Timber is a popular choice for facades in Australia due to its natural aesthetics and sustainability. However, strict fire safety regulations under the Australian National Construction its use is regulated under the Australian National Construction Code (NCC), which sets fire safety standards for different building classes. If you’re considering using timber externally, it’s essential to understand the NCC requirements to ensure compliance.
In this guide, we’ll break down the NCC timber facade regulations, including:
For multi-residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, NCC Volume 1 regulates the use of external timber cladding based on the Fire-Resisting Construction Type. This classification depends on building height and class, as outlined in Table C2D2 of the NCC.
| Rise in storeys | Class of building 2, 3, 9 | Class of building 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| 4 or more | A | A |
| 3 | A | B |
| 2 | B | C |
| 1 | C | C |
A fire-source feature is anything that could impact fire safety near a building. This includes the far edge of a road, river, or similar open space next to the property, the property’s side or rear boundary, or the external wall of another non-Class 10 building on the same property.
Even if timber is permitted in your building class, minimum clearance distances from fire source features apply:
| Building class | Minimum distance from fire source feature |
| Class 2, 3, or 4 | 1.5m |
| Class 5, 6, 7a, 7b, 8 | 3m |
Under NCC Clause C2D13, fire-protected timber can sometimes be used in place of non-combustible materials. If you’re considering this option, consult a fire engineer and your local building surveyor to determine compliance.
For Class 1 (single dwelling houses) and Class 10 (non-habitable structures), timber can be used externally. However, an important factor to consider is the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating of your site.
If your project is in a bushfire-prone area, your timber facade must comply with Australian Standard AS3959, which governs BAL ratings. Consider the following:
For high-risk bushfire zones, a non-combustible timber alternative may be required.
According to AS3959 Appendix F, the following timber species can be used in a BAL 29 application.
| Standard trade name | Botanical name | BAL |
| Ash, silvertop | Eucalyptus, sieberi | 29 |
| Blackbutt | Eucalyptus, pilularis | 29 |
| Gum, red, river | Eucalyptus, camaldulensis | 29 |
| Gum, spotted | Corymbia maculata | 29 |
| Ironbark, red | Eucalyptus sideroxylon | 29 |
| Kwila (Merbau) | Intsia bijuga | 29 |
| Terpentine | Syncarpia glomulifera | 29 |
While timber is a beautiful and sustainable material, it comes with fire-safety limitations and ongoing maintenance requirements. Wood-Finish Aluminium is an excellent non-combustible timber alternative that delivers the same visual appeal without compliance and maintenance issues.
If you’re looking for an NCC-compliant facade solution that replicates timber aesthetics without fire concerns, Velo Facades is the perfect choice.
By choosing Wood-Finish Aluminium facades, you ensure:
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