Many building products are specified by reference to standards that are written and published by industry associations. I am frequently asked for assistance in interpreting standards and to help building product manufacturers assure their products are in compliance. This can be a challenge, however, when a standard is defective.

For example, a door hardware manufacturer asked me to help them comply with Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) A156.18 - American National Standard for Materials and Finishes. The standard is widely used in specifications to help designers indicate what is required and to assure that products furnished by various manufacturers are compatible.

I had little difficulty classifying most of the client’s finishes, but was stumped by their dark brown powder coated finish. It seemed described by the Finish Description for BHMA Code Number 695, “Dark Bronze Painted,” but I needed to know what shade of dark brown.

Bear with me as this gets complicated.

695 is in Category A that, according to the Standard, “shall match BHMA match plates…”. BHMA sells a set of about a dozen match plates, but not one for 695. The standard, however, says that Finish 613 is the “Primary Equivalent” for 695.

613 is in Category B, “finishes that are unstable… and cannot and do not match from one alloy or form of material to the next and from one manufacturer to the next.” (Emphasis added.)

We are left with the statement, “Contact individual manufacturers for other finish samples.”

I don’t fault BHMA for its lack of a definition of Dark Bronze Painted, there are too many finish materials and possibilities to define them all. But I do criticize them for creating a Product Code that is meaningless. They don’t pretend to have a standard for pink hardware, so why do have a phony standard for Dark Bronze Painted?