prEN 205

• Abstract:

  This European Standard specifies tests for adhesives for wood and derived timber products for the assessment of their resistance to hot and cold water. It can be used for the assessment of the strength of bonds with a thin bond-line. It does not apply to adhesives for structural use or to the manufacture of particleboards, fibreboards and plywood. It does not replace tests on finished products.

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 28-Mar-2028
• ICS: 83.180 - Adhesives
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 193 - Adhesives
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 193/SC 1/WG 12 - Adhesives for non-loadbearing timber structures
• Current Stage: 4020 - Submission to enquiry - Enquiry
• Start Date: 13-Aug-2026
• Due Date: 11-Nov-2026
• Completion Date: 13-Aug-2026
• Ref Project: oSIST prEN 205:2026 - Adhesives - Wood adhesives for non-structural applications - Determination of tensile shear strength of lap joints

• Revises: EN 205:2016 - Adhesives - Wood adhesives for non-structural applications - Determination of tensile shear strength of lap joints
• Effective Date: 19-Jan-2023

Overview

prEN 205:2026 is a draft European Standard developed by CEN/TC 193, focused on adhesives for wood and derived timber products in non-structural applications. The primary objective of this standard is to establish a method for determining the tensile shear strength of lap joints using wood adhesives, ensuring consistency in assessment and quality control across Europe.

This standard is applicable to adhesives used with thin bond lines and assesses their resistance to hot and cold water. It is not intended for structural adhesives, or for adhesives used in particleboards, fibreboards, and plywood manufacturing. Additionally, prEN 205 does not substitute for finished product testing but provides a robust methodology for evaluating the performance of wood adhesives under controlled laboratory conditions.

Key Topics

• Tensile Shear Strength Testing: Defines standardized procedures for preparing and testing single lap joints bonded with wood adhesives, measuring the force required to rupture the bond.
• Sample Preparation: Specifies the type of wood, grain orientation, dimensions, and conditioning requirements to ensure reliable and reproducible results.
• Bond Line Thickness: Focuses on adhesives applied in thin layers (nominally 0.1 mm), reflecting typical non-structural woodworking practices.
• Conditioning Sequences: Outlines hot and cold water resistance testing, as well as standard climate conditioning, enabling classification of adhesives for various durability requirements.
• Test Apparatus: Requires the use of constant-rate-of-traverse machines in accordance with ISO 5893, ensuring precise shear force measurements.
• Reporting Requirements: Details comprehensive guidance on documenting adhesive identity, bonding process, wood characteristics, assembly parameters, and complete test data for traceability.

Applications

prEN 205 is widely used in industries where wood adhesives play a crucial role but structural integrity is not the primary concern. Key applications include:

• Furniture Manufacturing: Evaluation of adhesive bonds in furniture components where strength, durability, and appearance are essential.
• Interior Joinery: Testing adhesives for doors, cabinets, and trim that require strong, water-resistant joints but are not load-bearing.
• Wood-based Panels: Assessing adhesives for decorative panels, veneers, and non-structural wood composites.
• Quality Control and Product Development: Enables manufacturers to benchmark adhesive performance, optimize bonding processes, and classify products according to European durability standards (such as EN 204 for thermoplastic and EN 12765 for thermosetting adhesives).
• Conformance with EU Regulations: Adoption of prEN 205 facilitates compliance with European market requirements and supports manufacturers in demonstrating product reliability.

Related Standards

To provide a comprehensive evaluation of wood adhesives, prEN 205 references and complements several other European and international standards:

• EN 204: Classification of thermoplastic wood adhesives for non-structural applications.
• EN 12765: Classification of thermosetting wood adhesives for non-structural applications.
• EN 17619: Classification for exterior use wood adhesives.
• EN 923: Adhesives - Terms and definitions.
• EN 14257: Determination of tensile strength at elevated temperature (WATT ’91).
• ISO 5893: Specification of tensile, flexural, and compression test apparatus.
• ISO 6344-2: Determination and designation of abrasive grain size.
• EN ISO 6076: Specification for adhesive application equipment (trowel notch sizes).

