Hospitality rug specification: hotels, F&B and commercial projects

Hotel and commercial carpet takes far heavier foot traffic, luggage trolleys and more frequent cleaning than a home, and must meet fire and escape-route requirements. The specification therefore has to be measurable: construction, fibre content, pile height and density, backing, fire test evidence and cleaning method.

Scale matters too: a hotel corridor package may run to hundreds or thousands of square metres, and replacements years later must match, so ask the supplier about replacement planning early. Basics on size and fibre are in the rug buying guide; this page focuses on project requirements.

Project carpet falls into two groups: wall-to-wall broadloom or carpet tiles, and loose area rugs laid to a layout. Construction drives durability, pattern capability and programme.

Broadloom comes in fixed roll widths, so seam positions should be shown on a seaming plan, keeping seams out of main traffic paths and lift lobbies.

Wool-nylon blends and nylon are the common choices for high traffic; polypropylene suits tight budgets and moderate traffic.

• Wool-nylon blend (commonly 80/20): keeps wool's resilience, colour and feel, with nylon adding abrasion resistance. Common in hotel Axminster.
• Nylon: strong abrasion resistance and pile recovery. Solution-dyed nylon carries colour through the fibre core, so it tolerates cleaning chemicals and UV better; suited to F&B and areas near glazing.
• Polypropylene: non-absorbent and resistant to water-based stains, lower cost, but crushes in heavy traffic and is heat-sensitive.
• Polyester: good colour and softness, weaker pile recovery than nylon; low-traffic areas.

Ask suppliers to state pile weight (g/m²), pile height and density. In heavy traffic, dense low pile usually outlasts tall, open pile.

Project carpet must meet the reaction-to-fire requirements for floor finishes under the applicable building regulation and the owner's or hotel brand's standards. In Vietnam this sits within QCVN 06:2022/BXD (with Amendment 1:2023), the national technical regulation on fire safety of buildings, with different requirements for escape routes, corridors and rooms; project-specific requirements are confirmed by the fire consultant through fire safety approval. Other Southeast Asian markets have their own fire codes.

International test methods often seen in carpet documentation include ISO 9239-1 (radiant panel test for flooring), EN 13501-1 floor classes such as Bfl-s1 and Cfl-s1, and ASTM E648 for US-referenced specifications. Many international hotel brands publish their own standards, which should be checked early.

As general specification guidance, ask the supplier for test reports for the exact product with the backing and underlay to be installed, because results depend on the whole system. More on interior fire standards is in fire safety for interior fabrics.

Custom rugs need careful drawing and yarn colour approval before production. SEAMATER offers custom rugs in size, colour and design; there is no separate strike-off, and a mock-up is made only once the project is under way.

1. Design file: the designer supplies pattern, size and shape; the mill converts it into a technical CAD on the weaving grid.
2. Yarn colour palette: each colour is assigned a yarn code; a pom-pom colour box can be loaned for comparison (a deposit applies).
3. Approval under project lighting: compare under the project's colour temperature, as yarns shift noticeably between warm and cool light.
4. Sign-off and production: the approved drawing and palette become the acceptance standard, with colour and size tolerances stated.
5. Acceptance: check delivered goods against the approved drawing and palette before installation.

Approval plus production takes time; ask the supplier and build it into procurement lead-time planning at concept stage.

Each zone has different priorities. Use this table as a framework:

Safety and operations must be designed in at specification stage. Focus on edges, underlay and cleaning.

• Edges and transitions: transition strips between carpet and stone or timber; bevelled edges and anti-slip underlay on lobby rugs; no loose rugs on escape routes.
• Underlay and fixing: underlay improves lifespan and acoustics; direct glue-down suits heavy trolley traffic; agree the method with the supplier and fire documentation.
• Acoustics: carpet and underlay noticeably reduce footfall noise to rooms below and reverberation in corridors.
• Cleaning regime: daily vacuuming in heavy traffic, immediate spot treatment and periodic deep cleaning per the manufacturer. General principles are in rug care.
• Replacement planning: agree with the supplier how local replacement will be handled, particularly with carpet tiles.

On SEAMATER, registered accounts can create a project, add zone-by-zone rug requirements alongside other categories and submit a quote request; verified trade accounts also see price. This applies to projects in Vietnam and overseas export projects.