"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 19:57:48 +0100, "G&M"
wrote:

As far as I'm aware unless it's TRADA stamped your friendly BCO will tell
you to take it down.

No. Or at least, only if the architect has called for some particular
grading. There's no general rule thgat says ungraded timber can't be
used for building work.

Okay. Here's my reasoning. Compliance with the Construction Products
Directive (CPD) is mandatory for all items of construction which are
'intended to be incorporated permanently in the works', i.e. building or
structure.

BM TRADA is the only authority I am aware in the UK who can give this
compliance, though of course there are others in other EU countries.

In any case CE marking of constructional materials will become mandatory in
due course so unless you cut the tree down and prepare it yourself I don't
see how one can use ungraded wood after that. That doesn't mean that
'green' oak can't be used, just that it has to be checked it complies with
some standard.



At the high-end though, grading is irrelevant and inappropriate. It's
the _carpenter's_ job to understand the timber they're working with,
and to build competently with it.

Agreed - but EU rules generally don't assume best practices :-)