Evaluation Reports

Evaluation Reports

The fastening schedules in model building codes are quite basic. They usually specify only one fastener, like an 8d common nail (8-penny common nail) and tell how many of that fastener should be used in each framing connection or tell how closely the fasteners must be spaced (like 6" o.c. - six inches on center) when fastening, say, a sheet of plywood to floor joists.

However, model codes are written to allow use of the latest materials and methods of construction. Each code has a section allowing the building official to approve materials and methods of construction that are not in the model code. The building official must have evidence showing that the alternate material performs the same as the material in the code. The International Code Council has a related organization called the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) that issues reports recognizing materials that perform to code requirements. These reports are typically called "evaluation reports."

ICC Evaluation Service was formed from the consolidation of the evaluation service arms of BOCA, ICBO, and SBCCI.

ISANTA sponsors an evaluation report (ESR-1539) with the International Code Council’s (ICC) evaluation service, ICC-ES. This report covers fasteners its member companies have had tested. This report should be welcomed by building officials, contractors, architects and engineers across the country since the report is issued essentially by the organizations that wrote the model building codes and almost all towns have adopted one of these model codes as their local code.

The evaluation report issued to ISANTA expands on the fastening schedules in building codes. Where the model code may mention only one fastener for a connection, the evaluation report lists the code fastener and then lists popular sizes of power driven alternate fasteners - nails and staples. The report tells how many of the alternate fasteners should be used per connection or how closely they should be spaced so that the connection is at least as strong as the connection described in the model code.

The evaluation report sponsored by ISANTA, titled "Power-Driven Staples and Nails for Use in All Types of Building Construction," is:

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