Changes to Structural Timber Codes

The British Standards for grading and using structural timber have recently been changed in a significant move towards European harmonisation. They now incorporate European strength classes, and the terminology has also been changed. What was previously known as ‘stress grading’ is now termed ‘strength grading’ This affects the standards for grading (BS 4978: 1996 Visual stress-grading oflscftwoocl and BS EN 519: 1996 Structural timber grading by machine) and BS 5268: 1996, the UK Code of Practice covering the major structural uses of timber.

A. Abbot