The natural benefits of timber as an aesthetic, durable, functional and sustainable material provide exciting opportunities. To maximise the design capabilities of timber it is important to consider key performance attributes and comply with the Building Code of Australia (BCA).
WoodSolutions Technical Design Guides have been developed for architects, engineers, building designers and other building professionals.
Click on the links to view the following publications:
Please note: Hard copies of most Guides are available for purchase from SAI Global.
- 1 Timber-framed Construction for Townhouse Buildings Class 1a - how to comply with the fire safety and sound insulation performance requirements in the BCA for Class 1a attached buildings
- 2 Timber-framed Construction for Multi-residential Buildings Class 2 & 3 - how to comply with the fire and sound performance requirements in the BCA for Class 2 & 3 buildings
- 3 Timber-framed Construction for Commercial Buildings Class 5, 6, 9a & 9b - how to comply with the fire performance requirements in the BCA for Class 5, 6, 9a and 9b buildings
- 4 Building with timber in bushfire-prone areas - covers the Construction of Building in Bushfire Prone Areas Standard AS 3959 and the requirements for using timber for each Bushfire Attack Level (BAL).
- 5 Timber service life design - design guide for durability - how to determine the service life timber in a range of applications, from sole plates to suspension bridges.
- 6 Timber-framed Construction - sacrificial timber construction joint - details for using sacrificial timber blocks to maintain a Fire Resistance Level
- 7 Plywood box beam construction for detached housing - how to use plywood box beams as a cost-effective design option
- 8 Stairs, balustrades and handrails Class 1 Buildings - construction - covers stairs with straight flights, with or without risers, for external and internal use, and balustrades
- 9 Timber flooring - design guide for installation - how to install solid timber strip flooring over bearers and joists, timber-based sheet flooring products and concrete slabs
- 10 Timber windows and doors - a comprehensive guide to design and specification
- 11 Timber-framed systems for external noise - covers the key issues to be considered when dealing with external noise using lightweight timber-framed construction.
- 12 Impact and assessment of moisture-affected, timber-framed construction - covers the key issues to be considered when assessing moisture-affected timber construction and guidance on how to address them.
- 13 Finishing timber externally - concentrates on the finishes used with timber when exposed externally in decks or as part of the building envelope
- 14 Timber in Internal Design - provides design inspiration, assembly information and technical details on using timber in interior spaces
- 15 Fire Design - a summary of fire safety design process for EXPAN-developed systems
- 16 Massive Timber Construction Systems: Cross-laminated Timber (CLT) - this design guide is unavailable as it is being updated
- 17 Alternative Solution Fire Compliance, Timber Structures - how to use alternative solutions to allow the use of timber in structural applications not covered by the Deem-to-Satisfy Provisions of the NCC. Includes a case study of a five storey residential apartment (Class 2) building.
- 18 Alternative Solution Fire Compliance, Facades - how to use timber facades not covered by the Deem-to-Satisfy Provisions of the NCC. Includes a case study on the use of combustible facades.
- 19 Alternative Solution Fire Compliance, Internal Linings - how to use timber linings not covered by the Deem-to-Satisfy Provisions of the NCC. Includes a case study on the use timber linings in a school building corridor.
- 20 Fire Precautions During Construction of Large Buildings - information to help reduce the risk of fire on a construction site
- 21 Domestic Timber Deck Design - the key design and construction considerations for light domestic timber decks for both raised and close to, or on-ground, exposed applications
- 22 Thermal Performance in Timber-framed Buildings - designed to be used in conjunction with Guides 23 & 24
- 23 Using Thermal Mass in Timber-framed Buildings - designed to be used in conjunction with Guides 22 & 24
- 24 Thermal Performance for Timber-framed Residential Construction - designed to be used in conjunction with Guides 22 &23
- 25 Rethinking Construction - Consider Timber - an overview of Guides 26, 27, 28 & 29
- 26 Rethinking Office Construction - Consider Timber - a material cost comparison of a typical office building showing savings of $1.1million+
- 27 Rethinking Apartment Building Construction - Consider Timber - a material cost comparison of a typical apartment building
- 28 Rethinking Aged Care Construction - Consider Timber - a material cost comparison of typical aged care accommodation
- 29 Rethinking Industrial Shed Construction - Consider Timber - a material cost comparison of a typical industrial shed
- 30 Timber Concrete Composite Floors - includes worked examples of spans of up to 10m
- 31 Timber Cassette Floors - presents the advantages of long span timber floors for commercial applications
- 32 Long Span Roofs - LVL Portal Frames and Trusses - designs for three roof configurations with spans from 10m to 70m
- 33 Quick Connect Moment Connection - simplifies the design specification and construction of portal frame structures
- 34 Timber Rivet Connection - design for efficient connection by decreasing the difference between the capacity of wood and rivets
- 35 Floor Diaphragms in Timber Buildings - designs for flexible and rigid diaphragms, including structural elements and connections
- 36 Engineered Woods and Fabrication Specification - summarises fabrication and installation specifications of LVL and glulam
- 37 Mid-rise Timber Buildings (Class 2, 3 and 5 Buildings) - with CAD files - easy-to-use steps to achieving fire and sound performance targets
- 38 Fire Safety Design of Mid-rise Timber Buildings - explains the basis for the changes to the 2016 NCC
- 39 Robustness in Structures - explains the definition in the 2016 NCC and provides practical advice to building designers
- 40 Building Timber-framed Houses to Resist Wind - outlines design and construction considerations for wind-resistance of houses with structural timber roofs in all areas of Australia
- 41 Timber Garden Retaining Walls - a guide to designing, building and maintaining timber garden retaining walls up to 1m in height
- 42 Building Code of Australia Deemed to Satisfy Solutions for Timber Aged Care Buildings (Class 9c) - includes fire, acoustic and other timber based design and construction solutions
- 43 Re-imagining Wood-based Office Fitout Systems - includes design criteria, design concepts and examples of the benefits of the new systems
- 44 CLT Acoustic Performance - wall and floor design solutions that comply with the requirements of the NCC
- 45 Code of Practice - Fire Retardant - to enable the use of fire retardant coatings applied to wood products, via the Performance Solution pathway
NOTE: Requirements contained in the Building Code of Australia (BCA) may be varied by individual states and territories. When using any of the design guides, please ensure that the details comply with the requirements of your state or territory.
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