scope:

This Standard gives the requirements for timber and wood-based products for particular uses in building so that they can be expected to give acceptable performance during the life of the building. To that end this Standard covers the materials themselves and aspects of design and construction that are relevant to their performance in use.

Part 1 of this Standard applies to the durability performance required of wood-based products in all types of buildings, whether or not they are constructed so as to comply with NZS 3604. However, Part 1 applies only to the required characteristics of wood-based products made from the wood species specified in table 1, table 2 and table 3. The required characteristics of wood-based products made from any other wood species (i.e. not as specified in those tables) are outside the scope of this Standard.

The durability (in terms of New Zealand Building Code requirements) of wood species other than those specified in tables 1, 2 and 3 of this Standard should be established only on the basis of a written opinion from an authoritative source, such as from the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) or Forest Research.