Proposed Voluntary Product Standard PS 2-25, Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is distributing for public comment a proposed revision of Voluntary Product Standard PS 2-25, Performance Standard for ...
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION:
Notice of availability; request for comments.
SUMMARY:
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is distributing for public comment a proposed revision of Voluntary Product Standard PS 2-25,
Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels.
The revisions to the standard were coordinated by the APA—The Engineered Wood Association, (formally known as the American Plywood Association), prepared by the Standard Review Committee, and approved by the PS 2 Standing Committee. The proposed standard would establish the physical properties and structural performance criteria for assessing the acceptability of wood structural panels primarily used for construction sheathing and single floor applications and provide a basis for common understanding among the manufacturers, distributors, and users of these products. Interested parties are invited to review the proposed standard and submit comments to NIST.
DATES:
Written comments regarding the proposed revision, PS 2-25,
Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels,
should be submitted to the Standards Coordination Office, NIST, no later than October 13, 2026. Written comments should be submitted according to the instructions in the
ADDRESSES
section below. Submissions received after that date may not be considered.
ADDRESSES:
An electronic copy (an Adobe Acrobat File) of the proposed standard, PS 2-25,
Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels,
can be obtained at the following website
www.nist.gov/standardsgov/voluntary-product-standards-program.
This site also includes an electronic copy of PS 2-18 (the existing standard). Written comments on the proposed revision should be submitted to Nathalie Rioux, Standards Coordination Office, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2100. Electronic comments may be submitted to
standards@nist.gov.
Instructions:
Attachments will be accepted in plain text, Microsoft Word, or Adobe PDF formats. Comments containing references, studies, research, and other empirical data that are not widely published should include copies of, or electronic links to, the referenced materials.
All submissions, including attachments and other supporting materials, will become part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. All comments responding to this document will be a matter of public record. Relevant comments will generally be available during and after the comment period closes on NIST's website at
www.nist.gov/standardsgov/voluntary-product-standards-program.
NIST will not accept comments accompanied by a request that part or all of the material be treated confidentially because of its business proprietary nature or for any other reason.
Therefore, commenters should not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive, protected, or personal information, such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, or any other information they do not wish to be posted publicly (
e.g.,
personal or confidential business information).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nathalie Rioux, Standards Coordination Office, National Institute of Standards and Technology, telephone: (240) 751-6225; email:
standards@nist.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Voluntary Product Standard PS 2-25,
Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels,
would establish requirements, for those who choose to adhere to the standard, for structural panels. This standard would establish the performance requirements regarding adhesive bond performance, panel construction and workmanship, dimensions and tolerances, and moisture content of wood structural panels intended for construction sheathing and single floor end uses as well as the certification and marking requirements for panels.
The proposed revision of the standard has been developed and is being processed in accordance with 15 CFR part 10,
Procedures for the Development of Voluntary Product Standards.
The Standing Committee for PS 2-25 is responsible for maintaining, revising, and interpreting the standard and comprises producers, distributors, users, and others with an interest in the standard.
After reviewing the standard, the Committee determined that updates were needed to reflect current industry practices. The Committee held meetings to review the standard and make needed changes.
The PS 2 Standing Committee voted on the revision, and it was approved by 100% of the eighteen voting members. The Committee submitted a report to NIST with the voting results and the draft revised standard. NIST has determined that the revised standard should be issued for public comment. Section C5 of PS 2-25 contains a summary of significant changes.
Proposed Voluntary Product Standard PS 2-25,
Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels,
revises PS 2-18 and includes the following changes:
1. Added definitions of Lot, Span Rating, and Veneer.
2. Added Bending Strength information in 6.4.2.1.
3. Added 3/8 Category 24/0 in Table 4.
4. Updated Figure 6 to fix the conversion of units; updated Figure 7 to fix “mm” that was cutoff in the image; updated Flowchart in Appendix B by changing Small Bending to Small Static Bending.
5. Updated test procedure for Static Bending Stiffness capacity by updating what each term in the equation refers to.
6. Updated Section 8 Marking and Certification by adding a subsection on Accredited Certification Agency; revising Qualified Inspection and Testing Agency subsection and adding a subsection on Accredited Inspection Agency and a subsection on Accredited Testing Laboratory; adding a subsection on Outsourcing (Subcontracting).
7. Added Section 9 on Quality Assurance Requirements which included adding the following subsections Manufacturing Quality Program, Inspection and Test Program, Sampling and Corrective Action.
The Standing Committee for PS 2-25 and NIST propose to revise the standard accordingly after reviewing public comments. NIST will publish a notice advising the public when PS 2-25 has been finalized.
www.nist.gov/standardsgov/voluntary-product-standards-program
15 CFR part 10