The Forensic expert kollegium conducts expertise of all types of timber.
The need for this expertise generally arises when the purchaser is dissatisfied with the quality of the purchased timber, resulting in a dispute between the consumer and the manufacturer, or when the experts are tasked with determining the species of the timber under examination.
Timber refers to wood materials obtained by sawing logs longitudinally along the grain.
According to their intended use, all timber can be divided into two main groups:
- Timber used directly in the construction/erection of buildings and structures;
- Timber used for manufacturing profiled products (finishing materials). This group includes flooring boards, window boards, skirting boards, paneling, and blockhouse cladding. Their primary function is aesthetic and decorative.
According to the type of processing, timber is classified as:
- edged timber (with all four edges sawn);
- unedged timber (with unsawn or partially sawn edges);
- one-edge timber (timber with one sawn edge).
Edged timber, depending on the width and thickness of its cross-section, is further divided into:
- boards;
- beams;
- battens.
These are the three main types of timber used for the subsequent manufacture of parts and products, primarily in construction as structural and decorative elements.
During the expertise, specialists of the Forensic expert kollegium may identify defects in the timber. Based on their causes and extent of occurrence, defects can be divided into three main groups:
1. Defects resulting from improper drying and storage of timber:
- fungal damage;
- chemical staining;
- cracks;
- warping;
- biological damage.
2. Defects resulting from mechanical damage and processing faults:
- wane;
- tears;
- gouges;
- incomplete milling of the wood;
- improper repairs.
3. Defects caused by the natural structure of the wood and the location and growing conditions of the tree:
- knots;
- cracks;
- resin pockets;
- grain slope;
- compression wood;
- epicormic shoot;
- ingrown bark;
- tree cancer.
During timber expertise, the following questions are addressed:
- whether the quality of the timber complies with the requirements of technical normative legal acts, the contract, and the specification;
- what is the volume (quantity in m², m³, or linear meters) of the timber supplied under the contract (specify the contract number);
- whether there were any violations in the timber manufacturing process;
- determine the actual dimensions of a specific type of timber;
- whether the moisture content of the timber complies with the requirements of the contract or technical normative legal acts;
- what caused the identified defects: violations of operating requirements, transportation, storage, or the manufacturing process.
When resolving any issue relating to the quantity, dimensions, or other characteristics of timber, the experts of the Judicial Expert Collegium always measure the moisture content of the timber at the time of inspection, since the dimensional characteristics of timber depend on its moisture content, and accordingly its geometric parameters change.
Moisture content at the Forensic expert kollegium is measured using two primary methods:
- using an electrical moisture meter;
- using the oven-dry method.
The oven-dry method is preferred for measuring moisture content; however, it requires permission for the partial destructive testing of individual timber pieces or products made from them. Therefore, the written consent of the client ordering the expertise must be attached to the application.
It is equally important to have information on the moisture content of the timber at the time it was supplied to the consumer, as this information helps answer a large number of questions.
During the investigation, visual and dimensional inspections are carried out. These inspections are performed in accordance with the requirements established by the technical normative legal acts applicable to the specific type of product. However, if the timber has been partially or fully incorporated into a building structure, it is not always possible to conduct a complete visual inspection and instrumental examination in accordance with these requirements.
It should also be noted that during timber expertise, 100% quality inspection is carried out.
You can contact the Forensic expert kollegium regarding the expertise of timber at: Minsk, Zhukovskaga St., 11A, 4th floor
or by phone +375 (17) 317 04 71; +375 (17) 317 04 72; +375 (17) 317 04 73; +375 (17) 317 04 74; +375 (17) 317 04 76; +375 (29) 198 60 11; +375 (44) 588 60 11