Building poles are treated to a higher level to allow critical enduse with minimum maintenance of 80+ years (Hazard level H5).

Building poles are inspected and tested to meet specification standards.
Compliance certificates are issued to verify that the pole meets the Australian Standard AS 1604-1993.

The most common building poles are 175mm and 200mm diameter and are used to construct pole homes etc.

As you well know, building a home is the most important financial commitment that you'll ever make. That's why it's important to know that the materials that make up the home are not only quality products but have already been proven over many years.

Using supports in single-storey or two-storey buildings

Height & Embedment:

The height and embedment of timber stumps and post supporting single-storey and two-storey buildings shall be as follows:

• Their height above ground shall not exceed 15 times the width of their smaller face or least diameter.

• Their embedment in the foundation material shall not be less than 30% of their height above ground level or 450mm whichever is the greater.

Cement/soil mixtures in the proportions of 1:6 are suitable backfilling in the case of plastic soils. In all cases the backfilling shall be well rammed in layers not exceeding 75mm in depth.

Ordinary concrete is an alternative backfill but is suitable only for use with treated pine poles. If the pole shrinks away from the concrete, faxity may be restored by pouring dry sand down the crevice. The crack can then be sealed using a bead of silicon based sealant.

In the gravel backfilled poles, the effective width of the backfill pushing into the soil is usually about 80% of the hole diameter, while the concrete based backfills are fully effective in distributing the load over the full diameter. That is, the effective width of the laterally loaded pile, as far as the geomechanics design only is concerned, is 80% and 100% of the hole diameter respectively.

The vertical load on the pole foundations are concentrated due to the large grid and the often multi-storey nature of the building. For this reason it is imperative that a Geotechnical Engineer is engaged to investigate the proposed foundation soil.

Bracing:

Where bracing is required it shall comprise diagonal braces to all corner external stumps or posts in two directions. Where the height of the floor is such that diagonal bracing cannot be accommodated, concrete backfill shall be provided to the corner stump and the two adjacent stumps.

The brace angle with the horizontal shall not be less than 30 degrees nor more than 60 degrees and the lower end of all braces shall finish approximately 150mm clear of the ground.

Braces shall be fixed at each point of contact with a stump or post by means of a 12mm diameter galvanized through-bolt, nut and washer.

Round stumps shall be checked out to a depth of 12mm to provide bearing for braces at points of contact.

Stumps and posts with height to width ratio exceeding 15 - Where the height above ground of any stump or post exceeds 15 times the width of its small face, the cross sectional dimension and system of bracing and embedment of the stump or post shall be designed in accordance with engineering principles.