AS1684 Revision

Residential Timber Framed

Construction Standard
2006 Edition

Reason for Revision

„ A requirement by Standards Australia to

review BCA primary reference standards
every 5 years.

Reason for Revision

„ Its been 6 years since the last revision

„ This standard was first published in 1999
„ With amendments dated:
1. April 2000
2. October 2000
3. May 2001
4. May 2002

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 Revision Objectives

„Address issues and practices of some

state building industry interests to reflect:

„ State needs
&
„ Construction practices

Revision Objectives

„ Include:
„ Editorial amendments
&
„ Technical changes

Revision Objectives

„ Improve deemed to satisfy (DTS) usage

&
„ Provide economical DTS details

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 Changes to Section1
Scope and General

Changes to Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.2 (1999 Version)

“Application”
has been deleted

„ this clause used to introduce the Standard

in January 2000 (no longer necessary)

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 Changes to Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.3 (1999 Version)

“Use of alternative materials or methods”
has been deleted
„ this is the role of the BCA
(provide DTS solutions)
„ however does not preclude the use of
alternative systems

Changes to Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.4 (1999 Version)

“Companion Documents”
moved to Clause 1.2
„ AS1684.1 Design criteria (unchanged)
„ AS1684.3 Cyclonic wind areas
„ AS1684.4 Simplified – Non-cyclonic areas

AS1684 Parts 3 & 4

„ The changes in Part 2 have been

mirrored in Parts 3 & 4

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 Changes to Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.5 (1999 Version)

“Referenced Documents”
has been deleted

Replaced with:

Changes to Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.3 (2006 Version)

“Normative References”
a new clause
„ lists 36 other Standards & the BCA
„ as indispensable documents
„ nominates Appendix A as a list of
“informative” related documents (page 218)

Explanation from the Preface

„ “Normative”
„ an integral part of the Standard

„ “Informative”
„ for information and guidance only

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 Changes to Section1
Scope and General
AS1684.2 1999 AS1684.2 2006
1.6 Limitations 1.4 Limitations
1.7 Design Criteria 1.5 Design Criteria
1.8 Forces on Buildings 1.6 Forces on Buildings
1.9 Load Paths Offsets and Cantilevers 1.7 Load Paths Offsets and Cantilevers

1.10 Durability 1.8 Durability

1.11 Dimensions 1.9 Dimensions
1.12 Bearing 1.10 Bearing
1.13 Stress Grades 1.11 Stress Grades
1.14 Engineered Timber Products 1.12 Engineered Timber Products

1.15 Size Tolerances 1.13 Size Tolerances

1.16 Alternative Timber Dimensions 1.14 Alternative Timber Dimensions

1.17 Guidelines for Design using this 1.15 Considerations for Design using this
Standard Standard

1.18 Interpolation 1.16 Interpolation

Changes to Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.8 (2006 Version)

“Durability”
a technical change
„ Above-ground durability classes
(now nominated)
„ Reference to AS1720 parts 1 & 2 deleted

„ New reference to AS5604

(more detail in Appendix C)

Changes to Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.11 (2006 Version)

“Stress Grades”
a technical change
(contained within the notes to Table 1.2)
„ span tables from the standard can now be
used for F8 & F11 unseasoned softwood
„ F8 & F11 unseasoned hardwood tables are
recommended for use (no new table)

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 Changes to Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.15 (2006 Version)

“Considerations for Design using this
Standard”
a name change only
„ however nominated Clause 1.6 has been
changed to 1.4 to line up with the overall
renumbering of the clauses

Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.15 “Considerations for Design

using this Standard”
„ Nominates procedures to be adopted
must first determine
„ Design gust wind speed
&
„ Corresponding wind classification

Section1
Scope and General

„ Clause 1.15 “Considerations for Design

using this Standard”
basic consideration
„ wind classification is the primary reference
used throughout this Standard
„ recommends flow chart in Figure 1.7 as
guidance for design procedures (page 18)

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 Changes to Section 5
Flooring and Decking

„ Clause 5.7 (1999 Version)

