Timber-framed buildings
Superseding NZS 3604:1999
NZS 3604:2011
NZS 3604:2011
COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION
This Standard was prepared under the supervision of the P 3604 technical committee the Standards Council established
under the Standards Act 1988. The committee consisted of the following:
Nominating Organisation
Nominee
Colin Hill
Eddie Bruce and Roger Shelton
Colin Clench
David Barnard
Richard Merrifield
Don Bunting
Graeme Lawrance
Allan Walters
Mark Ash
Ernest Lapish and Ian Garrett
Stephen Walker
Michael Middlebrook
Hans Gerlich
Stuart Hayman
Bruce Anderson
Jamie OLeary
Doug Gaunt
John Yolland
Warwick Banks
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Standards New Zealand is the main sponsor of this limited technical revision of NZS 3604:2011 and acknowledges the
sponsorship provided by the Department of Building and Housing and the Earthquake Commission.
We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of time and expertise from all involved in developing this Standard. Special
thanks to the P 3604 Technical Committee, the P 3604 Leadership Group, and the members of the various committee
workgroups.
Thanks also to the management and staff at Stonewood Homes Wellington Limited for their participation in cover
photography. Photographer: Nick Servian.
COPYRIGHT
The copyright of this document is the property of the Standards Council. No part of the text may be reproduced by
photocopying or by any other means without the prior written approval of the Chief Executive Officer of Standards New
Zealand unless the circumstances are covered by Part III of the Copyright Act 1994.
Standards New Zealand will vigorously defend the copyright in this Standard. Every person who breaches Standards
New Zealands copyright may be liable to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not to exceed three
months. If there has been a flagrant breach of copyright, Standards New Zealand may also seek additional damages from
the infringing party, in addition to obtaining injunctive relief and an account of profits.
Published by Standards New Zealand, the trading arm of the Standards Council, Private Bag 2439, Wellington 6140.
Telephone: (04) 498 5990, Fax: (04) 498 5994. Website; http://www.standards.co.nz
AMENDMENTS
No.
Date of issue
Description
NZS 3604:2011
Timber-framed
buildings
Superseding NZS 3604:1999
ISBN 978-1-86975-143-2
NZS 3604:2011
CONTENTS
Committee representation...............................................................IFC
Acknowledgement............................................................................IFC
Copyright............................................................................................IFC
Referenced documents........................................................................4
Latest revisions.....................................................................................8
Review of Standards.............................................................................8
Outcome statement..............................................................................8
Foreword................................................................................................9
1
GENERAL.................................................................................. 2-1
DURABILITY............................................................................. 4-1
FLOORS.....................................................................................7-1
WALLS....................................................................................... 8-1
POSTS....................................................................................... 9-1
10
11
12
13
CEILINGS................................................................................ 13-1
15
16
EXPANSIVE SOILS..................................................................17-1
INDEX........................................................................................... Index-1
NZS 3604:2011
REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
Reference is made in this document to the following:
Part 5:
Supplement 1:2004
NZS 3101:2006
Parts 1 and 2
NZS 3104:2003
NZS 3109:1997
Concrete construction
NZS 3601:1973
NZS 3602:2003
NZS 3603:1993
NZS 3605:2001
NZS 3622:2004
NZS 3631:1988
NZS 3640:2003
NZS 4210:2001
NZS 4229:1999
Methods of testing soils for civil engineering purposes Soil classification tests
Test 2.2 Determination of the liquid limit
Test 2.6:1986
Methods of testing soils for civil engineering purposes Soil classification tests
Test 2.6 Determination of the linear shrinkage
Test 6.5.2:1988
NZS 4404:2010
NZS 4431:1989
NZS 3604:2011
JOINT AUSTRALIAN/NEW ZEALAND STANDARDS
AS/NZS 1170:---Part 0:2002
Part 1:2002
Part 2:2002
Part 3:2003
Part 3
Supplement 1:2003
Structural design actions Snow and ice actions Snow and ice actions
Commentary (Supplement to AS/NZS 1170.3:2003)
AS/NZS 1328:----
Part 1:1998
Part 2:1998
Glued laminated structural timber Guidelines for AS/NZS 1328: Part 1 for
the selection, production and installation of glued laminated structural timber
AS/NZS 1393:1996
AS/NZS 1860
Part 1:2002
Part 1:2008
Part 2:2007
AS/NZS 2699
Part 2:2000
AS/NZS 2728:2007
Part 1:2005
Part 2:2006
Part 3:2006
NZS 3604:2011
Part 4:2005
AS/NZS 4455
Part 1:2008
Masonry units, pavers, flags and segmental retaining wall units Masonry units
AS/NZS 4534:2006
AS/NZS 4671:2001
AS/NZS 4680:2006
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
ISO 9223:1992
AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS
AS 1111:---Part 1-2000
Part 2-2000
AS 1214-1983
AS ISO 1302-2005
AS 1397-2001
AS 2870-1996
AS 3566:----
Part 2-2002
NZS 3604:2011
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
BRANZ, P21, A wall bracing test and evaluation procedure, Wellington: BRANZ, 2010
BRANZ, Evaluation Method 1 (EM1) Structural joints Strength and stiffness evaluation, Wellington:
BRANZ, 1999
BRANZ, Good practice guide Concrete floors and basements, Wellington: BRANZ, 1998
New Zealand Geotechnical Society Inc., Field description of soil and rock Guideline for the field
classification and description of soil and rock for engineering purposes, Wellington: New Zealand
Geotechnical Society, 2005
WEBSITES
Department of Building and Housing
http://www.dbh.govt.nz
GNS Science
http://www.gns.cri.nz
http://www.legislation.govt.nz
http://www.nzgs.org
NZS 3604:2011
LATEST REVISIONS
The users of this Standard should ensure that their copies of the above-mentioned New Zealand
Standards are the latest revisions. Amendments to referenced New Zealand and Joint Australian/
New Zealand Standards can be found on www.standards.co.nz.
