I'm after the CRF and smoke development rates of Baltic (Scots) pine, but it appears not to be included in the timber flooring tests? Just wondering if I've missed it somewhere, or if you could direct me to where I may be able to find such test results please?
We have CRF and Smoke Development values for a number of timber species, but unfortunately not for Baltic pine. Nor do we know of a source of this data. Perhaps the importer could provide details, or arrange for the required tests.
Your best source of information is a Technical Data Sheet titled Timber Decks - Commercial, Industrial & Marine. It's number 7 in a series published by Timber Queensland, and can be downloaded via this link http://www.dtmtimber.com.au/downloads/TQ_TDS/tds_07_Timber-Deck_final.pdf. Table 4 gives decking board spans under different load conditions. Spans vary according to the stress grade of the timber. Kiln-dried merbau is generally free from strength-reducing characteristics such as knots and sloping grain, and would be expected to achieve at least F22 stress grade. No doubt the timber supplier can confirm the stress grade of available material.
Can you use charred hardwood cladding in flame zone ? Wall construction will be core filled masonry blockwork with hardwood cladding as an attachment. I have not be able to locate any certification in respect of AS 1530.8.2 - 2018.
The main aim of AS 3959, Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas, is to prevent fire from entering the building from an external source. We consider it is the fire resistance of the wall in total, rather than the outer skin, that must resist fire in BAL-FZ areas. In the case you describe it seems the required fire resistance level (FRL) of -/30/30 would be provided by the core-filled blockwork, with hardwood cladding as a decorative overlay. The proposed construction is analogous to the OutRwall system, developed by Boral (now Knauf), where fire resistant plasterboard provides the required FRL and the cladding is irrelevant from a fire resistance point of view. So we don't consider there is any impediment to applying hardwood cladding to external blockwork in BAL-FZ, but note that other elements such as doors and windows must comply with AS 3959. Note also that WoodSolutions is not an approving authority and you should seek confirmation from your local Council or certifier.
