The tie-down schedule: what it lists and how to read it
The tie-down schedule lists every connection from roof to slab with its uplift force and required connector. How it is prepared and why a generic one fails inspection.
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The tie-down schedule is the structural document that lists every connection in the tie-down chain, from the roof down to the slab or footing, with the uplift force at each joint and the connector required to carry it. It is prepared from the AS 1684 uplift tables for the site’s wind classification, or by an engineer where the building is outside the AS 1684 scope. At frame inspection, the certifier checks the installed connectors against this schedule, so an absent schedule, or a generic one that was never calculated for this site, is a hold point: there is nothing to verify the frame against.
When you use it
The schedule is needed at two points:
- Before the frame is ordered or built. The connector callouts tell the framer which bracket goes at each joint. Framing to no schedule, or to a borrowed one from another job, means the connectors will not match the actual uplift.
- At frame stage, before lining. The certifier traces the chain against the schedule. This is the cheapest moment to catch a missing or wrong connector.
Who prepares it
| Source | When |
|---|---|
| Builder or building designer | Standard layouts within AS 1684 scope: read the connector and fixing straight from the AS 1684 uplift tables for the wind class |
| Structural engineer | Where the building is out of AS 1684 scope (N5, N6, C4, irregular geometry, large spans) or where the designer specifies engineered details |
| Truss or frame fabricator | Often supplies the schedule for the roof-frame connections as part of the prefab package |
The wind classification under AS 4055 sets the demand, so the schedule cannot be finalised until the wind class is confirmed.
What the schedule lists
A complete schedule walks the load path from the top down and, for each connection, gives the uplift force, the connector, and the fixing. The chain, link by link:
| Connection | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Roof sheeting or batten to rafter/truss | The first link; wind lifts the cladding before anything else |
| Rafter or truss to top plate | The classic triple-grip joint; highest-volume connection on the roof |
| Top plate to stud | Carries the roof uplift into the wall frame |
| Stud to bottom plate | Continues the load down the wall |
| Bottom plate to slab or footing | The anchor; cast-in bolts, chemical anchors, or hold-downs |
For each row, the schedule specifies three things (verified 2026-05-25, AS 1684 tie-down provisions):
- The uplift force in kilonewtons at that joint, derived from the wind class, roof geometry, and truss or rafter spacing.
- The connector type required to carry it: a triple grip, framing anchor, strap, or hold-down.
- The fixing pattern: nail gauge and count, or screw diameter and count, for that connector.
How to read it on site
- Match the joint to the row. Find the connection you are about to fix in the schedule, and use the exact connector and fixing it calls for. Do not substitute a connector you have in the ute for the one specified.
- Read the fixing, not just the bracket. The connector’s rated capacity assumes the full specified nail or screw count. The schedule’s fixing column is part of the requirement, not a suggestion.
- Treat the chain as continuous. Every row has to be satisfied. A correct truss connector is worthless if the bottom-plate row is skipped, because the chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
- Flag anything that is not on the schedule. A joint that the schedule does not cover (an unusual junction, an added opening) needs the designer or engineer to add a detail, not a field guess.
Common defects
- No schedule on site. The frame cannot be signed off against nothing; the inspection stalls.
- A generic schedule. A boilerplate schedule that was not calculated for this site’s wind class and geometry does not reflect the real uplift, and the connectors it lists may be undersized.
- Schedule present, connectors do not match. The framer fixed what was on hand rather than what was specified. This is one of the most common tie-down defects at frame stage.
- Wind class changed, schedule not updated. A site reclassified from N2 to N3 needs a new schedule; the old connectors are now undersized.
Related
- Tie-down systems
- Framing anchors and tie-down connectors
- AS 1684: residential timber-framed construction
- AS 4055: wind loads for housing
- Tie-down (glossary)
- Frame inspection checklist
See also
Last updated: 2026-05-25. Verified: 2026-05-25. Quarterly review for currency.