Construction timber specifications are important to timber suppliers in Brisbane. Our climate can put great demand on timber when it is used as a building material. When building anything from a doghouse to a full-sized house, it is important to use the correct timber for the job. Two ratings that are often overlooked are lyctine susceptibility and termite resistance.
Lyctine susceptibility is a measurement of how resistant timber is to attack by members of the powderpost beetle family, often called lyctine borers. The sapwood of all varieties of softwood is immune to lyctine attacks. These would include Pinus, Picea, Callitris, Larix, Thuja, Pseudotsuga, Abies and Araucaria species.
The sapwood of some hardwoods is also immune to lyctine attack. However, most hardwoods need treatment to prevent lyctine attacks. The sapwood can also be removed during the manufacturing process.
For permanent buildings in Queensland, it is recommended that the builder stays below the cross-sectional area specified in want and wane allowances. Queensland provides a schedule of timbers in which timbers not susceptible to lyctine attack are graded NS, those not confirmed are graded (s) and those confirmed susceptible to attack are graded S.
The minimum hazard level for lyctine susceptibility treatment is H1 in a well-ventilated area in which timber is completely protected from wetting and weather and is kept off the ground.
Termite resistance is self-explanatory. Heartwood that has natural resistance to termites is graded R, while timbers with no resistance or no confirmed resistance are graded NR. The minimum hazard level for termite resistance treatment is H2 in a well-ventilated area in which timber is completely protected from wetting and weather and is kept off the ground.
What it Means to You
As one of the premier timber suppliers in Brisbane, Narangba Timbers can make sure you get the right timber for the right project. Our customer service staff is extremely knowledgeable about all things pertaining to timber construction.
Call (07) 3888 1293 to learn more.