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NZ Building Code · StructuralPile types & spacing under NZS 3604
A builder’s plain-English rundown of the pile types in NZS 3604:2011 §6 — what each one carries, how it’s fixed, and how spacing works.
Piles are the timber or concrete posts that carry your subfloor down to good ground. NZS 3604:2011 §6 sets out the different pile types, and which one you use comes down to what load it carries — vertical support only, bracing, or cantilever overturning — and what ground it’s sitting in.
How you pick a pile
Pile selection depends on two things: the load it has to carry and the ground it’s in. Work out whether the pile is doing vertical support only, resisting bracing loads, or holding a deck down against overturning, then match it to the type below.
The pile types
Ordinary pile
Vertical support only — it bears the floor and roof load straight down to good ground.
- Sizing: sawn (H5) or round (H5) timber pile. Maximum height above ground and pile spacing are limited by NZS 3604:2011 §6 — read the limits off your copy of the standard.
- Fixing: concrete footing, 17.5 MPa minimum; footing plan size per NZS 3604:2011 Table 6.1 for the pile load — look it up in your copy. Joists sit on bearers (not in hangers) — 4× 100×3.75 skew nails, or 2 nails plus 2 wire dogs.
Anchor pile
Carries bracing load — it anchors the deck or floor to the ground against lateral forces.
- Sizing: sawn (H5) or round (H5) timber pile. Maximum height to the highest connection, and the bracing capacity it provides, are set by NZS 3604:2011 §6 — read off your copy.
- Fixing: proprietary anchor kit, or bolts plus 50×50×3mm washers, concrete-encased to the embedment depth required by NZS 3604:2011 §6 (deeper if driven, and it varies by soil) — look up the value in your copy.
Cantilever pile
A bracing pile that resists deck overturning through an embedded cantilever.
- Sizing: sawn (H5) or round (H5) timber pile. Maximum height above ground and the bracing capacity provided are set by NZS 3604:2011 §6 — read off your copy.
- Fixing: proprietary kit, or bolts both directions. Embedment depth (which varies by soil type, and is deeper when driven) per NZS 3604:2011 §6 — look up the value in your copy. Driven into compact gravel or clay.
Braced pile (between piles)
A diagonal timber brace run between two ordinary piles — it adds bracing without having to go deeper into the ground.
- Sizing: brace member size, length limit and the permitted angle range are set by NZS 3604:2011 §6 — read off your copy.
- Fixing: both ends get bolts plus 50×50×3mm washers, to the tension/compression capacity required by NZS 3604:2011 §6 — look up the value in your copy. Use a single continuous timber length with no joints, and mind the limit on how many braces per pile.
Concrete pile / pier
Cast in-situ for heavier loads, or where timber isn’t suitable on geotech grounds.
- Sizing: 300–450mm diameter is typical for residential; 25 MPa concrete minimum. Reinforcing and embedment come from geotech PS1 or specific engineering — this is not an NZS 3604 prescription.
- Fixing: holding-down bolt cast into the pile for the bearer or plate connection. Often used in coastal or liquefaction zones via specific design.
Pile spacing rules of thumb
Bearer pile-spacing is commonly around 1.65m for residential — but confirm the limit for your bearer size and load against your copy of the standard rather than working off the rule of thumb alone.
Plain-English guide, not advice. This page helps you understand and navigate the rules — it is general information, not design, engineering or consent advice, and it does not reproduce the copyrighted tables of NZS 3604 or any Standard. Always check the current Standard or Acceptable Solution and your BCA, and use a suitably qualified LBP, engineer or QS where it matters.
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Common questions
What decides which pile type I use?
It comes down to the load the pile carries — vertical support only, bracing, or cantilever overturning — and the ground it’s in. NZS 3604:2011 §6 sets out the types to match against that.
What’s the difference between an anchor pile and a cantilever pile?
Both carry bracing load. An anchor pile anchors the deck or floor to the ground against lateral forces, while a cantilever pile resists deck overturning through an embedded cantilever driven into compact gravel or clay. Embedment depths for both come from NZS 3604:2011 §6 and vary by soil.
When would I use a concrete pile instead of timber?
Concrete piles or piers are cast in-situ for heavier loads, or where timber isn’t suitable on geotech grounds — typically 300–450mm diameter for residential with 25 MPa concrete minimum. Reinforcing and embedment come from geotech PS1 or specific engineering, not an NZS 3604 prescription, and they’re often used in coastal or liquefaction zones.
How far apart do bearer piles usually go?
For residential work, bearer pile-spacing is commonly around 1.65m — but confirm the limit for your bearer size and load against your copy of the standard rather than relying on the rule of thumb.
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