Terms of Use
The terms covering use of this site: what the guidance is, what it is not, how accuracy is handled, and the limits of reliance on published material.
By using this site you accept the terms below. They apply to the published guides and to any material reachable from this domain.
Nature of the content
Everything here is general editorial guidance about building materials. It is not a structural, fire, or code-compliance opinion, not a specification for any particular building, and not a substitute for a qualified professional engaged on your project.
Published performance values depend on grade, thickness, exposure, installation and the governing code. They are starting points for verification against the current manufacturer documentation for the product actually being supplied, not values you can transfer to a project unchanged.
Accuracy and updates
Guides are prepared under the editorial policy and corrected under the fact-checking and corrections policy. Standards are amended and products are revised, so material that was accurate at publication can become wrong. Dates on each page show when it was last reviewed.
Limits of reliance
Decisions taken on the basis of this site remain yours. To the extent permitted by applicable law, no liability is accepted for loss arising from reliance on published material, including where a cited standard or datasheet has since changed.
External links
Guides link to standards bodies, manufacturers and other publishers. Those sites are outside our control and operate under their own terms.
Intellectual property
The text, tables, selection matrices and original graphics on this site are our own work. Quoted standards, datasheets and third-party documentation remain the property of their publishers and are cited rather than reproduced. To quote or reproduce material from this site, see Contact.
Changes
These terms may change. The date at the top of this page reflects the last substantive revision.