Norsk Treteknisk Institutt
1
CE-marking of solid wood products
Audun Øvrum, Norwegian Institute of Wood Technology (NTI)
CE-marking is the manufacturer's declaration that a product complies with the
essential requirements of the relevant European health, safety and environmental
protection legislation, in practice by many of the so-called Product Directives. For
wood products it is the Construction Products Directive (CPD) that sets the
requirements. In general CE-marking is a mean for free access for the product in
the European Economic Area. It is not a quality mark, but depending on the use
of the product, some quality aspects may be included in the CE-marking
A manufacturer must perform two things to be allowed to make a declaration for
a product.
1. The product must be tested in an Initial type test (ITT) to determine the
performance of the product.
2. The manufacturer must perform a factory production control (FPC) to ensure
that all produced products conform to ITT.
Every product that the manufacturer brings on to the market must conform to the
ITT.
Both the ITT and FPC are defined in a technical specification. This technical
specification can either be a harmonized product standard, or a European
technical approval (ETA). The latter is usually obtained by using a European
technical guideline (ETAG).
For the sawmilling industry technical specifications have the form of harmonized
standards. In these standards a system for attestation of conformity is outlined.
There are several levels of attestation of conformity, and some levels require an
involvement of a notified body to certify some of the tasks in the attestation of
conformity. The responsibility will however always be on the manufacturer. A
quick summary of these levels are:
System 4
No Notified Body, manufacturer performs every task
System 3
Test labs do the ITT
System 2/2+
FPC certified by a notified body
System 1/1+
Product certificate by a notified body
Notified bodies (NB) are independent third party bodies that are appointed
nationally. These bodies can act in the whole European Economic Area, and a
ce-marking of solid wood products
2006-11-17
Norsk Treteknisk Institutt
2
manufacturer is free to choose whatever NB he or she wants regardless of
nationality of both manufacturer and NB.
The practical implementation of CE-marking is in sum for a manufacturer like
this:
1. Make an initial type test and establish a factory production control for the
product
2. Depending on the product, certify the factory production control or get a
Certification of product conformity.
3. Declare the properties relevant for the product on the product itself, on a label
attached to it, on the packaging or in the accompanying documentation.
4. Make a declaration of conformity.
5. Affix the CE-marking
There are numerous wood products which already have, or in near future will
have, a harmonized standard which make CE-marking possible. The most
common products from saw mills and planer mills are structural timber, wood
flooring and panelling and cladding.
Structural timber is defined in AoC level 2+ in EN 14081, and requires marking on
every piece of timber. The quality requirements are strength class, some
requirements on deformation, fissures, wane, biological features and deviation of
dimensions. There are no specific requirement on moisture content. This standard
is compulsory from 01.09.2007.
Wood flooring is defined in AoC-level 4 in EN 14342, and requires no marking of
pieces, just on accompanying documentation. You should follow one of nine
product standards, which gives some technical requirements on the product like
grading, dimensions, moisture content, deviations and so on. This standard is
compulsory from 01.03.2007.
Panelling and cladding is defined in AoC-level 4 in EN 14915, and requires no
marking of pieces, just on accompanying documentation. It is not required to
follow any product standard, which again results in no technical requirements on
the product. This standard is compulsory sometime in 2008.
For some products and countries additional marking may be relevant. This is
allowed, but this additional marking must give added value to the customer either
by a higher AoC level, or higher quality requirements on the product. The
additional marking must be voluntary and transparent, and must not be in
contradiction, or be confused with the CE-marking.
ce-marking of solid wood products
2006-11-17
Audun Øvrum
Norwegian Institute of Wood Technology (NTI)
Norsk Treteknisk Institutt, www.treteknisk.no
•
•
•
•
General principles
Products
Differences
Practical implementation
•
•
The manufacturer's declaration that the
product complies with the essential
requirements of the relevant European
health, safety and environmental protection
legislation, in practice by many of the socalled Product Directives.
