AS 3566 covers the screws that hold a steel frame together. They are small, but on a steel-framed home they do the job nails and straps do on a timber one — and their corrosion class is a real durability decision.
What AS 3566 actually means
AS 3566 specifies self-drilling screws for the building and construction industries, including their mechanical properties and corrosion-resistance classes (such as Class 3 and Class 4). The class indicates how well the screw resists corrosion, which matters because the fixing has to last as long as the frame.
Where it applies in your new home
On a cold-formed steel frame, self-drilling screws make the connections between members and fix the bracing. The right number and pattern of screws, of the right corrosion class for the environment, is what gives each connection its strength and durability.
What VG Inspect checks against it
At the frame-stage inspection, connections on a steel frame are checked for the correct screws — count and pattern per the engineered or system design — and, in more corrosive locations, an appropriate corrosion class. Under-screwed connections and early corrosion are findings that matter, and they disappear once linings go on.
What it does and doesn't cover
AS 3566 covers the screws. The steel sheet they fix is covered by AS/NZS 1397, the frame design by AS/NZS 4600 and the NASH Standard.
A VG Inspect QBCC-licensed inspector (QBCC Licence 1318443) verifies steel-frame connections at frame stage. Call 07 3180 8041 or book a frame inspection online.