I refer to the article ‘Brazil certifies structural ply’ (TTJ November 18). I really welcome improvement in the production standard of any plywood. However, this move by the Brazilian National Program of Plywood Quality is only a first step.
It is not correct to describe Brazilian elliottii plywood as being ‘structural’. The official meaning given in the Dictionary of Building describes the word structural as being ‘concerned with strength as eg the parts of a building which carry loads in addition to their own weight’. For plywood to be regarded as being ‘structural’ it must have had design values agreed by the B/525/5 Committee of the BSI and then to have such information physically published in the standard BS 5268-2. This has not yet been achieved by Brazilian elliottii plywood.
The Brazilian National Program of Plywood Quality is only certifying a production standard to which mills are being asked to manufacture their plywood. A factory production control system has then to be established and regularly policed. Documented evidence of such action must be filed in case verification is requested. Once this is in place, only then can the mill proceed to the next step of determining design values for its plywood.
As no Brazilian mills have yet had any design values agreed by the BSI committee then we cannot describe any of their production as being ‘structural’.
