ISO 10983:2014

Timber — Finger joints — Minimum production requirements and testing methods

ISO 10983:2014 specifies minimum requirements for the manufacture and testing of bonded finger joints in structural wood products such as glued laminated timber, cross-laminated timber, and finger-jointed timber. Although most finger joints are produced in coniferous species (softwoods), ISO 10983:2014 also applies to broadleafed species (hardwoods) where information is available to enable them to be satisfactorily bonded. It does not cover impressed (die-formed) joints and, in the case of laminated timber products, it applies only to individual laminations. Large finger joints in glued laminated timber are not covered by ISO 10983:2014.

Bois — Aboutages — Exigences minimales de production et méthodes d'essais

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 21-Apr-2014
• ICS: 91.080.20 - Timber structures
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 165 - Timber structures
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 165 - Timber structures
• Current Stage: 9020 - International Standard under periodical review
• Start Date: 15-Oct-2024
• Completion Date: 15-Oct-2024

Relations

• Revises: ISO 10983:1999 - Timber structures — Solid timber finger-jointing — Production requirements
• Effective Date: 09-Oct-2010

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 10983
Second edition
2014-04-15
Timber — Finger joints — Minimum
production requirements and testing
methods
Bois — Aboutages — Exigences minimales de production et méthodes
d’essais
Reference number
©
ISO 2014
© ISO 2014
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail [e-mail]
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Symbols . 2
5 Production requirements . 2
5.1 General . 2
5.2 Timber . 2
5.3 Adhesive . 3
5.4 Processing . 3
5.5 Quality control . 4
6 Testing requirements . 5
6.1 General . 5
6.2 Materials . 5
6.3 Testing procedure . 5
6.4 Recording requirements . 5
6.5 Qualification testing . 6
6.6 Compliance testing . 6
Annex A (normative) Finger-joint bending test . 8
Annex B (normative) Finger-joint tension test .11
Annex C (informative) Proof-loading of finger joints in bending .13
Annex D (informative) Proof-loading of finger joints in tension .15
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 165, Timber structures.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 10983:1999), which has been technically
revised.
iv © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Introduction
This International Standard sets out minimum production and testing requirements for structural
finger joints. It includes requirements for documentation of manufacturing and test procedures in a
quality manual to ensure ongoing consistent quality. TC 165 is not prepared to recommend the use of
finger joints in structural timber components where the manufacturing process is not described by a
production facility’s quality manual for the following reasons.
a) Structural properties can only be assigned to a finger joint that is clearly defined. Such a definition
requires a clear description, within the production facility’s quality manual, of the raw material
inputs (wood and adhesive), the manufacturing process, and quality assurance procedures.
b) Processes which are not written in a production facility’s quality manual and promulgated to the
personnel responsible for manufacturing the finger joint are unlikely, over lengthy periods of time,
to be manufactured consistently.
Other principles built into the development of this International Standard are as follows.
— This International Standard applies only to the finger-joint production and makes reference only
to the maintenance of finger-joint strength. Finger joints are found in both glulam laminations
and finger-jointed timber used directly for structural applications. No attempt is made in this
International Standard to relate compliance testing to the properties of either glulam or finger-
jointed timber.
— Qualification testing is undertaken to establish characteristic strengths and target strengths for
compliance (daily quality control) testing. The precise test configurations are not specified in this
International Standard, which permits the use of a wide variety of test equipment. However, it is a
requirement that the same equipment and configuration used for qualification testing also be used
