PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

The APA panel trademark explained

TAPA provides a lot of useful information for builders and specifiers. APA trademar ed panels are suitable for a variety of end uses including sub ooring, single-layer ooring, wall and roof sheathing, ceiling dec sheathing and more. Panels can be manufactured in a variety of finishes, thic nesses and bond classifications depending on the intended application.

APA Performance Rated Panels are easy to use and specify since the recommended end use and other helpful information is clearly indicated in the trademar located on the panel. APA he Engineered Wood Association provides guidance on interpreting the APA trademar to help you select and specify the right panel for the ob. 1. Panel Grade

Structural panel grades are generally identified in terms of the plywood veneer grades used on the face and bac of the panel e.g., A-B, B-C , or by a name suggesting the panel s intended end use e.g., APA Rated Sheathing, APA Rated Sturd-I-Floor also nown as single oor . eneer grades define veneer attributes in terms of natural unrepaired growth characteristics and allowable number and size of repairs that may be made during manufacture. he highest uality veneer grade commonly available is A. he minimum grade of veneer permitted in Exterior plywood is C-grade. -grade veneer is only permitted to be used in panels intended for applications protected from long-term exposure to weather. 2. Span Rating he span rating for APA Rated Sheathing is presented as two numbers separated by a slash. he left-hand number is the maximum recommended center-to-center spacing for supports in inches when the panel is used for roof sheathing with long dimensions across supports. he right-hand number is the maximum center-to-center spacing of supports in inches when the panel is used for sub ooring with the long dimension across supports. he span rating on APA Rated Sturd-I-Floor underlayment and APA Rated Siding panels appears as a single number. Span ratings for APA Rated Sturdi-I-Floor and underlayment panels, li e those for APA Rated Sheathing, are based on application of the panel with the long dimension or strength axis across three or more supports.

4 n lassi ati n

APA trademar ed panels may be produced in two moisture-resistant bond classifi cations Exterior and Exposure . he classifi cations are based on the severity and duration of weather and moisture exposure the panels are designed to withstand, and the wood materials and adhesives used in manufacture.

Exterior Panels ave bonds capable of withstanding repeated wetting and redrying or long-term exposure to weather or other conditions of similar severity.

Exposure 1 Panels Suitable for uses not involving longterm exposure to weather. Panels classifi ed as Exposure are intended to resist the eff ects of moisture on structural performance during construction or similar conditions. Exposure panels may also be used when exposure to the outdoors is protected from direct exposure, such as the underside of panels at roof overhangs, although appearance characteristics of the panel grade should also be considered. Exposure panels are made with the same exterior adhesives used in Exterior panels. owever, because other panel compositional factors may aff ect bond performance, only Exterior panels should be used for long-term exposure to the weather. 5. Decimal Thickness Declaration his value is generally at or near the lower tolerance specifi ed in PS or PS . 6. Mill Number

Manufacturing mill identifi cation number. 7. Product Standard

An industry product manufacturing or performance specifi cation. oluntary Product Standard PS - for Structural Plywood was developed cooperatively by the plywood industry and U.S. epartment of Commerce. oluntary Product Standard PS - , Performance Standard for Wood Structural Panels, establishes performance criteria for specifi c designated construction applications. 8. Performance Category he term “Performance Category” is a panel designation related to the panel thic ness range that is lin ed to the nominal panel thic ness designations used in the International Building Code IBC and International Residential Code IRC . 9. Siding Face Grade he grade identifi cation of siding face based on the number of repairs and appearance characteristics. 10. Group Number

Structural plywood can be manufactured from over species of wood. hese species are divided based on strength and stiff ness into fi ve groups under PS . Strongest species are in Group , the next strongest in Group and so on. he group number that appears in the trademar on some APA trademar ed panels, primarily panels with no span rating, is based on the species used for face and bac veneers or upon e uivalent strength testing of the panel. Chec local availability if a particular species is desired. 11. HUD Recognition

Recognition of wood-based Performance Rated panels is contained in Use of Materials Bulletin UM- . 12. Panel Grade–Canadian Standard

Some APA panels are manufactured to both U.S. and Canadian standards and carry a dual mar , as shown in the Rated Sheathing mar above. ther panels may carry a single mar for either the U.S. or Canadian standard. 13. Panel Mark

Rating and end-use designation, Canadian standard. In the Canadian span mar ing, the “R” signifi es roofs and the “F” represents sub oors. 14. Canadian Construction Sheathing Standard 15. Panel Face Orientation Indicator

– Learn more and download a free printable copy of APA’s panel trademark guide at www.apawood.org.