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DIN Standards Committee Timber and Furniture

Overview

This European Standard gives guidance on methods for determining and classifying the durability of wood and wood-based materials against biological wood-destroying agents. The methods can be applied either to individual wood species, batches of wood and processed wood-based materials, including heat-treated, preservative-treated wood and modified wood. However, this standard is not intended to replace testing of the efficacy of biocides. The wood-destroying agents considered in this standard are: - wood-decay fungi (basidiomycete and soft-rot fungi); - beetles capable of attacking dry wood; - termites; - marine organisms capable of attacking wood in service. Data on the biological durability of selected wood species considered of economic importance in European countries are presented in Annex B (informative), which also provides information relating to their geographical origin, density, sapwood width and treatability. It will however be emphasized that the biological durability rating of wood species given in Annex B cannot be regarded as any guarantee of performance in service. There are many other factors influencing service life of a wood product, such as the principles of good design, use conditions, climate and maintenance. Compared to DIN EN 350-1:1994-10 and DIN EN 350-2:1994-10, both standards have been combined and thermally treated wood, wood treated with wood preservatives and modified wood have been included in the scope. Hardwoods have been subdivided according to origin from temperate and tropical climatic zones, and for some species, in addition to durability in contact with the ground, additional information on durability without contact with the ground has been included on the basis of laboratory tests. The determination of durability against termites is carried out according to DIN EN 117 instead of DIN EN 118. Wood species not considered thus far have been included and the letter symbols of the wood species according to DIN EN 13556 have been included. The committee responsible for this standard is NA 042-03-06 AA "Spiegelausschuss zu CEN/TC 38 und ISO/TC 165/SC 1 Dauerhaftigkeit von Holz und Holzprodukten" ("Mirror Committee of CEN/TC 38 and ISO/TC 165/SC 1 Durability of wood and wood-based products") at DIN.

Document: references other documents

Document: referenced in other documents

Responsible national committee

NA 042-03-06 AA - Mirror committee for CEN/TC 38 durability of wood and wood products  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 38/WG 21 - Durability - Classification ( Use classes-natural durability)