for compliance testing. Both bending and tension tests are provided.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 10983:2014(E)
Timber — Finger joints — Minimum production
requirements and testing methods
1 Scope
This International Standard specifies minimum requirements for the manufacture and testing of bonded
finger joints in structural wood products such as glued laminated timber, cross-laminated timber, and
finger-jointed timber.
Although most finger joints are produced in coniferous species (softwoods), this International Standard
also applies to broadleafed species (hardwoods) where information is available to enable them to be
satisfactorily bonded.
It does not cover impressed (die-formed) joints and, in the case of laminated timber products, it applies
only to individual laminations. Large finger joints in glued laminated timber are not covered by this
International Standard.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 20152-1, Timber structures — Bond performance of adhesives — Part 1: Basic requirements
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
finger joint
end joint formed by machining a number of similar, tapered, symmetrical fingers in the ends of timber
members which are then bonded together
3.2
production batch
group of finger joints, all of which have the same profile, are manufactured from the same species of
timber, have the same nominal cross section, are bonded with the same adhesive, and are made during
a continuous run on one production line
3.3
qualification testing
testing in bending or tension performed to establish the mean and lower 5 % tolerance limit strength
with 75 % confidence when the finger joint process is first established
3.4
compliance testing
testing in bending or tension to verify that ongoing production complies with the characteristic and
target strengths established during qualification testing
4 Symbols
For the purposes of this International Standard, the following symbols apply.
a distance between support and nearest applied load in bending test (mm)
b smaller dimension of cross section (mm)
h larger dimension of cross section (mm)
f bending strength of a single finger joint
m
f tension strength of a single finger joint
t
l distance between supports in bending test
P maximum force applied to finger jointed specimen during bending test
T maximum force applied to finger jointed specimen during tension test
5 Production requirements
5.1 General
The cutting and the bonding operations of finger joints shall result in reliable and durable bonds of
the required strength. The premises shall meet the requirements of cleanliness, air temperature, and
relative humidity to ensure a satisfactory production environment. Procedures for the operation of the
production facility and for the initial and ongoing quality evaluation shall be documented in a quality
manual. All machinery and equipment necessary for the production process shall be available and in
good working order. Timber shall be properly graded. Adhesives shall be compatible with the species
and treatment in conformance with the adhesive manufacturer’s recommendations. Cutting, bonding,
and handling of finger-jointed timber shall be in conformance with the production facility’s quality
manual.
5.2 Timber
5.2.1 Species
Any wood species shall be permitted provided that sufficient information on the species is available
to enable the timber to be bonded satisfactorily. Different species with similar strength and bonding
characteristics shall be permitted to be grouped together for qualification and compliance testing.
5.2.2 Timber grading
Individual pieces of timber to be finger-jointed shall be graded according to the product requirements
as described in the production facility’s quality manual. Specific limits shall be defined for knots, grain
deviations, wane, and other characteristics determined to be detrimental to the performance of the
product. The maximum size and extent of knots and other strength-reducing characteristics at the ends
of the pieces to be finger-jointed shall be limited as defined in the quality manual to minimize their
effect on the strength of the joint.
5.2.3 Moisture content and temperature
During assembly and curing, the moisture content and temperature of the wood at the joint shall be
within the range specified by the adhesive manufacturer.
Moisture content shall be measured by the use of a regularly calibrated moisture meter.
2 © ISO 201
...

DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/DIS 10983
ISO/TC 165 Secretariat: SCC
Voting begins on Voting terminates on

2013-01-28 2013-04-28
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION  •  МЕЖДУНАРОДНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ПО СТАНДАРТИЗАЦИИ  •  ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE NORMALISATION

Timber — Finger joints — Minimum production requirements
and testing methods
Bois — Aboutages — Exigences minimales de production et méthodes d'essais
[Revision of first edition (ISO 10983:1999)]
ICS 91.080.20
To expedite distribution, this document is circulated as received from the committee
secretariat. ISO Central Secretariat work of editing and text composition will be undertaken at
publication stage.
Pour accélérer la distribution, le présent document est distribué tel qu'il est parvenu du
secrétariat du comité. Le travail de rédaction et de composition de texte sera effectué au
Secrétariat central de l'ISO au stade de publication.

THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED FOR COMMENT AND APPROVAL. IT IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND MAY NOT BE
REFERRED TO AS AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES, DRAFT
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
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.
©  International Organization for Standardization, 2013

ISO/DIS 10983
Copyright notice
This ISO document is a Draft International Standard and is copyright-protected by ISO. Except as permitted
under the applicable laws of the user’s country, neither this ISO draft nor any extract from it may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission being secured.
Requests for permission to reproduce should be addressed to either ISO at the address below or ISO’s
member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail [e-mail]
Web www.iso.org
Reproduction may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.
Violators may be prosecuted.
ii © ISO 2013 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 10983
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
ISO 10983 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 165, Timber Structures.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 10983:1999), which has been technically
revised.
ISO/DIS 10983
Introduction
This International Standard sets out minimum production and testing requirements for structural finger joints. It
includes requirements for documentation of manufacturing and test procedures in a quality manual to ensure
ongoing consistent quality. TC 165 is not prepared to recommend the use of finger joints in structural timber
components where the manufacturing process is not described by a production facility’s quality manual for the
following reasons:
a) Structural properties can only be assigned to a finger joint that is clearly defined. Such definition requires a
clear description, within the production facility’s quality manual, of the raw material inputs (wood and
adhesive), the manufacturing process, and quality assurance procedures.

b) Processes which are not written in a production facility’s quality manual and promulgated to the personnel
responsible for manufacturing the finger joint are unlikely, over lengthy periods of time, to be
manufactured consistently.
Other principles built into the development of this International Standard are as follows.

⎯ This International Standard applies only to the finger-joint production and makes reference only to the
maintenance of finger-joint strength. Finger joints are found in both glulam laminations and finger-jointed
timber used directly for structural applications. No attempt is made in this International Standard to relate
compliance testing to the properties of either glulam or finger-jointed timber.

⎯ Qualification testing is undertaken to establish characteristic strengths and target strengths for compliance
(daily quality control) testing. The precise test configurations are not specified in this International
Standard, which permits the use of a wide variety of test equipment. However, it is a requirement that the
same equipment and configuration used for qualification testing also be used for compliance testing. Both
bending and tension tests are provided.

iv © ISO 2002 – All rights reserved

Proposed DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/DIS 10983

Timber Structures — Finger joints for structural timber —
Production and testing requirements
1 Scope
This International Standard specifies minimum requirements for the manufacture and testing of bonded finger
joints in structural wood products such as glued laminated timber, cross laminated timber, and finger jointed
timber.
Although most finger joints are produced in coniferous species (softwoods), this International Standard also
applies to broadleafed species (hardwoods) where information is available to enable them to be satisfactorily
bonded.
It does not cover impressed (die-formed) joints. In the case of glued laminated timber, it applies only to
individual laminations. Large finger joints in glued laminated timber are not covered by this International
Standard.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application 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.
ISO20152-1, Timber structures – Bond performance of adhesives –Basic requirements
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
finger joint
end joint formed by machining a number of similar, tapered, symmetrical fingers in the ends of timber
members which are then bonded together
3.2
production batch
a group of finger joints, all of which have the same profile, are manufactured from the same species of timber,
have the same nominal cross-section, are bonded with the same adhesive, and are made during a continuous
run on one production line
3.3
qualification testing
testing in bending or tension performed to establish the mean and lower 5% tolerance limit strength with 75%
confidence when the finger joint process is first established.
ISO/DIS 10983
4 Symbols (and abbreviated terms)
a distance between support and nearest applied load in bending test, in millimetres
b smaller dimension of cross-section
h larger dimension of cross-section
f bending strength of a single finger joint
m
f tension strength of a single finger joint
t
l distance between supports in bending test
P maximum force applied to finger jointed specimen during bending test
T maximum force applied to finger jointed specimen during tension test
5 Production Requirements
5.1 General
The cutting and the bonding operations of finger joints shall result in reliable and durable bonds of the required
strength.  The premises shall meet the requirements of cleanliness, air temperature, and relative humidity to
ensure a satisfactory production environment. Procedures for the operation of the production facility and for
the initial and ongoing quality evaluation shall be documented in a quality manual. All machinery and
equipment necessary for the production process shall be available and in good working order. Timber shall
be properly graded. Adhesives shall be compatible with the species and treatment in conformance with the
adhesive manufacturer’s recommendations. Cutting, bonding, and handling of finger jointed timber shall be in
conformance with the production facility’s quality manual.
5.2 Timber
5.2.1 Species
Any wood species shall be permitted provided that sufficient information on the species is available to enable
the timber to be bonded satisfactorily. Different species with similar strength and bonding characteristics shall
be permitted to be grouped together for qualification and compliance testing.
5.2.2 Timber Grading
Individual pieces of timber to be finger-jointed shall be graded according to the product requirements as
described in the production facility’s quality manual. Specific limits shall be defined for knots, grain deviations,
wane, and other characteristics determined to be detrimental to the performance of the product. The
maximum size and extent of knots and other strength reducing characteristics at the ends of the pieces to be
finger-jointed shall be limited as defined in the quality manual to minimize their effect on the strength of the
joint.
5.2.3 Moisture content and temperature
During assembly and curing, the moisture content and temperature of the wood at the joint shall be within the
range specified by the adhesive manufacturer.
Moisture content shall be measured by the use of a regularly calibrated moisture meter.
2 © ISO 2002 – All rights reserved

