BUILDING SIMPLY THE BEST!

TRADITION
Timber is one of mankind’s most tried and Instinctively, timber is the best material to build with because it is:
tested building materials. Since the first • Environmentally friendly - Timber is the most environmentally responsible building material. Timber has low
settlers harvested trees and used them to production energy requirements and is a net carbon absorber. Timber is a renewable resource. Well-managed
build shelters, Australian builders have used forests produce timber on a sustained continuous basis, with minimal adverse effects on soil and water values.
sawn timber as their preferred building • In plentiful and growing supply - Timber is readily available. Australia has significant forest resources including
material in private dwelling construction. a plantation estate covering more than 1.6 million hectares, and the area is growing rapidly.
Timber framing now comprises over
• Strong and lightweight - Timber is strong, light and reliable making timber construction simpler and safer than
90 percent of wall and roof frames in all steel or concrete construction.
detached housing construction
• Reliable - quality assured - Advanced processing and quality assurance programs ensure “fit for purpose”
in Australia.
timber is consistently produced in the right sizes and grades.
The dominance of timber frame construction
Additionally, timber is:
is not unique to Australia - it is used in
• Safe - Timber has low toxicity and therefore requires no special safety precautions to work with it, other than
more than 90 percent of housing starts in
normal protection from dusts and splinters. Timber frame construction requires little in the way of heavy lifting
North America and Scandinavia and is also
equipment making building sites safer work places. Timber being non-conductive has obvious benefits in terms
an established part of the building cultures of electrical safety. Modern timber construction has increased fire resistance due to incombustible linings
in these countries. In Australia there is a protecting light frames.
strong tradition of timber construction
• Easy to install - Increasingly specialist timber frame and truss manufacturers use high tech prefabrication enabling
with considerable building expertise and accurate and speedy installation. Recyclable -Timber is a forgiving material that can be easily disassembled and
experience in timber, supported by building reworked. If demolition or deconstruction of a wooden building is necessary, many wood-based products can be
codes and standards. A culture and a recycled or reused.
sizeable industry have been developed • Cost effective - Comparative studies of the economics of different wall framing systems indicate that, in terms
around light timber frame construction, of direct building expenses, timber frames are consistently the most cost-effective solution.
which is recognised as the standard
• Durable - Good detailing, coating and maintenance ensure that timber structures last for lifetimes.
building system.
• Comfortable - Well-designed Timber structures are comfortable to live in all year round no matter where you are.
This brochure has been produced to assist
• Flexible - A particular feature of timber is the flexibility of design forms and finishes that can be used.
builders, designers and home owners to
This flexibility also extends to the ease with which existing buildings can be added to or modified to suit changing
appreciate the values inherent in circumstances. User friendly versatile timber gives building designers creative freedom providing homeowners with
timber construction. flexible design choices.Timber is simply the best building material for builders, designers and homeowners and can be
used to construct the homes we love, structures we admire and warehouses, commercial buildings and other structures.

2 Front cover photo - Beach house at Casuarina Beach designed by Lahz Nimmo Architects www.lahznimmo.com. Photographed by Brett Boardman.
 ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
Comparative Life Cycle Analysis of Residential Housing
With an increasing awareness of the environmental impacts of human activities, The Green qualities of timber construction are hard for other materials to match.
homeowners are more often looking for building systems and designs which use These qualities include sustainability, low embodied energy, carbon absorption
little energy to manufacture and are built with sustainably produced materials. and high thermal efficiency of timber framed buildings in use.
Wood and wood products meet these aspirations better than any other common
Trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via photosynthesis retaining
building materials.
carbon in biomass. An expanding forest is a carbon sink (carbon sinks are any
Forests have important roles to play in delivering sustainability because they: natural or man-made systems that absorb and retain greenhouse gases, mainly
• filter the air and soak up carbon dioxide, one cause of climate change carbon dioxide). Carbon absorption continues until a forest reaches a steady state
(maturity) where the carbon remains locked in.
• create habitats for many birds and animals
Thus the forest acts Environmental Performance of Timber, Steel and Concrete
• create jobs and wealth across the States
as a carbon reservoir,
• have the potential to offer recreation opportunities Wood Design
even if individual
Steel Design
• provide timber and wood products sourced from a renewable resource stands are continually Concrete Design
harvested and
Assessments of the life cycle impacts on the environment of the most commonly
replanted.
used building materials consistently rate timber ahead of all others. It has low
embodied energy (the process energy requirement to produce the basic material)
and is a net carbon absorber. Timber truly does grow on trees and well-managed
plantations and forests can produce timber on a continuous basis, with minimal
adverse effects on soil and water values. Wildlife values of natural forests are
Embodied Global Warming Air Water Resource Use Solid Wastes
protected by setting large areas of forests aside in reserves. Energy Potential Toxicity Toxicity (by mass) (by mass)
Source: ATHENA Sustainable Materials Institute Canada
http://www.athenasmi.ca/

