Choosing building products wisely

By Pli-Dek. 

Find out why you should look for independent assembly testing when picking out building products. 

In the contracting industry, the quality of your building products is a key part of creating a sturdy and successful structure. The product a business chooses to install becomes a part of their reputation and their ability to adhere to compliance codes is also very dependent on the specifications of the product. One way you can help yourself avoid costly mistakes in the form of the wrong product is by looking for manufacturers using independent assembly testing. This ensures that the products you use are tested and that testing is done in non-biased spaces, so you can trust that you’re getting a code-compliant and quality product.  

Pli-Dek understands the importance of choosing the correct product for each and every project, as we’ve been industry leaders for 35 years in manufacturing waterproof deck coatings, fluid applied waterproofing membranes, and concrete coatings. Our clients have come to rely on our quality products, which are backed and accredited by independent assembly testing from ASTM, ICC-ES and other organizations that set industry testing standards. Learn more about these types of independent testing and why they are so important to the industry in the rest of the article! 

Assembly testing 

Architects, contractors and other businesses in the building industry need to know how different products and materials will react when integrated. Assembly testing is an important process to find out how a combination of products will react with each other. 

Take for instance, Pli-Dek’s waterproof deck coatings. Contractors considering which coating will work the best for their decking project, will find the information needed through the results of an independent assembly testing service like ICC-ES. When working with deck materials looking at test results using these material combinations will ensure no surprises occur in application. 

When estimating the costs of a project for a client, businesses in the building industry rely on actionable reports, specifying the products they’re planning on using. Assembly testing is essential in their formulation of an accurate expense estimation for the project. While they may already have hands-on experience with certain products, new challenges always demand a learning curve must be met. 

Meeting this learning curve (without busting the budget from a bad product choice) is possible by using actionable assembly testing reports, which use related products and materials. Also, the ever-changing advancements in products requires constant study on the performance of new products. Assembly testing using familiar variables to the project being considered gives businesses in the building industry a trusted source of standard outcomes. 

Independence in assembly testing 

Common sense will tell us that unbiased results will only come from an independent source. Making sure the testing organization is independent of the company’s products being tested is essential in finding unbiased results. 

Even if a company is a trusted source of products for a building company, they won’t have as much ability to comprehensively assembly test a product. This is because their main purpose is to create the product, rather than gathering industry standard materials for assembly testing. Even if they had a rigorous assembly testing process, how could a business trust their results to be unbiased? If their products had bad performance with certain materials, would they willingly say so? 

Finding an independent source for assembly testing is the only way to trust the results. ICC-ES for instance, is a non-profit LLC that specializes solely in testing building products, components, methods and materials. 

Code compliance 

Choosing the correct product for the project at hand also requires consideration of code compliance. Both the regulatory agencies and manufacturers of products use independent assembly testing to make sure products fulfill code compliance. This code is vital for businesses in the building industry to know and follow to ensure proper compliance for their building projects. 

By relying on independent assembly testing reports from trusted sources, such as ASTM and ICC-ES, businesses can find out quickly which products can be used. The building industry is highly regulated and has new codes to comply with regularly, which makes relying on independent assembly testing much more important. 

Overall, independent assembly testing will help businesses in the building industry find the quality products they need for each and every unique project. By using an independent testing source, they’ll ensure an unbiased report is attained. And importantly, relying on accredited testing results ensures building codes and regulations are being adhered to. 

Original article source: Pli-Dek