„ Decking has been removed

„ Table 5.3 upgraded

Changes to Section 5
Flooring and Decking

„ Clause 5.7 (2006 Version)

„ refers only to maximum spacing of supports
for T & G and sheet flooring
„ Table 5.3 – Strip Flooring
„ all hardwoods considered on density and
grading characteristics only, as per AS2796
„ Softwoods (excluding cypress) are noted as
per the detail of AS4785.1

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 Changes to Section 5
Flooring and Decking

„ Clause 5.8 (2006 Version)

a new clause
„ Decking – deals only with the spacing of
floor joists for timber decking
„ Table 5.4, moved from Clause 5.7
„ Table 5.5, Decking Board Fixing Requirements
has been added

Changes to Section 5
Flooring and Decking

„ Clause 5.8 (2006 Version)

„ Table 5.5, Decking Board Fixing

Requirements
„ Specifies hot-dip galv or stainless steel
„ 2 nails per board crossing
„ Different thicknesses for machine or
hand-driven nails

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 Changes to Section 6
Wall Framing

„ Clause 6.2 (2006 Version)

„ Section 6.2.3 Openings

„ specifies that jack studs must be the same
orientation as the common studs
„ allows the use of nail lamination in jack studs

Changes to Section 6
Wall Framing

„ Clause 6.2 (2006 Version)

„ Section 6.2.3 Openings
– Figure 6.9 Openings, Detail (a)
„ span has been increased from
900 mm to 1200 mm
„ title has been amended to include
(Non-loadingbearing walls)

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 Changes to Section 6
Wall Framing

„ Clause 6.3 (2006 Version)

„ Section 6.3.8 Posts supporting roof and/
or floor loads
An allowance has been made for the use
of undersized seasoned posts

„ New paragraph at bottom of page 79

Changes to Section 6
Wall Framing

„ Clause 6.3 (2006 Version)

„ Section 6.3.8 Posts supporting roof and/
or floor loads

„ Industry normal is up to 3mm under size i.e.

90 X 90 are normally 88 x 88mm
„ Calculate roof and/or floor area to be
supported 10% bigger, then use nominal
seasoned size from Span Table 53

Change to Section 7
Roof Framing

„ Clause 7.2 (2006 Version)

„ Section 7.2.10.4 Support of underpurlins
„ This section has been completely rewritten
„ Greater clarification is given to underpurlins
that support valley or hip rafters

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 Change to Section 7
Roof Framing

„ Clause 7.2 (2006 Version)

„ Section 7.2.10.4 Support of underpurlins
„ There are 2 new subsections
„ (a) Underpurlins supporting a hip or valley
rafter

Change to Section 7
Roof Framing

„ Clause 7.2 (2006 Version)

„ Section 7.2.10.4 Support of underpurlins
„ There are 2 new subsections
„ (a) Underpurlins supporting a hip or valley
rafter
„ (b) Underpurlins supported by a hip or valley
rafter

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 Change to Section 7
Roof Framing

„ Clause 7.2 (2006 Version)

„ Section 7.2.10.4 Support of underpurlins
„ There are 2 new subsections
„ (a) Underpurlins supporting a hip or valley
rafter
„ (b) Underpurlins supported by a hip or valley
rafter
„ Figure 7.7 has been upgraded

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 Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Clause 8.1 (2006 Version)

„ 8.1 General
„ the inclusion of the words “shall be”
preceding “distributed evenly
throughout” in the 2nd paragraph

Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Clause 8.1 (2006 Version)

„ 8.1 General
„ “even distribution” now becomes a
requirement rather than a recommendation
„ still no guidance on what

“even distribution” means.

Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing
„ extra fixing requirements included
in some of the details
„ example detail (b)

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 Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing
„ extra fixing requirements included
in some of the details
„ example detail (b)
„ example detail (d)

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 Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing/Errors
(advised by TDA Engineer Andrew Dunn)
„ detail (d)
„ Net sectional area of alternative metal strap
should be 24 mm² not 15 mm² as shown
„ Fixing of bottom plate requires specific fixing
from Clause 8.3.6.10 – not nominal as shown

Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing

„ additional details and Bracing types added

to Hardboard

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 Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing
„ Detail (l) Hardboard Type A
„ Minimum thickness, 4.8 mm specified
„ Spacing and length of nail fixing has been
altered
„ Fixing of bottom plate to floor frame or slab
has been reduced to nominal fixing only

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 Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing
„ Detail (m) Hardboard Types B & C
„ Type C is new, a 9kN/m unit
„ Minimum thickness, 4.8 mm specified
„ Spacing of nail fixing has been altered
„ Specific fixing details of bottom plate to floor frame or
slab have been included for both Types B & C

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19
 Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing
„ Detail (n) Hardboard Types D & E
„ Type D is new Short Panel, 3.4kN/m unit
„ Minimum thickness, 4.8 mm specified
„ Spacing and type of fixings specified
„ Nominal fixing of bottom plate to floor frame
or slab for Type D only

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21
 Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing
„ Detail (n) Hardboard Types D & E
„ Type E is new Short Panel, 6.0kN/m unit
„ Minimum thickness, 4.8 mm specified
„ Spacing and type of fixings specified
„ Specific fixing of bottom plate to floor frame
or slab is required i.e. M12 rods each end

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 Changes to Section 8
Racking and Shear Forces
(Bracing)

„ Table 8.18 (2006 Version)

Structural Wall Bracing
„ All Details Hardboard Types A B C D & E
„ A new note to all details, L M & N, which
specifies that at least one side of the bracing
wall shall be lined with gypsum plaster board
or equivalent

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 Changes to Section 9
Fixings and Tie-Down Design

„ Clause 9.2 (2006 Version)

General Connection Requirements
„ Section 9.2.2 Corrosion protection and steel
grade – has been revised
„ minimum corrosion protection for strap or similar
connections – shall be Z 275
„ Minimum thickness of strap – shall be 0.8 mm
„ Minimum steel grade for strap or similar
connections – shall be G 300

Changes to Section 9
Fixings and Tie-Down Design

„ Table 9.15 (2006 Version)

Joint Groups
„ Item 6 – Elsewhere has been clarified
„ Now reads –
Douglas fir (Oregon) from elsewhere
unseasoned J5
seasoned JD5

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 Changes to Appendices

There are 9 separate appendices

Changes to Appendix A
Informative and Related Documents

„ Renamed – formerly “List of Referenced and

Related Documents”
„ Reclassified as “Informative”

„ The “referenced Documents” have been placed

into the body of the standard at Section 1
Clause 1.3 Normative References

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 Changes to Appendix B
Typical Construction Mass

„ Renamed – formerly “Mass of Roof”

„ Table B1.2 renamed as “Guide for Determination

of Typical Building Construction Mass”
„ No real change, only slight restructure of the
table

Changes to Appendix C
Durability

„ C 1 Durability – now includes the new

above – ground durability recommendations

„ Figure C 1 has been updated to include above –

ground durability selections

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 Changes to Appendix C
Durability

„ Table C 1 has been updated to include

more detailed specifications, the new
headings are:
„ Exposure
„ Specific service conditions
„ Biological hazard
„ Typical use

Changes to Appendix H
Timber Species and Properties

„ H 2.10 (2006 Version) : now reads as –

Natural durability class of heartwood
„ upgraded to include the new above – ground
durability recommendations
„ Table H2 has been added to define the
probable life expectancy of above - ground

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 Extract from Table H1

Changes to Appendix H
Timber Species and Properties

„ H 2.11 (2006 Version) : now reads as –

Lyctid susceptibility of sapwood

„ RS – Rarely susceptible (has been deleted)

„ New note has been added to explain the case
of Alpine Ash and to confirm if origin unknown
it must be assumed to be susceptible

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 Extract from Table H1

Timber Solution Software

„The computer program used to derive
the AS1684 span tables is now:
“free to download”
www.timber.org.au or www.timber.net.au

AS1684 Revision
Residential Timber Framed
Construction Standard
2006 Edition

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