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 PLENTIFUL and NATURE’S OWN
GROWING SUPPLY STRUCTURAL MATERIAL
Australia’s building industry is supplied with framing timber, which is mostly derived As nature’s own structural material, timber has evolved high strength for weight
from plantation forests as well as sustainably managed native forests. Australia has a in order to support trees that can grow as high as 100 metres. Timber is used to
significant plantation estate covering more than 1.6 million hectares, and the area is build a wide variety of structures including commercial and multi-storey buildings,
growing rapidly. Currently it comprises about 61 percent softwood species (pine) and warehouses, bridges as well as housing. All these types of construction are
around 39 percent hardwood species (mostly Australian eucalypts). assisted by Australian and industry standards as well as the provisions of the
Building Code of Australia (BCA).
Australia’s plantations have attracted a substantial investment in the forest-based
processing industry, supplying the building industry with about 3 million m3 of A particular feature of timber is the flexibility of design forms and finishes that
sawn timber every year. Other forests supply around 1.8 million m3 /annum. can be used. This flexibility also extends to the ease with which existing
Close scrutiny of native forests, environmental certification of sustainablility values buildings can be added to or modified to suit changing circumstances.
and the increasing plantation estate, will ensure that builders will be able to access
a sustained supply of their prime building material for many years to come.
STRONG and LIGHTWEIGHT
A comparison with steel and concrete shows that radiata pine structural timber,
Australia: Plantation Area by State
for example, has a strength for weight ratio 20 percent higher than structural steel
350000
and four to five times better than unreinforced concrete in compression.
300000 Softwood
250000 Hardwood The lightweight structures possible in wood confer flow-on advantages in terms
Area (ha)

200000 of reduced foundation costs, reduced earthquake loading and easier transport.
150000 Building components and complete constructions are simple and safe to erect,
100000 and cheaper to deconstruct or reuse at the end of a buildingís useful life.
50000

0
NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas NT ACT
Source: National Forest Inventory March 2003, Canberra

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 QUALITY ASSURED
The natural variability of timber strength, between and within species, requires Safe to use
reliable systems to sort timber into strength groups and grades best suited for Timber has low toxicity and therefore requires no
particular applications. These grading systems rely on: special safety precautions to work with it, other

• visual identification of strength reducing characteristics (Visual Grading than normal protection from dusts and splinters.