REVIEW OF STANDARDS
Suggestions for improvement of this Standard are welcomed. They should be sent to the Chief Executive,
Standards New Zealand, Private Bag 2439, Wellington 6140.
OUTCOME STATEMENT
NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings sets a minimum standard for the design and construction
of timber-framed buildings. When applied by architects, designers, builders, engineers, apprentices,
building consent authorities and building industry regulators, NZS 3604 provides these users with a cost
effective means of compliance and practical guidance for designing and building to meet New Zealand
Building Code requirements, without the need for specific engineering design.
NZS 3604 provides prescribed methods for the design and construction for timber-framed domestic
dwellings, most other residential buildings, and some commercial buildings up to three storeys in height.
The use of NZS 3604 during design and building provides consumers with assurance that their home has
been built to meet the legislative requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.
NZS 3604:2011
FOREWORD
This Standard provides methods and details for the design and construction of timber-framed structures not
requiring specific engineering design (SED).
NZS 3604 is used by a wide range of people in the building industry such as builders, architects, engineers,
designers and students. However, due to the requirement for building consent documentation to show how
the performance-based requirements of the New Zealand Building Code (NZBC) will be met, users of the
document will predominantly be fulfilling the role of a designer. Consequently, the Standard continues to be set
out generally in the sequence for the design of buildings.
NZS 3604 is a core resource for building consent authorities determining compliance with the NZBC and gives
guidance to builders and others involved in the construction of light timber-framed buildings. The Standard is
also an important teaching resource for tertiary and trade training organisations.
Since the publication of NZS 3604:1999 and later Amendments No. 1 and No. 2, building practices have
moved on significantly and NZS 3604 has been updated to reflect this. The user friendliness of the original
Standards format has been retained, but with a number of changes to layout and the presentation of tables
and figures to ensure that NZS 3604 remains a core resource for the design, construction, and maintenance of
timber-framed buildings. This limited technical review has focused on five main areas:
(a)
AS/NZS 1170 Structural design actions is referenced in clause B1/VM1. NZS 3604 has been updated to
reflect the provisions of AS/NZS 1170.
(b)
Section 4 on durability has been brought into line with the NZBC. Cladding has been omitted in line with
the updating of E2/AS1. Text has been added on recent product development, durability of fixings and
adjustments to the exposure zone maps.
(c)
The coverage of bracing in section 5 has been reviewed to improve readability and clarify requirements
previously open to interpretation.
(d)
The Department of Building and Housings Acceptable Solution E2/AS1 has superseded section 11 in
NZS 3604. With E2/AS1 being updated and extended in parallel with NZS 3604, the original content of
section 11 has been replaced by a small section addressing the interface between NZS 3604 and
E2/AS1. Accordingly all design information on cladding has been removed from NZS 3604. It is important
that designers consider specific requirements for claddings in conjunction with timber framing and
concrete foundation design. Depending on claddings selected, specific wall and roof framing spacing
and sizes, foundation details, bracing and set outs will be required.
(e)
Requirements have been added on new building techniques and materials, in particular engineered
timber products and trussed roof framing now commonly used in buildings.
The section on statutory information has been removed as there is growing familiarity in the building industry
with the requirements of the Building Act and Regulations.
The Building Act requires all new building work to comply with the performance requirements of the NZBC.
It is intended that NZS 3604:2011 will be referenced as an Acceptable Solution, meeting the relevant
performance requirements of Clauses B1 Structure (for loads arising from gravity, earthquake, snow, wind
and human impact, differential movement, non-structural elements and contents, and creep and shrinkage),
B2 Durability (for timber and wood-based building components, steel fixings and fastenings, concrete
foundations, concrete floor slabs, concrete masonry and reinforcing steel), E2 External moisture, E3 Internal
moisture, and H1 Energy efficiency.
Since the Canterbury earthquake on 4 September 2010 there has been much discussion on liquefiable soils
and lateral spread.
Some building consent authorities publish maps of earthquake hazards (including liquefaction) and these maps
may be considered as part of any requirement for further assessment or SED.
There is currently not enough information and evidence-based research to decide if liquefaction should be
addressed in the definition of good ground. Several investigative and research projects have been initiated
by the wider sector including the formation of a Strategic Advisory Group appointed by the Earthquake
Commission to focus on the remedial work in Canterbury.
NZS 3604:2011
It is expected that this research, while focusing initially on the remedial work in Canterbury, will inform the
wider building and construction sector as a whole, as remedial work progresses and more information is
made available. In the meantime the Department of Building and Housing has worked with other agencies on
guidance information on liquefaction for remedial work in Canterbury. This guidance document was published
in December 2010 and is available on the Departments website.
The Department of Building and Housing and Standards New Zealand have agreed to consider amendments
to NZS 3604 or other documents when further information and evidence about liquefaction and lateral spread
are available.
10