NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings - SPONSORED

Abbreviation
NZS 3604:2011
Valid from
13/02/2011
Replaces
NZS 3604:1999

Information provider
Standards New Zealand
Author
Standards New Zealand
Information type
New Zealand Standard
Format
PDF, HARD COPY


Description

This Standard provides methods and details for the design and construction of timber-framed structures not requiring specific engineering design.

This Standard applies to residential buildings up to three-storeys high including multi-residential buildings, some commercial buildings and freestanding, uninhabited garages.

Scope

NZS 3604 sets down construction requirements for timber framed buildings within the limitations specified in 1.1.2.NZS 3604 applies only to buildings within the following limitations (this is not a complete list):

  • (a) Buildings shall be founded on good ground;
  • (b) Buildings shall be Category IV or V buildings (see table 1.1). Buildings not covered by this Standard are those without external walls, such as free standing carports and pergolas;
  • (c) The total height from the lowest ground level to the highest point of the roof shall not exceed 10 m;
  • (d) The design snow load shall be not greater than 1 kPa, as determined from section 15;
  • (e) Buildings shall have uses comprising:
  • (i) Domestic;
    • (ii) Residential. The buildings in this category comprise multiunit or group dwellings, communes or maraes, boarding houses, halls of residence, holiday cabins, hostels, hotels, or nurses homes (but excludes buildings with communal balconies);
    • (iii) Institutional. The buildings in this category comprise hospitals, old peoples homes or health camps (but excludes those with operating theatres or rooms containing heavy equipment, i.e. where loads exceed those given in (v) below);
    • (iv) Educational. The buildings in this category comprise early childhood centres, colleges, day care institutions, centres for handicapped persons, kindergartens, schools or universities (but excludes buildings that have libraries with book stacking systems, i.e. where loads exceed those given in (v) below);
    • (v) Other buildings provided the loadings are demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Building Consent Authority, to be no more than 3 kPa uniformly distributed load, or 2.7 kN concentrated load on the floor, or 0.25 kPa uniformly distributed load on the roof. The floor and roof live loadings applicable to (i) to (iv) shall be as given in table 1.2, provided that the floor loading shall not exceed 1.5 kPa for the uppermost floor of 3 storey buildings.
  • (f) Single storey buildings may include a part storey basement or a part storey in the roof space. Single storey buildings shall be supported on any one or a combination of the following foundation structures:
  • (i) Piles;
  • (ii) Foundation walls;
  • (iii) Concrete slab-on-ground.
  • (g) Two storey buildings shall comprise a timber upper floor and upper storey timber walls. The lower storey walls may be timber, or full height concrete masonry to NZS 4229. The lower floor may be slab-on-ground or suspended timber as follows:
    • (i) For buildings with slab-on-ground the lower storey walls shall be in timber framing, or full height concrete masonry to NZS 4229;
    • (ii) Buildings with the lower floor of suspended timber and lower storey timber walls shall be supported on either or a combination of foundation walls and piles;
    • (iii) Buildings with the lower floor of suspended timber and lower storey full height concrete masonry walls shall be supported on foundations to NZS 4229.
  • (h) Three storey buildings shall consist of the following:
    • (i) No more than 2 storeys supported on timber framing;
    • (ii) One storey shall be a part storey in a roof space;
    • (iii) The middle storey and part storey shall be directly supported on a lower storey of concrete masonry walls and foundation walls to the provisions of NZS 4229;
    • (iv) The ground floor shall be either concrete slab-on-ground or a suspended timber or concrete floor to the provisions of NZS 4229
  • (i) The slope of any roof plane shall not be steeper than 60o to the horizontal.
  • (j) For the purpose of forming a mansard roof only, a wall of an uppermost storey may slope by up to 20o.
  • (k) The building wind zone determined from 5.2.1 and table 5.1 shall be low, medium, high or very high (i.e. L, M, H or VH). SED in table 5.4 indicates the application is outside the scope of NZS 3604.
  • (l) The plan floor area shall:
    • (i) Be unlimited for 1 or 2 storey buildings where all storeys are of timber frame;
    • (ii) Not exceed 300 m2 for 2 storey buildings of other forms of construction;
    • (iii) Not exceed 250 m2 for 3 storey buildings of other forms of construction.
  • (m) Buildings with wings or blocks shall be designed as if the wing or block was a separate building;
  • (n) Concrete slab-on-ground floors in accordance with 7.5 may be used for vehicle garages for vehicles up to 2500 kg tare.
  • (o) Masonry veneer cladding shall have:
    • (i) a mass not exceeding 220 kg/m2, (ii) a height above finished ground level not exceeding 7 m,
    • (iii) a maximum height of 4.0 m measured from the top of the concrete masonry wall, foundation all or slab edge foundation. In the case of a veneer-faced concrete block wall or foundation wall, the cladding shall be measured from the top of that wall,
    • (iv) a maximum veneer height of 5.5 m on a gable end wall.

The following buildings are excluded from NZS 3604:

  • a) buildings without external walls, such as free standing car ports and pergolas,
  • b) buildings outside the limitations, such buildings shall be the subject of SED, or an alternative solution.
For assistance with locating previous versions, please contact the information provider.
Notes/comments

The Building System Performance branch of MBIE has sponsored access to view and print a single downloadable PDF copy of this standard at no charge.

View on Information Provider website
For assistance with locating previous versions, please contact the information provider.

The Building System Performance branch of MBIE has sponsored access to view and print a single downloadable PDF copy of this standard at no charge.

This resource is cited by:

NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings - SPONSORED

This document is CITED BY:

NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings - SPONSORED

Description

This Standard provides methods and details for the design and construction of timber-framed structures not requiring specific engineering design.

This Standard applies to residential buildings up to three-storeys high including multi-residential buildings, some commercial buildings and freestanding, uninhabited garages.

View on Information Provider website
NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings - SPONSORED
Description

This Standard provides methods and details for the design and construction of timber-framed structures not requiring specific engineering design.

This Standard applies to residential buildings up to three-storeys high including multi-residential buildings, some commercial buildings and freestanding, uninhabited garages.

View on Information Provider website
This resource cites:

NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings - SPONSORED

This document CITES:
New Zealand Standards
Australian Standards
Other
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