This Part of Malaysian Standard MS 544 provides guidance on the structural use of timber,
glued laminated timber and timber-based products, in load bearing members. It includes
recommendations on quality, grade stresses and modification factors applicable to these
materials when use as simple members, or as parts of built-up components, or as parts of
structures in incorporating other materials. It also gives recommendations for the design of
nailed, screwed, bolted, connectored and glued joints. In addition, it provides
recommendations for a method of test to assess the adequacy of structural assemblies, and it
includes general advice on workmanship, various treatments which can be applied, inspection
and maintenance.
It does not, and it is not intended to, deal comprehensively with all aspects of timber
construction. In particular it does not cover well tried and traditional methods of timber
construction which have been employed successfully over a long period of time.