UPDATED VERSION OF ANSI/SPRI FASTENER STANDARD FX-1 NOW AVAILABLE

An updated and revised version of the ANSI/SPRI “Standard Test Procedure for Determining the Withdrawal Resistance of Roofing Fasteners, ANSI/SPRI FX-1-2006” has been officially canvassed and reaffirmed as an official national standard in accordance with protocol established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

SPRI, the association representing sheet membrane and component suppliers to the commercial roofing industry, developed this standard for measuring the pull-out resistance of roofing fasteners in field conditions. It was first published in 1996, revised in 2001 and now, in accordance with ANSI requirements calling for the re-canvassing of standards every five years, FX-1 has been reviewed and re-issued in a more user-friendly version.

“This is a contractor-driven standard that the roofing contractor can use to evaluate both a fastener’s pullout resistance and a steel deck’s holding strength,” said SPRI Technical Director, David Roodvoets.

“While it can be used on both new and older decks, this standardized test is particularly useful in re-roofing situations.”

The test’s significance is enhanced by the fact that its findings are accepted by all industry segments, including fastener suppliers, membrane manufacturers and Factory Mutual Engineering & Research Corp. In cases where fastener spacing or amounts are questioned, this test method can be used to validate actual field requirements. The FX-1 Standard has become a key component in verifying the suitability of steel deck with 10-foot-wide mechanically attached systems, particularly when complying with Factory Mutual and the tensile strength of the deck is unknown.

This standard test method should be used on most roofs where mechanical fasteners are used. Data from the test can save on installation costs by reducing the number of fasteners required, or save a roof when the substrate does not provide the fastener pull out resistance required. This is a test that could give a contractor confidence that the system is installed according to all regulations and meets the architect’s specifications.

SPRI earned its certification as an official ANSI canvasser in 1994. Since then, it has seen the acceptance of several of its design documents, including this one, as ANSI standards. The others are: ANSI/SPRI IA-1, Standardized Field Test Procedure for Determining the Mechanical Uplift Resistance of Insulation Adhesives over Various Substrates; ANSI/SPRI RP-4 2002, Wind Design Standard for Ballasted Single-Ply Roofing Systems; ANSI/SPRI ES-1 2003, Wind Design Guide for Edge Systems Used with Low-Slope Roofing Systems; and, ANSI/SPRI RD-1 2004, Standard Performance for Retrofit Drains.

All SPRI standards can be downloaded free of charge at the SPRI web site at www.spri.org.