standards AS 2082 Hardwoods, AS 2858 Softwoods including Cypress) or Because it is light weight, timber frame construction
requires little in the way of heavy lifting equipment
• direct machine measurement of the timber stiffness (Machine Grading
making building sites safer work places.
standards AS/NZS 1748) and the determination of strength properties.
Easy to install
Timber-grading systems, and the products they produce, are generally
Timber trusses and frames, factory fabricated from
monitored by third party audited quality schemes, which ensure the delivery
sawn timber and toothed metal plate connectors,
of reliable products to the end user. These Quality Assurance (QA) schemes are
have come to dominate roof construction for small
managed by organisations such as Plantation Timber Certification Pty Ltd (PTC)
buildings such as houses and large industrial
for softwoods and Australian Timber Industry Certification Pty Ltd (ATIC)
buildings where clear spans up to 50 metres are
for cypress pine and hardwoods. Further, engineered timber products such
required. Timber trusses compete with other roof
as plywood, Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and glue-laminated timber,
structural systems on cost, high performance,
are monitored by the Plywood Association of Australasia (PAA) and the
versatility and ready availability, supported by
Glue-Laminated Timber Association of Australia. The PTC and PAA are
design software packages supplied by the plate
JAS-ANZ accredited product certification bodies.
manufacturers to the fabricators.
Prefabricated frames and trusses are used in the majority of projects around
Australia because of efficient construction, better control of tolerances and Electrical resistance
speedier installation. In the frame-making plant, drawings are translated into With increasing use in buildings of electrical and

instructions for the automated frame making machinery. electronic equipment, a non-conducting frame has
obvious benefits in terms of electrical safety and
freedom from interference due to stray currents,
which may arise from insulation breakdown.
Timber frames inherently avoid such problems,
as wood is an excellent insulator and will not
affect the operation of wireless receiving and
transmitting equipment.

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 Fire safety
Modern timber construction has a high fire resistance. Incombustible linings The system may include physical or chemical barriers or in higher risk areas,
generally protect light frames for at least 30 minutes of fully developed fire. a termite resistant treated timber or naturally termite resistant frame may also
In reality, the contents are the major hazard in building fires, and this is so be chosen. In any case any management system should include regular inspection
regardless of the construction material. It is generally true to say that people die to ensure that barriers have not been breached. It is therefore critical that the
in fires from burning contents and the resulting poisonous combustion products, system type and inspection schedule are understood by all future householders.
not burning building components. Hence the emphasis on smoke alarms and Importantly, termites are an integral part of the ecology of Australia, however,
getting people out early, within a few minutes of ignition of the contents, with awareness, planning and using cost effective systems, they can be
well before the building fabric is involved in a fire. effectively managed.

Resistance of houses to bushfires starts with the maintenance of a secure,

Comfortable buildings
combustible free environment around the house grounds, roof and walls.
The next line of defence is the resistance of roof and wall cladding materials Good thermal design results in buildings that are cool in summer and warm

and openings, such as windows and doors, to sparks, embers and radiation. in winter. Ideally, these ends are achieved with low energy inputs and without

The frame is the last component to be involved in a bush fire, well after compromising other liveability aspects, such as arrangement of spaces, doors

claddings and contents may have been destroyed. and windows. Good architectural design will build in the ability to use the weather,
breeze, shading and sun to control indoor comfort. Lightweight timber framing
Design for durability allows design flexibility to achieve the right result. A well designed home
encourages the homeowner to use the features of the home to achieve the level of
Although many buildings become obsolete and are demolished long before the
indoor comfort they desire without necessarily using additional heating or cooling.
end of their natural lives, timber buildings correctly designed and maintained can
have an indefinite life. The key to long life is protection from weather, insect attack Timber has other advantages, for example the capacity to absorb and release
and decay, through well-established design detailing, surface coating systems, moisture, reducing cavity condensation risk. Timber floor framing and timber
selection of durable species, and preservative treatment processes. In all countries feature floors are warm to touch and less fatiguing to walk on. Suspended timber
of the world, and Australia is no exception, historic timber buildings testify to floors are dry and off the ground offering space for services and allowing the
these principles. installation of insulation. All in all, when you take into account timberís low
embodied energy, design flexibility, warmth and other attributes it has to
In termite-prone areas, all buildings are vulnerable to termite attack of contents,
be the choice of designers and homeowners who want to design quality,
so protection is needed regardless of construction materials. Protection systems
comfortable homes.
rely on physical or chemical barriers, or both, and their effectiveness depends on
the quality of the design, construction, inspection and maintenance. The risk of
termite attack should be assessed after consulting with local building authorities
and an appropriate termite management system should be implemented.

