When designed, installed, used and maintained in accordance with the requirements herein, T2 Blue will provide sufficient termite protection for the building to meet the NCC performance requirements relating to termite actions, which may occur south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

Class 2 to Class 9 Buildings (Volume 1) & Class 1 and Class 10 Buildings (Volume 2) BP1.1 & P2.1 Structural stability and resistance to actions:

a) A building or structure, during construction and use, with appropriate degrees of reliability, must:

i. perform adequately under all reasonably expected design actions; and
ii. withstand extreme or frequently repeated design actions; and
iii. be designed to sustain local damage, with the structural system as a whole remaining stable and not being damaged to an extent disproportionate to the original local damage; and
iv. avoid causing damage to other properties; and
v. by resisting the actions to which it may reasonably be expected to be subjected.

b) The actions to be considered to satisfy (a) include but are not limited to:

i. (i), (ii), (iii) ... (xiv), (xv) termite actions.

T2 Blue is not suitable for use north of the Tropic of Capricorn.

The structural and durability design of buildings using T2 Blue is to comply with the principles and requirements defined in Australian Standards AS1720.1, AS1684 and AS3660. Two options for resisting termite action in a building are:

      1. The use of termite resistant materials as primary building elements, and/or
      2. The use of termite barrier systems

The NCC defines a primary building element as a member of a building designed specifically to take part of the building loads and includes roof, ceiling, floor, stairway or ramp and wall framing members including bracing members designed for the specific purpose of acting as a brace to those members.

A unique Queensland variation to the NCC, specifically includes the following additional members within the meaning of primary building element, door jambs, window frames and reveals, architraves and skirtings.

T2 Blue is a termite resistant material and may be used solely or in conjunction with other termite resistant materials to resist termite actions and satisfy the NCC performance requirements. Where all primary building elements are not designed, specified, and installed as termite resistant; a termite barrier system must be used. Where primary building elements other than T2 Blue are also used in a building, then the NCC structural provisions relating to termite action shall be meet (AS3660.1 Termite Management – New Building Work).

T2 Blue is to be installed, used, and maintained in accordance with the building practice requirements of AS1684 “Residential timber-framed construction.” T2 Blue termite resistance is dependent upon the integrity of the treatment envelope. Research has shown that a trimmed end, abutting a treated surface, does not adversely affect the termite resistance of the timber. Similarly, minor notching, trenching and drilling of holes in T2 Blue, in accordance with the requirements of AS1684.2 Clause 6.2.1.4 is considered acceptable by termite experts.

However, a number of practical building situations can arise, during construction, which may either necessitate the removal of the envelope treatment from T2 Blue or require the use of termite susceptible timber with no envelope treatment. This may occur in the following situations:

• Recessing of metal bracing products
• Rebates to accommodate showers or baths
• Inclusion of non-termite resistant timber members
• Stud straightening by planing of stud mid-sections
• Inadvertent damage to members

Where the exposed surface area of termite susceptible timber exceeds the cross-sectional area of the member concerned, then additional termite protection is required to achieve the performance requirements of the BCA relating to termite action. Where replacement of the affected timber member is not practical or possible then the following acceptable methods for protecting termite susceptible timber are required:

      1. The installation of a termite barrier system
     2. The in-situ preservative treatment of any termite susceptible timber

Suitable brush-on or spray-on preservative treatments for termite susceptible timber are listed below:

• Protim® Solignum® XJ Clear
• Tanalised® Enseal Clear or Ecoseal

These products contain insecticides, which with the correct application will provide termite protection to any exposed termite susceptible timber.