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Office desk and commercial table verification
Commercial desks and tables are bought against a written contract, not a photograph. The load figure, the flatness tolerance and the stability requirement are all specified, and they are all testable. We test to the figure in your contract and record the number we actually reached.
Six ways a table order goes wrong
<strong>Wood species substituted.</strong> You specified ash. The batch is rubber wood, which looks similar before finishing and is common as a substitute. It is a material difference, not a cosmetic one.
<strong>Dimensions outside tolerance.</strong> The table is 1795 mm against a specified 1800 ± 3 mm. It will not fit the space the customer measured.
<strong>Count short across mixed models.</strong> Your PI lists four models. The cartons for model C are two fewer than the PI states, and nobody notices because each carton is labelled correctly.
<strong>Panel misalignment.</strong> A multi-piece top with a visible seam and a surface that rocks. Within the count, but not within your expectation.
<strong>Edge banding lifted.</strong> Humidity in transit opened the bond. Better to find it in the factory than at the customer's door.
<strong>Leg fixings insufficient.</strong> The legs use dowels where the specification called for corner blocks. Common in lower price tiers and invisible in a photograph.
Verification scope by level
What we check for this category at each level. Every row is a real difference in on-site work — not a shorter version of the same report.
| Check | Level 1 $149 |
Level 2 $199 |
Level 3 $299 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model and SKU against your PI | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mixed-model order: counted per model | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carton count and marks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Colour and model mix ratio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carton marks and order numbers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Overall dimensions and height to underside of apron | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Flatness with a straightedge | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wood species vs your sample | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Moisture content meter reading | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Leg strength to your specified figure | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Corner blocks and leg fixings present | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wobble and stability on level floor | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coating thickness and surface finish | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Load test to contract figure (EN 12521) | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Load test to 1,500 N / 10 min (GB/T 10357) | — | — | ✓ |
| Deflection measured and recorded against the limit | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Standing desk: 50 full lift cycles | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cable, controller and column condition | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carton drop test | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Third-party durability report verification | — | — | ✓ |
| Loading supervision on request | — | — | ✓ |
See the full level comparison across all categories →
What we verify against your documents
Judgement is made against your PI, your agreed specification and your approved sample — never against a generic standard. Bring those documents and the check is meaningful; without them, the report records which judgements rest on incomplete reference.
| Item | Checked against | How |
|---|---|---|
| Model and SKU ★ | Your PI | Model code on every unit and carton matched against your PI |
| Unit count per model ★ | Your PI and packing list | Counted per model across the shipment — mixed-model orders verified model by model |
| Overall dimensions ★ | Drawing or PI tolerance | L × W × H measured on sampled units and compared against your tolerance |
| Functional dimensions | Drawing | Table height, seat height, clearance under the top — the dimensions customers live with |
| Wood species ★ | Your agreed specification | End grain, density and odour compared against your specification and sample |
| Panel and top material ★ | Your agreed specification | Solid wood versus veneer versus board, confirmed from the edge and underside |
| Moisture content | — | Meter reading at three to five points per species — recorded, not judged against a standard |
| Flatness | Your specification | Deflection over 2000 mm measured on the top |
| Diagonal squareness | Your specification | Diagonal difference measured — out-of-square tables rock |
| Leg fixings ★ | Your specification | Corner blocks and mechanical fixings checked for presence and adequacy |
| Edge banding | Your approved sample | Checked under raking light for lifting, bleed-through and gaps |
| Finish | Your approved sample | Colour and gloss compared under daylight; panel-to-panel consistency checked |
| Top load | — | Tested to the load our on-site weights allow; the figure reached is stated in the report |
| Assembly | Your instructions | Two units assembled by a non-skilled operator; re-measured after assembly |
| Glass tops ★ | Your specification | Tempered marking presence and edge condition checked; certification not verified by us |
| Carton marks ★ | Your PO | Model, quantity, carton number, order number and marks compared against your artwork |
★ = mismatch means the goods do not match the order, not merely a quality complaint.
Materials — what you agreed against what we look for
Table specifications usually name a species and a construction. Those are the two things that get substituted, so those are what we check most carefully.
| Item | What you agreed | What we check on site |
|---|---|---|
| Wood species | Ash, oak, teak, or another named species | End grain, density and odour compared against your specification and sample; species proof requested |
| Solid vs veneer | Solid timber, or veneer on a specified substrate | Confirmed from the edge, underside and any exposed cross-section |
| Board type | MDF, plywood or solid | Board type and grade read from the edge or from the factory label |
| Coating | Type and sheen | Surface feel, sheen level and colour compared against your sample; cross-hatch adhesion on a non-visible face |
| Hardware | Hinges, rails, fixings | Type, brand marking and function tested |
| Glass | Tempered, thickness | Tempered marking presence, edge condition, corner guards; certification not verified by us |
If the order is commercial rather than residential
Commercial and hospitality tables are specified to different load requirements. Tell us the project type so the factory builds to the right standard from the start.
