UK National Structural Timber Specification (NSTS)

The UK’s National Structural Timber Specification (NSTS) provides the construction industry with a set of best practice guidelines.

It has been produced by the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA) as a step towards a national specification for structural timber.  You can access it by registering on the TRADA website. The NSTS Guidance section includes documents in TRADA’s Wood Information library which are also available once registered.

The NSTS needs to be read in conjunction with TRADA’s Project Specification as this includes additional project specific data.

See checklist below for matching  APA products, NSTS material clause number and the relevant EU standard:

APA CE Marked Structural Products	NSTS Material Clause No.	European Standard
Plywood	5.2.5	EN 13986
OSB	5.2.4	EN 13986
LVL	5.2.3	EN 14374
I-joists	5.3.1	See individual manufacturers appropriate European Technical Assessment
Glued laminated timber	5.2.2	EN 14080
Cross-laminated timber	5.2.7	Refer to the appropriate European Technical Assessment from each manufacturer
Structural softwood lumber	5.2.1	EN 14081-1
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS)	5.4.2	Refer to the appropriate European Technical Assessment from each manufacturer

TRADA’s Project Specification covers such areas as:

• Information required by the timber contractor
• Information to be supplied by the timber contractor
• Materials
• General workmanship
• Fabrication
• Protective treatments and finishes
• Quality assurance.