For wood products the Construction
Products Directive (CPD)
• Six essential requirements shall be
addressed
•
•
•
•
•
•
ER 1
ER 2
ER 3
ER 4
ER 5
ER 6
Mechanical resistance and stability
Safety in case of fire
Hygiene, health and environment
Safety in use
Protection against noise
Energy economy and heat retention
Is obligatory for every construction product
placed on the European Market and is based
upon:
•
•
Initial type test
• To determine the performance of the product type
Factory production control
• The permanent internal control of production exercised by
the manufacturer to assure that all produced products
conform to ITT
Every product brought onto the market must conform
to the Initial Type Test.
•
•
•
•
Declare the properties relevant for the
product on the product itself, on a label
attached to it, on the packaging or in the
accompanying documentation
Make a declaration of conformity
• Shall be supplied to the customer on demand
Depending on the product certify the
factory production control
Depending on the product get a
Certification of product conformity
1.
Harmonized product standard from CEN
2.
European Technical Approval (ETA)
• Preferably through a European Technical
Guideline (ETAG)
• Etag 07 Timber frame buildings
• Etag 12 Log building kits
!
Harmonized product
standard
(Made by a
CEN-committee)
Annex ZA
Position paper
(Made by
sector groups)
CE-marking
"
#
• - is a mechanism of the
Construction Products Directive (89/106/CE)
• - MUST be done before the product is placed on
the market
• - the process before the manufacturer can CE mark
his product
• May involve a Notified Body
Main responsibility: The manufacturer
$
•
Third party bodies
•
Appointed nationally
•
Can act in the whole EEA
•
Free choice of Notified Body by manufacturer
Manufacturers
conformity
declaration
Attestation of conformity
Manufacturers
conformity
declaration +
certification of
FPC
Manufacturers
conformity
declaration
accompanied
by Certificate of
product
conformity
System no:
4
Tasks for the
manufacturer
Factory production control
(FPC)
Testing of samples
according to a prescribed
test plan
Initial type testing
Tasks for the
notified body
Initial type testing
Initial inspection of factory
and of FPC
Certification of FPC
Continuous surveillance,
assessment and approval of
FPC
Audit testing of samples
Certificate of product
conformity
3
2+
1
1+
"
#
#%
System 4
No Notified Body
System 3
Test labs
System 2/2+
FPC Certification body
System 1/1+
Product certification Body
Product
Standard no.
Voluntary
Compulsory
Wood based panels
EN 13986
1.4.2003
1.4.2004
Prefabricated structural members
EN 14250
1.9.2005
1.9.2006
Structural LVL
EN 14374
1.9.2005
1.9.2006
Wood flooring
EN 14342
1.3.2006
1.3.2007
Glue laminated timber
EN 14080
1.4.2006
1.4.2007
Structural rectangular timber
EN 14081
1.9.2006
1.9.2007
Solid wood panelling and cladding
EN 14915
Summer 2007
Summer 2008
Finger jointed structural timber
EN 15497
2008?
Impregnated structural timber
EN 15228
2008?
Wood poles for overhead lines
EN 14229
Spring 2008
Spring 2009
Structural round timber
EN 14544
Spring 2008
Spring 2009
Connectors/Fasteners
EN 14545/EN
14592
Spring 2008
Spring 2009
Prefabricated elements
EN 14732
Spring 2008
Spring 2009
&
•
•
•
•
#
In general a mean for free access in the
EEA, not a quality mark
Different meaning for different products
Sometimes a quality mark, but not always
Additional marking still relevant
Some examples
•
•
Based on annex ZA in EN 14081-1
AoC-level 2+, which means that the factory
production control has to certified by a
Notified Body
Declaration of strength class, resistance to
fire and durability
Requires marking of every piece of timber
•
•
a)
c)
b)
PRODUC
CODE
f)
CE
DRY GRADED
e)
NBODY
M
C 24
d)
a) Producer identification
b)Letter 'M'
c) Identification number of notified body
d) Strength class or grade and grading
e) if appropriate
f) Code number to identify documentation
'
•
•
•
•
•
#
&
Initial type test of strength properties of 40
pieces if machine grading
Strength class
Some requirements on deformation,
fissures, wane and biological features
Limits for deviation of dimensions
No specific moisture content
"
CE conformity marking,
consisting of the “CE”-symbol
given in Directive 93/68/EEC.
