Every reputable manufacturer publishes a tolerance sheet against each product line. It states the dimensional envelope the product is manufactured to — length, width, thickness, squareness, edge profile and moisture content at dispatch. It is the reference document that governs whether a delivery is compliant, not the marketing brochure.
Dimensional fields
Length and width are quoted as a nominal size with a symmetric tolerance — typically ±0.5 mm on length and ±0.1 mm on width for engineered timber. Thickness carries its own tolerance, usually ±0.15 mm, and is measured across the board rather than at a single point.
Squareness and profile
Squareness is the most common source of site rejection. A board within length and width tolerance but outside squareness will produce visible short-edge gaps regardless of installer skill. Edge profile — micro-bevel depth, tongue-and-groove clearance — determines joint appearance and click integrity.
Moisture at dispatch
Moisture content at dispatch is stated as a target range for the manufacturing region, not for the destination. Product manufactured to 8–10% for a European climate will arrive into an Australian environment carrying that moisture until it acclimatises on site.