TTF Panel Products Review

Client: Timber Trade Federation

Role: Chair of Panel Products Review

Project Manager: Charlie Law

In September 2016, the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) commissioned Sustainable Construction Solutions to act as Chair of their Panel Products Review to examine concerns from both the construction industry and merchant community about the quality of plywood and other panel products imported into the UK market.

As part of this review Sustainable Construction Solutions would look into the specification of plywood and other panel products to assess whether the right products were being specified, and subsequently supplied, for the right applications. This included surveys and workshops with the construction industry looking at:

• What the industry is using plywood and other panel products for?
• What do contractors ask for when specifying plywood?
• What performance does a contractor expect from a particular panel product in various situations, and what issues were arising?
• Is there any difference in expectation for oriented strand board (OSB) products?

In addition, samples were collected from various suppliers and tested by independent laboratories against the requirements of the relevant standards:

• EN 636:2012 + A1:2015 Plywood – Specifications:
  • EN636-1 Dry conditions
  • EN636-2 Humid conditions
  • EN636-3 Exterior conditions
• EN 300:2006 OSB – Definitions, classification and specifications?

The key output from the review was an internal report published in December 2016 which included:

• A review and interpretation of the various panel product standards
• Feedback on the surveys and workshops held with the construction industry
• Results from the panel products testing
• Various recommendations that the panel products industry and construction industry should adopt