From hardwood to softwood, timber is the comforting foundation for your home's flooring, fencing and decking. Timber is fondly enjoyed by your closest family and friends, but ready to wear away at your hard work are freeloading borers and termites. Your timber's resistance to insects and harsh environmental conditions are determined by a range of ratings to grade strength and hazard levels.
When embarking on a DIY challenge at home, renovating or new construction, quickly decoding the numerous timber grades and classes is your headstart in building your upcoming timber project. Knowing the different types of timber ratings gives you long term security when it's time to choose the right material for your building project.
Hazard Levels and Where to Apply Them
Hazard levels determine the degree of biological hazard timber will be exposed to in specific applications. The varying levels represent chemical treatment used to increase the timbers' resistance to termites, decay and fungal growth. The hazard level is rated on a scale from H6, the highest level, down to H1, the lowest level. In Fiji, timber is generally treated at H3, H4 level and H5 level upon request.