ISO/DIS 10983
5.2.4 Chemically treated timber
Wood treated with chemicals such as those used to improve durability or fire performance shall be considered
as a separate species for the purposes of finger joint production and quality control.
5.3 Adhesive
5.3.1 General
The adhesive shall have sufficient strength and durability to ensure that that the integrity of the bond will be
maintained throughout the intended lifetime of the structure. Compatibility of the adhesive, wood substrate,
and plant procedures shall be demonstrated through qualification tests prior to production. The adhesive used
shall meet the requirements of ISO20152-1.
5.3.2 Adhesive Manufacturer’s Specifications
The specifications of the adhesive manufacturer shall be followed with respect to the following:
a) mixing of the adhesive;
b) use of fillers;
c) preheating of the timber (by high frequency, infrared or other methods);
d) adhesive application;
e) open and closed assembly times;
f) curing of the adhesive;
g) temperature of the air and the timber before and during curing.
h) moisture content of the timber at the joint
5.4 Processing
5.4.1 Application of Adhesive
The method used for adhesive application shall ensure that all finger surfaces in the assembled joint are
covered with the adhesive.
5.4.2 Assembly
Joints shall be bonded as soon as possible, and not later than 24 h, after machining. Between machining and
assembly, care shall be taken to keep the cut surfaces of the fingers clean. The members shall not be stored
in conditions likely to lead to distortion.
5.4.3 End pressure
The application of end pressure shall be adequate to bring the mated joint surfaces into contact, while
maintaining proper tip gaps and joint alignment. End pressure shall be maintained until the joint has cured
adequately to enable the jointed timber to be moved without weakening the joint. Curing of the adhesive shall
be completed before further processing, unless it has been demonstrated that the finger joints will have
sufficient and reliable strength to allow immediate processing.
ISO/DIS 10983
5.5 Quality Control
5.5.1 General
The manufacturer shall establish and document requirements for lumber, adhesive, and processing with
corresponding quality control procedures.
Each step in the production process, including lumber grading, finger joint machining and fit, adhesive
application, joint assembly and handling, adhesive curing, and final finishing shall be assessed for each
production batch. Finger joint strength shall be established through initial qualification testing and verified for
each production batch through ongoing compliance testing.
5.5.2 Facilities, equipment, and personnel
All necessary facilities, equipment, and personnel shall be available to carry out the necessary inspections
and tests. The manufacturer shall control, calibrate and maintain inspection, measuring, and test equipment,
to demonstrate the conformity of the finger joints to the requirements of this International Standard. Equipment
shall be used in a manner which ensures that measurement tolerances are known and are consistent with the
required measurement capability.
5.5.3 Responsibility and authority
The responsibility, authority, and interrelation of all personnel who manage, perform, and verify work affecting
quality shall be defined. Persons responsible to initiate action to prevent the occurrence of non-conformity of
finger joints and to identify and record any quality problems with finger joints shall be clearly identified.
5.5.4 Factory production control
At every production facility, the manufacturer shall appoint a person or persons who shall have appropriate
authority, knowledge, and experience of the production of finger joints to be responsible for conducting and
supervising factory production and quality control procedures and ensuring that the requirements given in this
International Standard are implemented and maintained.
5.5.5 Review
The qualit
...