When it comes to meeting furnishing CSI specifications, MasterFormat Division 12 is where you want to look. Unlike other divisions found in the MasterFormat, the products specified in Division 12 are installed or purchased for finished spaces, rather than a building in an unfinished, work in progress.
Being classified as products of art, these items are usable, useful, and also decorative. The furnishings covered in Division 12 include interior and exterior spaces.
MasterFormat Division 12
Though the items in this list are supposed to be things that are incorporated into a building after being finished, there are several exceptions throughout the list. Among them are products that are debatable as to whether a building is truly finished without them.
Countertops and stadium seating could be two item examples that might fall between complete or incomplete lines as far as the structure is concerned.
12 05 00 – Fabrics
The Fabrics section of Division 12 handles the raw materials, including leather, interior, and exterior fabric types. Different fabrics that are involved in roofing and also window shading is also included in this section.
12 10 00 – Art
You’ll find categories like art hangings, display systems, and murals (ceramic and photo) under the Art section.
12 20 00 – Window Treatments
Interior Shutters
Indoor window shutters, shutter type blinds, roll-up doors (such as what you’d see over a service counter), and other miscellaneous interior window treatments are included in this section.
Operating Hardware
Operating hardware would include the hardware involved in operating things such as motorized window shades and audio/video systems.
12 30 00 – Casework
This section is where you’d find specs for manufactured metal and wood casework, including wood-veneer-faced, plastic-laminate-clad, solid-plastic, and solid surface casework.
Specialty Casework
This section includes a bank, hospitality, residential, kitchen, dorm, commercial, laboratory, educational, library, display, healthcare, hospital, exam room, nurse station, dental, performing arts, and religious casework.
Countertops
Countertops of all materials are counted in this section. Said materials include plastic laminate clad, wood, concrete, plastic, stone, glass, materials fit for labs, cultured marbles, and quartz agglomerate.
Residential Cabinetry
This section is reserved for any and all cabinetry that belongs within one’s residence or residential buildings. All installation hardware and brackets are also included here.
12 40 00 – Furnishings and Accessories
Furnishing accessories constituted in this section are those found in residential, commercial, office and industrial settings. Sub-section includes office accessories, table settings and accessories, portable lamps, and bath and bedroom furnishings.
Rugs & Mats
Under the Rugs & Mats section, you’ll find entrance mats, grilles and grating, frames, fitness mats, chair mats, anti-fatigue floor mats, fall-cushioning floor mats, oriental rugs, and other miscellaneous rugs and mats.
12 50 00 – Furniture
Office Furniture
Lateral and vertical filing cabinets, case goods, office tables, custom office furniture, wood case goods, metal or technical office furniture, and plastic laminate office furniture are all included under the Office Furniture section.
Seating (includes related tables)
Under the Seating section, you’ll find information about task, office, lobby, waiting room, and general seating. Also included is upholstered furniture and custom seating.
Hospitality Furniture
Hotel and motel furniture, restaurant furniture, wall beds, murphy beds, patio, poolside, and garden furniture, and also detention furniture all rest under the Hospitality Furniture category.
Detention Furniture
The Detention Furniture section includes bunks, desks, stools, tables, safety cloth hooks, custom office furniture, and control room furniture. Overall, all furniture and accessories that would be found in such a setting.
Institutional Furniture
Included in the Institutional Furniture section is religious equipment, educational building furniture, furniture for kids, dorms, libraries, mailroom furniture, healthcare furniture, bookshelves, index card cabinets, custom institutional-based furniture, and control room furniture.
Industrial Furniture
Welding screens and dividers, custom industrial furniture, industrial control room furniture, workbenches, industrial tables, and the like are all within the Industrial Furniture section.
Systems Furniture
In the Systems Furniture section, you’ll find products such as panel hung and freestanding component system furniture and beam, desk, and custom systems furniture.
12 60 00 – Multiple Seating
Couches are excluded from this category.
Fixed Audience Seating
Fixed audience seating would be lecture hall fixed seating and theater fixed seating. This includes upholstered and molded plastic seating as well.
Portable Audience Seating
Folding chairs, stacking chairs, interlocking chairs, and folding tables are included in this section.
Stadium and Arena Seating
Stadium Arena Seating section covers stadium and arena bench seating and fixed individual seats.
Booths, Tables, and Benches
As the section states, booths, tables, and benches are covered, and also banquet seating is specified here.
Telescoping Stands
Telescoping stands, platforms, and bleachers are spec’d out under this section.
Pews and Benches
The Pews and Benches section consists of indoor/outdoor park benches made of wood, stone, or steel, custom benches, and church pews.
12 90 00 – Other Furnishings
Interior Planters
Interior planters, artificial plants, and interior landscaping materials and structures are included in this section.
Site Furnishings
The Site Furnishings section includes bike racks, trash – litter receptors, bike lockers, animal resistant containers, planters, site seating, benches, tables, and bollards.
Drinking Fountains
The Drinking Fountain section does not include decorative fountains. Still, it covers drinking fountains of any material type, such as stone, steel, or any custom drinking fountains.
Conclusion
I hope that this helps you to understand the different things covered in the MasterFormat Division 12. Though there’s a lot covered here, there is still much more incorporated into this Division. However, these items give a good general layout.
If you’ve ever owned an older house, perhaps from the 1800s or very early 1900s, you quickly learn what it was like to be without a standard building and purchasing system. You learn what it was like because you’ll find yourself dealing with the aftermath as you make upgrades to the home.
The MasterFormat’s CSI specifications help manufacturers build items to code and allow builders to prepare a structure accordingly to accommodate the items. It brings organization to multiple steps of any construct.
Engineers, interior and exterior designers, purchasing agents, and construction companies all use and benefit from the CSI MasterFormat. Interior and exterior designers, in particular, benefit from Division 12.
