Nominal fixing
Nominal fixing is the standard AS 1684 nailing schedule for low-wind areas. Specific fixing uses calculated hardware for N3/N4 and cyclonic wind classifications.
Ask Chalkline about this →Nominal fixing is the standard nailing schedule specified in AS 1684.2:2021 for connecting framing members (stud to plate, truss to top plate, plate to slab) in lower wind classifications (typically N1 and N2). Nominal fixings are prescriptive: the standard nominates the fastener type, diameter, length, and number without requiring a site-specific structural calculation. An example is two 3.15 mm x 90 mm skew nails for a stud-to-plate connection in N2.
Specific fixing applies in wind classifications N3, N4, and all cyclonic classes (C1 to C4 under AS 4055:2021). Specific fixings are calculated against the design wind load for the particular site and member. They typically require proprietary hardware: cyclone straps, triple grips, hold-down rods, and bolted connections to the slab. An engineer’s details or a bracing and tie-down schedule must document the specific fixing requirements.
At the frame inspection, the certifier checks whether the fixings installed match the wind classification: nominal fixings are not sufficient for N3/N4/cyclonic conditions, and using them where specific fixings are required is a structural non-compliance.
Also known as: specific fixing (the companion term).
Category: Structural / framing.
Related
- Tie-down systems: wind uplift from roof to slab
- Frame inspection checklist
- AS 1684: residential timber-framed construction
- AS 4055: wind loads for housing
See also
Last updated: 2026-05-10. Verified: 2026-05-10. Quarterly review for currency.