| Residential | Commercial / contract | |
|---|---|---|
| Top load commonly specified | 680 N (150 lbs) | 1,000 N centre + 350 N edge (EN 12521) |
| Some contracts specify | — | 1,500 N / 10 min (GB/T 10357) |
| Leg strength | 75 lbs four directions | 100 kg four directions |
| Fixings | Dowels or bolts as specified | Visible mechanical fixings required |
| Flatness tolerance | ≤3 mm | ≤2 mm |
| Dimensional tolerance | ±5 mm | ±3 mm |
Where a commercial load exceeds what our on-site weights can reach, the report states the figure actually tested. We do not claim a test we did not perform.
Outside our scope
Compliance and performance items require accredited testing.
| Item | Why it is outside our scope |
|---|---|
| Formaldehyde emission (CARB / EN 717) | Requires a climate chamber and CMA accreditation |
| Salt spray / UV ageing | Requires a controlled chamber running hundreds of hours |
| 20,000-cycle lift durability | Requires an automated cyclic rig; we perform and record 50 on-site cycles |
| Electrical safety on powered desks | Requires accredited certification |
| Any certificate | We are not accredited and cannot issue certificates |
Level 3 verifies documents; it does not replace them. Where your order needs accredited testing — fire resistance, formaldehyde emission, Martindale abrasion, salt spray — a CMA/CNAS laboratory is the only route. We are not accredited and cannot issue those reports. We can introduce you, and the fee goes to the laboratory directly.
Our report is an order verification statement. It has no legal standing and cannot be used for customs clearance, marketplace approval or litigation.
Standing desks — what we can and cannot show
<strong>On site we do:</strong> 50 full lift cycles; travel repeatability measured against your specified figure; noise and stalling through the range; column wobble at full height; cable and controller condition.
<strong>We do not:</strong> certify 20,000-cycle durability. That figure comes from a test report, and we verify the report exists and covers the model you are buying.
The distinction matters to buyers specifying standing desks for contract work, where the client often asks for the durability certificate. In that case you need the manufacturer's test report, not our verification report.
How we sample
ISO 2859-1 / ANSI ASQC Z1.4 general inspection level II, single sampling, normal inspection. Each defect class is counted separately against its own AQL.
Open the full AQL calculator →
What we photograph on every table verification
What we find most often on table orders
- <strong>Wood species substituted</strong> — end grain does not match the specification
- <strong>Dimensions outside tolerance</strong> — measured against your stated figure
- <strong>Count short on one model</strong> — in a mixed-model shipment
- <strong>Corner blocks missing</strong> — legs use dowels where blocks were specified
- <strong>Edge banding lifted</strong> — visible under raking light
- <strong>Panel misalignment</strong> — visible seam, top does not sit flat
- <strong>Glass without tempered marking</strong> — where a glass top was specified
Each finding is recorded with a photograph, a location reference, and the document it was judged against.
What we need from you
Required for a meaningful check
- Your PI or PO — models, quantities, colours, dimensions
- Your agreed specification — materials and tolerances
- Your approved sample — physical or photographed
- Packing list — carton count and packing method
Helpful but not essential
- Technical drawings or dimension sheets
- Carton mark artwork
- Previous verification reports, if re-checking
- Known issues from earlier shipments
- Your client's specific requirements, if any
If you only have a product link, send that. We will build the check criteria for you and tell you what we will look at, before we arrive. That scoping conversation is free.
From $149 per man-day · All-inclusive travel in Guangdong · Report within 24 hours
Questions about table verification
1. How do you confirm the wood species?
End grain pattern, density and odour compared against your specification and any sample you provide, plus species documentation requested from the factory. Visual identification is indicative rather than conclusive — where doubt remains we recommend core sampling at an accredited laboratory, arranged at your cost.
2. Do you measure every table?
We measure the units in our AQL sample, plus any additional units you specify. If a dimensional discrepancy appears in the sample, we extend the measurement to more units so you know the extent, not just the existence.
3. What happens if the count is short?
We report the actual count per model against your PI and recommend whether the shortfall affects your shipment plan. Replenishment decisions are yours, and we can re-check the replacement at no extra man-day fee.
4. Can you check restaurant and café tables?
Yes. Restaurant furniture has additional requirements around colour consistency and stability, plus your client's own specifications. Tell us it is a hospitality project so the checks match the use.
5. Do you check assembly instructions?
We assemble two units by a non-skilled operator following your instructions. If assembly is unclear or missing steps, that is recorded as a finding — it predicts problems at your customer's delivery.
6. Can you attend loading?
Yes, at the same day rate. We check carton count against the booking and verify how the goods are stacked and secured.