Under the umbrella of the European Committee for Standardization, the standardisation work related to the durability, protection and performance of wood and wood-based materials is managed by the European Technical Committee CEN/TC 38 ‘Durability of wood and wood-based products’, created in 1965.
So far, some fifty standards have been adopted by CEN/TC 38, dealing with aspects related to terminology, general concepts such as wood natural durability (EN 350) and use classes (EN 335), testing and evaluation of wood preservatives, analytical methods, biological tests, classifications and specifications in accordance with the market needs and European regulations. Political, economic, social, technical, legal and international factors either directly prompt the standardisation activities proposed by CEN/TC 38 or at least significantly influence them.
This committee is currently chaired by Dr Magdalena Kutnik of the FCBA in France.
Within CEN/TC 38 there are 8 working groups:
CEN/TC 38/WG 21 Durability - Classification ( Use classes-natural durability)
CEN/TC 38/WG 22 Performance - Assessment and specifications (treated wood - Wood preservatives)
CEN/TC 38/WG 23 Fungal testing (basidiomycetes-microfungi)
CEN/TC 38/WG 24 Insect testing - (beetles - termites)
CEN/TC 38/WG 25 External Factors and Preconditioning
CEN/TC 38/WG 26 Physical/chemical factors (analytical methods)
CEN/TC 38/WG 27 Exposure Aspects
CEN/TC 38/WG 28 Performance classification
To view the current Work Programme of CEN/TC38 please click here
To access the Published Standards the fall under the activities of CEN/TC 38 please click here.
To directly access the home page for CEN/TC38 click here.