Standards and Performance Characteristics for Specific LVL  Applications

This APA guide helps you quickly identify which standards you need for different elements of your building project. It lists essential characteristics, such as bending strength, as well as those that depend on your specific application, such as air permeability. Simply select from the list below. For guidance on moisture content, click here.

The Declaration of Performance supplied by the manufacturer lists the product’s value. For those performance testing requirements that the manufacturer must comply with, click here.  For info on LVL used in loadbearing applications, click here.

• For floors, walls, roofs and non-structural applications, what do I need to comply with?
  • Bending strength
    
    EN 310 specifies a method to determine the bending strength
    EN 326-1 tells you how to express and present test results
  • Bending stiffness (structural only)
    
    EN 310 specifies a method to determine the bending strength
    EN 326-1 tells you how to express and present test results
  • Bonding quality
    
    EN 314-1 specifies how to determine bond quality
    EN 314-2 specifies requirements for bond classes
  • Durability in terms of moisture resistance
    
    EN 314-1 specifies how to determine bind quality
    EN 314-2 specifies requirements for bond classes
  • Reaction to Fire (floors, walls & roofs only)
    
    EN 13501-1 provides the reaction to fire classification procedure
    EN 13986 Table 8 specifies classes of reaction to fire performance
  • Water vapour permeability (except non-structural)
    
    EN ISO 12572 determines water vapour transmission properties by the cup method
    EN 13986 Table 9 provides the water vapour resistance factors
  • Release of formaldehyde (Class E1)
    
    EN717-1 specifies a method for determining formaldehyde emissions by the chamber method
    EN 717-2 specifies a method for determining formaldehyde emission by the gas analysis method
    EN ISO 1240-3 specifies a method for determining formaldehyde emission by the gas
    analysis method
  • Biological durability
    
    EN 335 defines the Use Classes representing different service classes
  • Content of pentachlorophenol
    
    CEN/TR 14823 provides a test method to determine the pentachlorophenol content
  • Embedment strength (floors, walls & roofs only)
    
    EN 383 How to determine the embedment strength of fasteners
• What other essentials do I need to check for structural use?
  Strength and stiffness for structural use
  EN 789 specifies a method to determine mechanical properties
  EN 1058 specifies a method to determine the characteristic five percentile values for mechanical properties and 50 percentile values for physical properties from test data
  EN 12369-2 provides information on the characteristic values for use in designing structureMechanical durability
  EN 1156 specifies a method for determining duration of load and creep factors
  EN 1995-1-1 gives values for modification factors kmod and kdefStrength and stiffness under point load (floors & roofs only)
  EN 1195 specifies how to determine the strength and stiffness under a point load
  EN 12871 specifies a procedure for determining the performance characteristics through type testingImpact resistance (floors, roofs & wall sheathing)
  EN 1195 specifies how to determine the strength and stiffness under a point load
  EN 12871 specifies a procedure for determining the performance characteristics through type testing
  EN 596 specifies a method of test for soft body impact
• If LVL is part of the wall structure, is there anything specific I need to test it for?
  Impact resistance for structural use
  EN 1195 specifies how to determine the strength and stiffness under a point load
  EN 12871 specifies a procedure for determining the performance characteristics through type testing
  EN 596 specifies a method of test for soft body impactRacking resistance
  EN 594 How to determine rack resistance
• Acoustic sound is an important part of my building project – what do I need to account for?
  Airborne sound insulation
  EN 13985 Clause 5.10 provides an equation to determine the airborne sound insulation valueSound absorption
  EN ISO 354 specifies how to determine the sound absorption coefficient
  EN 13986 Table 10 provides the sound absorption coefficients for a given frequency range
• What about air permeability if I use LVL in properties over a certain size (500 m2)?

  Air permeability
  EN 12114 determination of and how to express the air permeability coefficient

• How do I determine the thermal conductivity of LVL?

  EN 12664 specifies how to determine the thermal conductivity value
  EN 13986 Table 11 provides the thermal conductivity in relation to density

• I am installing industrial shelving and other non-construction features – what standards do I need to meet?

  Strength and stiffness for structural use
  EN 789 specifies a method to determine mechanical properties
  EN 1058 specifies a method to determine the characteristic five percentile values for mechanical properties and 50 percentile values for physical properties from test data
  EN 12369-2 provides information on the characteristic values for use in designing structure

  Strength and stiffness under point load
  EN 1195 specifies how to determine the strength and stiffness under a point load
  EN 12871 specifies a procedure for determining the performance characteristics through type testing

  Impact resistance under point load
  EN 1195 specifies how to determine the strength and stiffness under a point load
  EN 12871 specifies a procedure for determining the performance characteristics through type testing
  EN 596 specifies a method of test for soft body impact