CE-marking of solid wood productsAudun 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
Norsk Treteknisk Institutt, www.treteknisk.no


• 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 so- called Product Directives.
• For wood products the Construction Products Directive (CPD)


• 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
Is obligatory for every construction product placed on the European Market and is based upon:

• 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


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
• - 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
• Free choice of Notified Body by manufacturer
Manufacturers conformity declaration + certification of FPC
Certificate of product conformity
Audit testing of samples
Certification of FPC
Initial type testing
Factory production control (FPC)
Tasks for the manufacturer
Manufacturers conformity declaration
Attestation of conformity
2008?EN 15228Impregnated structural timber
Connectors/Fasteners
Spring 2009EN 14229Wood poles for overhead lines
Summer 2008EN 14915Solid wood panelling and cladding
1.9.2007EN 14081Structural rectangular timber
1.4.2007EN 14080Glue laminated timber
&# &# &# &#

• 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) a) Producer identification
b)Letter 'M' b) c) Identification number of notified body
NBODY d) Strength class or grade and grading PRODUC e) if appropriate
CODE CE M f) Code number to identify documentation DRY GRADED C 24
f) e) d)
'#'#'#'#& & & &

• Initial type test of strength properties of 40 pieces if machine grading
• Strength class • Some requirements on deformation,
" " " "
1070
CE conformity marking, consisting of the “CE”-symbol given in Directive 93/68/EEC.
Identification number of the FPC certification body
Sawmill Ltd.
Producer identification
Last two digits of the year in which the marking was affixed
FPC Certificate number
EN 14081-1
Structural timber C24 (T2) Dry graded Species code PCAB Grading standard INSTA 142 Reaction to fire D-s2, d0 Durability class 4
No. of European standard

• 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
(") (") (") (")

for self supporting floors) • Slipperiness (to be tested) • Thermal conductivity (tabulated) • Biological durability (tabulated) Possible with NPD (no performance
determined)
Any Co Ltd
Name or identifying mark of the producer.
Last two digits of the year in which the marking was
affixed.
Density and thickness: 500, 25
Reaction to fire: Dfl-s1
Emission of formaldehyde E1
Slipperiness USRV 100
Biological durability 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
(") (") (") (")


determined)
""""
CE conformity marking, consisting of the "CE" symbol given in Directive 93/68/EEC.
Any Co Ltd, PO Box 21, B-1050
06
producer.
Last two digits of the year in which the marking was affixed.
EN 14915
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
I WC PCAB 4 390 0,1/0,3 E1 >5
Number of this standard.
characteristics.
• 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
" " " "
• No contradiction or confusion with CE- marking
• Voluntary • Transparent
+ + + +
" " " "
some customers still • By time CE-marking might be the only
conformity assessment for most products
Norsk Treteknisk Institutt, www.treteknisk.no
Thank you for listening!