Building with wood and BALs

With bushfire season once again approaching, thoughts turn to designing and building to minimise the potential risk of damage to homes in bushfire prone areas. While some think that designing to “build out” the effects of bushfires to minimise the risk of ember, radiant heat, and flame damage precludes the use of timber and wood products, this is not the case. 

Timber framing and wood products can be used in a range of applications for residential construction in Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rated locations subject to the requirements of Australian Standard AS3959 - Construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas. 

Developed and refined over many years, AS 3959 reflects the latest in building and materials science, technology and systems. The Standard is a consensus-based document that is referenced by the National Construction Code. 

A key requirement of AS3959 is to limit the size of gaps to reduce the potential entry of embers, as well as to minimise the effect of radiant heat from bushfire on occupants and the building. 

BALs are calculated to assess the degree of risk of bushfire attack of an individual building site. There are six BAL ratings, and each level has specific construction requirements relating to materials that may be specified and how they are used in residential construction. 

With acceptable design decisions that meet the requirements of AS3959, including the use of tested systems, attractive timbers homes can be built using sustainably sourced timber and wood products both inside and out. Timber can be used for house framing and all interior applications including floor, skirting architraves, and cabinetry in all BALs. Using tested systems also allows for the use of timber in higher risk areas.  

You can take advantage of all the benefits of building with wood if you have the right information about how to use it in ways that comply with the standards. You don’t have to forego the advantages of having timber in your home if you are in a bushfire prone area. 

The WoodSolutions website provides a range of guidelines and other resources to help owners, designers and builders enjoy the sustainable and aesthetic benefits of wood in bushfire prone areas while meeting the requirements of the Australian Standard. 

Estimate the BAL of your site with the WoodSolutions Bushfire Calculator V2.1, get Expert Advice and find further information on using timber in bushfire prone areas at the Woodsolutions website.  

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