This piece was written and provided by FTMA Strategic Partner, STAXA.
The growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly construction materials has led to a rise in timber usage in building projects. This trend has spurred imports of harder-to-obtain components, such as wide MGP beams (>140mm), into the Australian market.
Australian Standard AS/NZS 1748 outlines the requirements for solid timber stress grading, including the process of qualifying grading methods. The associated standard AS/NZS 4490 covers verification that products meet the characteristic design values necessary for building design under AS 1720.
More information can be found on the FTMA website here.
Correct grading of all structural timber elements is crucial. Wide section timber beams in construction bear critical loads, with the integrity of large portions of the structure depending on the beam’s strength. Inadequate grading of these beams may pose safety hazards, such as beam failure or even building collapse. For instance, if a hanging beam fails or underperforms, all connected ceiling joists may become overloaded, exceeding their design span.
To mitigate these risks, it’s crucial for industry professionals and builders to source all structural timber, including wide beams, from suppliers that can provide documentation demonstrating that their product complies with Australian Standards for grading and grade verification relevant to the narrow products (≤140mm) or wide products (>140mm) they are supplying. By doing so, we can ensure the safety and quality of our building projects while promoting responsible and sustainable construction practices.
STAXA goes one step further where we destructively test samples of imported products under a product quality monitoring program to give our customers peace of mind that STAXA have taken every effort to make sure building products we supply are fit for purpose.
In addition to following up certification for its structural timber imports, STAXA operates a structured product quality monitoring program in which samples taken from every consignment are strength tested for confirmation of fitness for purpose.
Our Principal Partners
