Monday-Wednesday 14-16 November 2011, 9am to 5pm

The course

This course will be of value to anyone involved in the inspection, use and supply of sawn oak that is intended for structural load bearing applications.  The course content is also relevant to the inspection of oak structural timbers in existing buildings or for re-use.

The course covers the visual assessment of square edge oak for structural use to the BS5756 grades.  Delegates will be trained in the grading rules and as part of a series of practical exercises, will grade a wide range of sawn oak stock.  These exercises, together with related tests, will be monitored and form a continual assessment of competence to grade.  On successful completion of the course delegates will be awarded a Museum Certificate.

If required, holders of this certificate can apply for assessment and registration with Certification and Timber Grading (CATG), an approved UK third party Certification Body.

Days 1 and 3 will be held at the Museum when the methods of assessing strength reducing defects for the structural grades will be explained.  Delegates will have extensive opportunities to put the grading methods into practice using series of carefully selected oak grading samples.  As a practical application of the grading standard it will also be possible to apply the grading rules to existing structural timbers in some of the Museum’s oak framed buildings.

The British and European Standards relevant to the structural grading of oak will be explained as will the grade marking, recording and QA procedures applicable to newly graded oak stock.

Day 2 will be held at a nearby sawmill that has a specialised production line for the conversion of structural oak.  This will give delegates the opportunity to grade a wide range of sawn square edge oak, ranging from timber for stud work to large dimension beams, in a series of fully tutored exercises.

A grading manual has been prepared for the course containing summaries of the grades, methods of assessing defects, the individual grade limitations, information on supporting standards, the strength class system and additional explanatory notes.

The tutor

David Woodbridge, MA, BA (Hons) FIWSc, is a former Director of the Institute of Wood Science and has many years experience in timber grading, training graders and acting as an assessor on behalf of a UK certification body.

Participant information

Places on the course limited to 8 students.
This is a practical course and stout (waterproof) clothing is advised and hard capped footwear should be worn when the long length grading exercises are taking place.  There is expected to be a certain amount of manual handling to set out the grading exercise.

Fee

£450 per person, to include tuition, teas and coffees and a light lunch.

The Museum

The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic building exhibits.  It is also home to the award winning and innovative Downland Gridshell, which houses a conservation workshop and artefact store, and is also used for many practical courses.  The Museum runs a full programme of courses in historic building conservation and traditional rural trades and crafts, along with MSc programmes in Building Conservation and Timber Building Conservation. Please telephone for further details.

To book, download a form here. Alternatively, fill in the booking request below.

Make a Booking Request

 
This is an initial booking request form, and does not guarantee a place on the course. The Adult Learning Team will check the availability of the course, and reply to you as soon as possible - usually within one working day.