture manufacturers can use
FIRA standard 6250 as a basis for discussion with
their suppliers.
Many companies ask FIRA for testing information to
compare similar types of materials and the
implications of changing to different types of
materials. Testing is also carried out to assess
fitness for purpose in a fault investigation.
ref: no11/ ksd/ 1198
This material may not be copied, reproduced or stored in any retrieval system without the prior written permission of FIRA ref: no11/ ksd/ 1198
For further information on this topic please contact Sue Calver
FIRA International Limited, Maxwell Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2EW, England
telephone: + 44 (0) 1438 313433 fax: + 44 (0) 1438 727607 e-mail: fira@ttlchiltern.co.uk