Within the framework of a European research project several laboratories have tested a series of 17 wood species covering the total range of natural durability. Basidiomycete tests are part of the total set up. Although generally based upon standard methods some minor differences in execution of the tests were evaluated for their impact on the results. This variation was superimposed with the fact that the tests were performed in different laboratories using wood from the same origin. Another important issue is the definition of natural durability classes for wood species starting from mass losses resulting from basidiomycete decay tests carried out under laboratory conditions. This paper summarises proposals for different ways to calculate or define the natural durability of wood and discusses some critical parameters in fungal testing, as well.

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