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 RECYCLING FLEXIBLE
If demolition or deconstruction of a wooden building is Timber is used for a diverse range of applications and building styles.
necessary, many wood-based products can be recycled Light and adaptable, it can be used for both interior and exterior
or reused. The salvage value of older timbers from structures and surfaces, both structural and non-structural, and can
retrofitting and demolition projects has enabled a trade in be used aesthetically as well as structurally.
recycled products (particularly doors, windows and trusses),
Timber and wood componentry products are widely available in a
as well as providing planks (from flooring, cabinetry shelves
number of sizes and species, each of which has unique properties,
and cladding) to be reworked into new high-value products.
colours and grains. Whether used in its original shape, rough sawn
The salvaged timber is reused for furniture or other suitable
or hewn to size, stained or sanded, and machined into shapes and
building applications
smooth surfaces, wood is certainly one of the most versatile
materials available to designers and builders. The large range of
COST-EFFECTIVE wood-based products available including solid wood, veneers,
fibreboard, particleboard, laminated and engineered structural
There are many factors to consider when comparing the
members allows wood to be used in almost any
economics of different construction systems including
building application.
the complexity of the layout, site, builder experience, and
relative material prices at the time of building. However, The available range of timber products includes:
comparative studies of the economics of different wall
Structural sawn timber
framing systems indicate that, in terms of direct building
• Australian hardwoods and cypresses
expenses, timber frames are consistently the most
• Plantation pine and Araucaria
cost-effective solution.
Engineered wood products
In the medium to long term, the forecasts for the
• Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)
Australian wood supply indicate a stable and growing
• Glue laminated Timber
supply. This means that prices for framing timber are likely
• Composite components including I-beams and trussed beams
to be more stable for builders in the long term. However,
this price stability is questionable for materials such as steel,
which consume considerable amounts of fossil fuels in their
manufacture. The smelting of steel is heavily reliant on the
continued availability of cheap sources of fossil fuels,
a scenario which is becoming highly uncertain in an
increasingly energy and security conscious world.

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WHO’S WHO

State Timber Advisory Bodies National Bodies

Timber Advisory Centre (Victoria) A3P
Phone: (03) 9875 5010 Phone: (02) 6273 8111
Fax: (03) 9877 6663 Fax: (02) 6273 8011
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Web: www.timber.asn.au Web:www.a3p.asn.au
Timber Promotion Council (Victoria) National Association of Forest Industries
Phone: (03) 9665 9255 Phone: (02) 6285 3833
Fax: (03) 9665 9266 Fax: (02) 6285 3855
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Web: www.tpcvic.org.au Web: www.nafi.com.au
Timber Advisory Centre (Western Australia)
Phone: (08) 9380 4411 Certification Bodies
Fax: (08) 9380 4477
Plywood Association of Australasia Ltd
Web: www.forestindustries.com.au
Phone: (07) 3854 1228
Tasmanian Timber Promotion Board Fax: (07) 3252 4769
Phone: (03) 6324 3135 Freecall: (TAS only) 1800 244 870 Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected] Web: www.paa.asn.au
Timber Development Association (New South Wales)
Australian Timber Industry Certification
Phone: (02) 9279 2366
Phone: 1300 131 481
Fax: (02) 9279 2377
Fax: (03) 9665 9280
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.timber.net.au
Web: www.timbercert.com.au
Timber Development Association of
South Australia, Inc. * Also Plantation Timber Certification
Phone: (08) 8297 0044
Fax: (08) 8297 2772 Standards Information
Email: [email protected]
Standards Australia
Timber Queensland Limited Phone: (02) 8206 6000
Phone: (07) 3358 1400 Fax: (02) 8206 6001
Fax: (07) 3254 1964 E-mail:[email protected]
Email: [email protected] Web: www.standards.org.au
Web: www.timberqueensland.com.au Australian Building Codes Board
Phone: 1300 134 631
Fax: (02) 6213 7287
Web: www.abcb.gov.au

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