Is iBuild Timber Pre-Treated for Termites and Weather?
Transcript
Charles Christodoulou: “No. No, not normally. Certain areas don’t have any termite problems at all. Some places do and that’s where I’d recommend I wouldn’t use timber stumps. I’d use steel or concrete. It just depends in the area. Some councils will insist that you must use termite treated timber, not just plain pine. So yeah, it depends on the area you’re in.“
Charles Christodoulou: “Weather resistant. No, the standard is not treated timber. It’s just pine. But when you say weather resistant, the house is covered or the frame is covered. For example, the roof trusses are covered by Colorbond sheeting and an insulation blanket. And then your wall frames are protected by the external cladding and the insulation as well. So really they couldn’t – it is protected from the weather as normal timber.“
(Okay. So it’s standard timber that you use for building homes.)
Charles Christodoulou: “All over Australia. And I can’t remember exact parts of Queensland where they have a big termite problem. Yeah. The timber has to be treated. And the other one is I think when you’re near the coast, near the coast within 200 metres of breaking waves, you need I think treated materials.“
(And that would be something the surveyor would tell us.)
Charles Christodoulou: “I think the council will pick it up first before the surveyor because once your application goes in the council, they’re some of the things they’ll look at and then you have to make sure that you are providing those materials and then the surveyor will check that as well. So he will not allow you or he won’t sign off on anything for you. He won’t issue you with building permit if you’re not following all the prescribed regulations your land.“
Quick Answer: No. Standard iBuild timber is untreated pine, but council requirements vary by location.
Termite Treatment
iBuild does not pre-treat standard timber for termites. However, requirements depend on your area:
Areas without termite problems:
You don’t need treatment
Termite-prone areas:
- Some councils insist you must use termite-treated timber, not just plain pine
- In certain parts of Queensland with big termite problems, councils require treated timber
- Alternatively, you can use steel or concrete stumps instead of timber stumps
Coastal Area Requirements
If you’re building near the coast – within 200 metres of breaking waves – councils require treated materials.
Weather Protection
Standard timber: iBuild doesn’t treat timber for weather. Instead, iBuild uses standard untreated pine, which is the same timber builders use for homes all over Australia.
How iBuild protects timber from weather:
Roof trusses:
Colorbond sheeting and insulation blanket cover the trusses
Wall frames
External cladding and insulation protect the frames
Therefore, the frame receives protection from weather just like normal timber in standard building construction.
Who Determines Requirements?
Council picks up treatment requirements first when you submit your application. They look at:
- Termite risk in your area
- Coastal proximity
- Other location-specific factors
Building surveyor also checks these requirements. Importantly, they won’t issue a building permit if you don’t follow all prescribed regulations for your land.