Building Regulations and the Safety of Structural Timber
When you think of timber frame as a construction method, do you think or one or two storey houses?
Statutory guidance sets clearer, strong standards which set limits on the combustibility of materials used in the external walls of buildings and after lengthy consultation on the ban on combustible materials, the last Government ruled that structural timber is approved for use within the external walls of buildings between 11 and 18 metres.
What does it mean for timber frame?
This ruling meant that timber frame remains a key construction solution for the future with even more justification for a “timber first” approach; building with structural timber safely up to 18m.
The opportunity to use off-site timber frame solutions is huge and a key solution to start addressing the England’s housing stock. Indeed it is already being adopted by many of our national housebuilders.
Scotts Timber Engineering and Safety
Head of Timber Frame at Scotts of Thrapston, Sandeep Channa, explained the company’s safety-first approach: “All our timber frame structures are designed, manufactured, and installed in compliance with the latest regulations. Where our products include items that are essential to the fire integrity of the structure and installed on site i.e – cavity barriers, party wall cavity barriers/insulation, roof fire barriers & fire breaks– these are inspected, photographed, and signed off specifically to ensure all our clients receive a finished build that is 100% compliant. As members of the STA, we follow the SiteSafe initiative and 16 steps guidance on every project regardless of size or shape.”
If you have timber frame project or development of any scale you’d like to talk to our team about, call us today on 01832 732366 or email thrapston@scottste.co.uk.