By following prEN 205, manufacturers, laboratories, and certification bodies gain a consistent method for the comparative evaluation, classification, and continuous improvement of wood adhesives in non-structural applications. This standard reinforces product quality, supports innovation, and enhances consumer confidence in wood products across Europe.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2026
Lepila - Lepila za les za nekonstrukcijsko uporabo - Ugotavljanje natezno-strižne
trdnosti spojev s preklopom
Adhesives - Wood adhesives for non-structural applications - Determination of tensile
shear strength of lap joints
Klebstoffe - Holzklebstoffe für nichttragende Anwendungen - Bestimmung der
Klebfestigkeit von Längsklebungen im Zugversuch
Adhésifs - Colles pour bois à usages non structuraux - Détermination de la résistance au
cisaillement en traction des joints à recouvrement
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 205
ICS:
83.180 Lepila Adhesives
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
August 2026
ICS 83.180 Will supersede EN 205:2016
English Version
Adhesives - Wood adhesives for non-structural
applications - Determination of tensile shear strength of
lap joints
Adhésifs - Colles pour bois à usages non structuraux - Klebstoffe - Holzklebstoffe für nichttragende
Détermination de la résistance au cisaillement en Anwendungen - Bestimmung der Klebfestigkeit von
traction des joints à recouvrement Längsklebungen im Zugversuch
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 193.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 205:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Principle . 5
5 Apparatus . 6
6 Procedure . 6
6.1 Preparation of the panels . 6
6.2 Preparation of bonded assemblies . 6
6.3 Preparation of test pieces . 8
6.4 Number of test pieces . 9
6.5 Treatment prior to tensile shear testing . 9
6.6 Tensile shear test . 9
7 Expression of results . 9
8 Test report . 9
Annex A (informative) Single lap joint test pieces . 11
Annex B (informative) Examples of adhesive application equipment and devices to handle
the specimen during conditioning sequences . 12
Bibliography . 16

European foreword
This document (prEN 205:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 193 “Adhesives”,
the secretariat of which is held by UNE.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 205:2016.
Compared to EN 205:2016 the following modifications have been made:
a) in the scope it is specified that the standard is relevant to assess the strength of bonds with a thin
bond line;
b) in Clause 3 the definition relevant to “open assembly time” was added;
c) in Clause 5, updating of testing machine apparatus;
d) in Clause 6.1 specific details to correlate standard climates and wood moisture contents was
introduced;
e) in Clause 6.2 a clearer explanation about adhesive spread was introduced;
f) in Clause 6.3 a new title for Figure 2 was introduced;
g) New Annex B “Examples of adhesive application equipment and devices to handle the specimen
during conditioning sequences” was introduced;
h) in Clause 6.6 rate of traverse for each durability class was introduced.
Introduction
European Standards giving a common classification with respect to durability classes for wood adhesives
will allow considerable improvement in consumer protection in any future product liability system with
regard to properties guaranteed by the adhesive manufacturer.
The methods described in this document are suitable for the following and other applications:
— assessing the usability and quality of adhesives for wood and derived timber products for non-
structural applications;
— classifying these adhesives into the durability classes:
— D1 to D4 of EN 204 (thermoplastic adhesives),
— C1 to C4 of EN 12765 (thermosetting adhesives),
— XT5 to XT7 of EN 17619 (wood adhesives for exterior use);
— assessing effects on the bond strength resulting from the bonding conditions chosen, the various
conditioning sequences and the treatment of the test pieces before and after bonding;
— testing heat resistance of thermoplastic wood adhesives according to EN 14257 (WATT ’91).
SAFETY STATEMENT — Persons using this document should be familiar with the normal
laboratory practice, if applicable. This document does not purport to address all of the safety
problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user to establish appropriate
safety and health practices and to ensure compliance with any regulatory conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT — It is understood that some of the material permitted in this
document may have negative environmental impact. As technological advantages lead to
acceptable alternatives for these materials, they will be eliminated from this document to the
extent possible.
At the end of the test, it is essential that the user of the standard take care to carry out an
appropriate disposal of the wastes, according to local regulation.
1 Scope
This document specifies tests for adhesives for wood and derived timber products for the assessment of
their resistance to hot and cold water. It is used for the assessment of the strength of bonds with a thin
bond-line. It does not apply to adhesives for structural use or to the manufacture of particleboards,
fibreboards and plywood. It does not replace tests on finished products.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 204, Classification of thermoplastic wood adhesives for non-structural applications
EN 923, Adhesives — Terms and definitions
EN 12765, Classification of thermosetting wood adhesives for non-structural applications
EN 17619, Classification of wood adhesives for non-structural timber products for exterior use
ISO 5893, Rubber and plastics test equipment — Tensile, flexural and compression types (constant rate of
traverse) — Specification
ISO 13061-2:2014/Amd 1:2017, Physical and mechanical properties of wood — Test methods for small
clear wood specimens — Part 2: Determination of density for physical and mechanical tests
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 923 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
thin bond line
close contact adhesive joint where the adhesive layer is nominally 0,1 mm thick
3.2
open assembly time
maximum interval between adhesive application to the adherends a
...