Building Code Standards
Third-Party Inspection by an ALSC-Accredited Agency
To meet the requirements of building codes, treated wood must be identified by the quality mark of an accredited American Lumber Standard Committee inspection agency. Each qualified agency has its own mark, which can be located in different positions on the ink stamp or end tag. In the past, it was sometimes difficult for code officials, building material dealers, and contractors to find the mark among the other bits of information. A torturous search is no longer necessary.
Just check for it. Now,
it is only necessary to look for the box of the CheckMark® Quality
Assurance Identification Program. This trademarked symbol may be used only
by accredited inspection agencies. They can place their logo within the
square next to the check mark.
ALSC-accredited inspection agencies
August 2005
Agencies accredited by the Board of Review of the American Lumber Standard Committee, Incorporated and typical quality marks.
Interpreting a Quality Mark
- The identifying symbol, logo or name of the accredited agency.
- The applicable American Wood–Preservers’ Association (AWPA) commodity Standard and/or Use Category.
- The year of treatment if required by AWPA Standard/Use category.
- The preservative used, which may be abbreviated.
- The preservative retention.
- The exposure category (e.g. Above Ground, Ground Contact, etc.).
- The company name and location of home office; or company name and number; or company number.
- If applicable, moisture content after treatment.
- If applicable, length, and/or class.
As specified below for particular agencies, some or all of the following American Wood–Preservers’ Association commodity standards are used by American Lumber Standard Committee, Incorporated accredited agencies which supervise facilities which pressure treat wood products:
| C1 | All Timber Products — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C2 | Lumber, Timbers, Bridge Ties and Mine Ties — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C3 | Piles — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C4 | Poles — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C5 | Fence Posts — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C6 | Crossties and Switch Ties — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Process |
| C9 | Plywood — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C15 | Wood for Commercial-Residential Construction — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C17 | Playground Equipment Treated with Inorganic Preservatives — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C18 | Standard for Pressure Treated Material in Marine Construction |
| C22 | Lumber and Plywood for Permanent Wood Foundations — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C23 | Round Poles and Posts used in Building Construction — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C24 | Sawn Timber Used to Support Residential and Commercial Structures |
| C25 | Sawn Crossarms — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Process |
| C28 | Standard for Preservative Treatment by Pressure Process of Structural Glued Laminated Members and Laminations Before Gluing |
| C31 | Lumber Used Out of Contact With the Ground and Continuously Protected from Liquid Water — Treatment by Pressure Processes |
| C33 | Standard for Preservative Treatment of Structural Composite Lumber by Pressure Processes |
| C34 | Shakes and Shingles — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes |
AWPA Use Categories and Corresponding AWPA Commodity Standards ***
| AWPA Use Category (UC) |
Use Category Service Conditions | Corresponding AWPA Commodity Standard (C) |
| UC1 | Interior construction, dry, above ground | C1, C2, C15, C28, C31 |
| UC2 | Interior construction, damp above ground | C1, C2, C9, C15, C25, C28, C31 |
| UC3A | Exterior construction, coated, above ground | C1, C2, C15, C34 |
| UC3B | Exterior construction, above ground | C1, C2, C9, C15, C28, C33, C34 |
| UC4A | Ground contact or fresh water | C1, C2, C4, C5, C6, C9, C15, C17, C28, C33 |
| UC4B | Ground contact or fresh water or important construction components | C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C15, C22, C23, C24, C28, C33 |
| UC4C | Ground contact or fresh water or critical construction components | C1, C2, C3, C4, C6, C24, C28, C33 |
| UC5A, UC5B, UC5C | Salt or brackish water and adjacent mud zone |
C1, C2, C3, C9, C18 |
*** For additional information concerning the AWPA Use Category and Commodity Standard treatment requirements contact the American Wood-Preservers’ Association, P.O. Box 338, Selma, AL 36702 (Telephone: 334-874-9800, Fax: 334-874-9008, E-Mail: email@awpa.com; Web Site: www.awpa.com.) |
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| As specified in the following tables, some or all of the following preservatives are used: | KEY TO THE FOLLOWING TABLES |
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CCA -
ACA - ACZA - ACC - ACQ - COPPER NAP - PENTA - CREOSOTE - BORATE - CBA/CA - CC - CDDC - |
chromated copper arsenate ammoniacal copper arsenate ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate acid copper chromate ammoniacal/alkali copper quat. copper naphthenate pentachlorophenol creosote and/or solutions borates copper azole ammoniacal copper citrate copper bis (dimethyldithiocarbamate) |
1 - 2 - 3 - R - SP - RP - PP - HF - DF - LP - WH - RDP - CP - EWP - JP - |
sawn material and plywood plywood only sawn material only round commodities southern pine red pine ponderosa pine hem-fir coastal Douglas fir lodgepole pine western hemlock radiata pine caribbean pine eastern white pine jack pine |
| ACCREDITED AGENCY AND ADDRESSES | TYPICAL QUALITY MARK | TABLE OF COMMODITIES, BY SPECIES & PRESERVATIVE (See Key) |
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Bode Inspection, Inc. |
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Canadian Softwood Inspection Agency, Inc. |
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Florida Lumber Inspection Service |
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Northeastern
Lumber Manufacturer's Association, Inc. |
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Northern Softwood Lumber Bureau |
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PFS Corporation |
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Southern
Pine Inspection Bureau |
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Southern Pine Inspection Bureau maintains a laboratory accredited for the analysis of wood samples pressure treated with the following preservative(s): CCA, ACC, ACZA, BORATE, PENTA, CREOSOTE, CBA/CA, and ACQ. |
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Timber
Products Inspection |
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Timber Products Inspection maintains a laboratory accredited for the analysis of wood samples pressure treated with the following preservative(s): CCA, ACA, ACZA, ACC, ACQ, COPPER NAP, PENTA, CREOSOTE, BORATE, CBA/CA, CC, and CDDC. |
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American Lumber Standard Committee, Incorporated
PO Box 210, Germantown, MD 20875-0210
301-972-1700 ~ fax 301-540-8004 ~ email: alsc@alsc.org
~ url: www.alsc.org
2009-2010© Conrad Lumber Company. All rights reserved.