Q: Why should a wall and ceiling contractor become a member of ASTM?
A: This is a topic that has gotten much discussion lately. For the last several sessions it has been brought up at AWCI’s technical committee meetings, but at AWCI’s convention in Las Vegas last month, the topic also came up in at least one of the contractor business forums and yet again at the Stucco—Doing It Right® education session. In all cases, the message has been there are several incentives for contractors to join ASTM, and to put a finer point on it, advocates for this position add that contractors who do not join and participate are doing themselves a gross disservice.
The most immediate payoff for joining ASTM is that the current annual membership fee is a mere $75, for which you not only receive the opportunity to have a say on the standards that govern how you assemble your building systems, but members also annually receive a complete volume (printed, on CD or downloadable from the ASTM website) of ASTM standards. Most wall and ceiling contractors would likely select the volume on gypsum and related products, which contains everything from the Standard Specification for Application and Finishing of Gypsum Board to the Standard Specification for Installation of Lathing and Furring to Receive Interior and Exterior Portland Cement-Based Plaster. These are standards that the wall and ceiling contractor is likely to be using every day; several are referenced by the International Building Code and the Residential Building Code. Purchased separately, individual standards cost at least $30 each, so the whole collection in the gypsum volume would exceed $1,200. That alone should be incentive enough to join, but that is the lesser of the two main reasons a contractor should join.
As mentioned above, several of these standards are referenced by the building codes, which means if you are not up-to-date with these standards, you may risk being non-compliant with the code. But beyond that, as a member of ASTM, a contractor has a say in how these standards are modified. The ASTM standards are constantly maintained by committees made up by users, producers and general interest people. As often as not, the producers (read: product manufacturers) are the most likely to weigh in on how their products are installed, even though their knowledge is usually limited to laboratory conditions. There are also design professionals who frequently weigh in on these standards, again often with little, if any, hands-on experience in installing a system in real-world conditions. So, unless the contractor wishes to remain at the mercy of the producers and design professionals who have very limited hands-on, real-world experience in the development and maintenance of the standards by which he/she conducts his/her craft, it is in his/her best interest to join and participate in ASTM.
And it’s not such a great burden anymore. Committee members submit proposed changes for consideration (as ballot items) electronically on the ASTM website. Ballots are posted on the ASTM website. Members are notified via email that a ballot awaits his/her vote. The members log on to the ASTM website and vote on ballot items, and they have 30 days from the date of the ballot’s issue to do so. Although a member must vote, he/she need only abstain if uncomfortable with opining on the subject matter. And all comments are considered at the semi-annual committee meetings. Joining ASTM is, therefore, the contractor’s best means to directly influence the language found in the standards he/she must comply with to do the job properly. So the question should really be, Why in the world would a wall and ceiling contractor not be a member of ASTM?
Q: What are some the things a contractor should know about using EQ studs versus regular studs?
A: This was also a topic of discussion at the most recent Las Vegas meeting. Here are several of the most salient points I picked up during the discussion: EQ studs are proprietary products that offer equivalent performance to standard studs (nominal 20 and 25 gauge). They are to be used for interior, non-structural applications. Each manufacturer has its own method for achieving this performance, so they are not interchangeable; one must ensure that the chosen product for the job is the actual product used on the job. There are composite and non-composite assemblies. Composite assemblies have gypsum board panels completely covering both sides of the partition; non-composite assemblies require bracing at key points. Openings such as windows and doors may require heavier or additional material. Top and bottom track may need to be heavier material than the studs. It is best to establish a relationship with your supplier and run all these issues by him/her before bidding the job and commencing work.
You can also check out the article, “Steel Studs: A Buyer’s Guide to Certification Programs,” on page 45 of the July 2013 issue of this magazine, which is also available in the archives at www.awci.org/cd.
Lee G. Jones is AWCI’s director of technical services. Send your questions to [email protected], or call him directly at (703) 538.1611.