Identification number of the FPC
certification body
1070
Sawmill Ltd.
Producer identification
0001 Sawmill Town
06
Last two digits of the year in
which the marking was affixed
1070-CPD-000
FPC Certificate number
EN 14081-1
No. of European standard
Structural timber
C24
(T2)
Species code
Grading standard
Reaction to fire
Durability class
Description of product
Dry graded
PCAB
INSTA 142
D-s2, d0
4
and
information on regulated
characteristics
•
•
Based on Annex ZA in EN 14342
Should follow one of nine product
standards
• Technical requirements on the product
•
•
(grading, dimensions, moisture content,
deviations…)
AoC-level 4, which means that the
manufacturer are responsible for
everything
Requires no marking of pieces, just on
accompanying documentation
( ")
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reaction to fire
(tabulated)
Formaldehyde content
(tabulated)
Pentachlorophenol content (tabulated)
Breaking strength
(to be tested
for self supporting floors)
Slipperiness
(to be tested)
Thermal conductivity
(tabulated)
Biological durability
(tabulated)
Possible with NPD (no performance
determined)
"
"CE" symbol given in
Directive 93/68/EEC.
Any Co Ltd
Name or identifying mark
of the producer.
06
Last two digits of the year
in which the marking was
affixed.
EN 14342
Number of this European
Standard.
Solid softwood flooring, to be nailed
Density and thickness:
Reaction to fire:
Emission of formaldehyde
Content of pentachlorophenol
Breaking strength
Slipperiness
Thermal conductivity
Biological durability
500, 25
D fl -s1
E1
> 5 ppm
0,2kN (60 cm)
USRV 100
0,17 W/m K
Class 1
Description of product and
information on regulated
characteristics.
•
•
•
•
Based on Annex ZA in EN 14915
Not required to follow product standards,
but it refers to three different product
standards
• No technical requirements
AoC-level 4, which means that the
manufacturer are responsible for
everything
Requires no marking of pieces, just on
accompanying documentation
( ")
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reaction to fire
(tabulated)
Formaldehyde content
(tabulated)
Pentachlorophenol content (tabulated)
Water vapour permeability (tabulated)
Sound absorption
(tabulated)
Thermal conductivity
(tabulated)
Biological durability
(tabulated)
Possible with NPD (no performance
determined)
"
CE conformity marking,
consisting of the "CE" symbol
given in Directive 93/68/EEC.
Name or identifying mark and
registered address of the
producer.
Any Co Ltd, PO Box 21, B-1050
06
Last two digits of the year in
which the marking was affixed.
EN 14915
Number of this standard.
Solid hardwood panelling and cladding, 1200 x 250 x 12
mm
Intended use: Wall and ceiling panels for internal use
Reaction to fire
D-s1,d0
Density and thickness:
410, 12 / 8
I
WC
PCAB
4 390
0,1/0,3
E1
>5
Description of product and
information on regulated
characteristics.
*
•
•
•
•
•
Wood based panels have been CE-marked
for some years
Some producers have started CE-marking
of truss rafters
Wood flooring companies are
implementing CE-marking as we speak
Some producers of structural timber will be
ready for CE-marking before Christmas
Panelling and cladding probably in the end
of next year
"
•
Conditions
• Added value through:
•
•
•
•
• Higher AoC level
• Higher quality requirements on the product
No contradiction or confusion with CEmarking
Voluntary
Transparent
Is relevant for some countries and some
products
+
"
•
•
•
Not yet
Additional marking will be required by
some customers still
By time CE-marking might be the only
conformity assessment for most products
Thank you for listening!
Norsk Treteknisk Institutt, www.treteknisk.no