Flush Threshold Design – Integrating Accessibility, Waterproofing & System Performance

Flush thresholds sit at an interesting intersection in residential and commercial design. They’re one of the simplest ways to improve accessibility and liveability in a home, but they’re also one of the easiest details to get wrong from a waterproofing perspective. Remove the step at a door sill and you also remove the barrier that has traditionally kept water out.

Today’s session looks at how to get this detail right: the relevant performance requirements and standards you need to be aware of and the elements that need to work together for a flush threshold to be compliant.

At the end of this presentation, you should be able to:

• Explain the broader benefits of flush threshold design beyond accessibility, including safety, livability and architectural continuity.
• Identify the key Australian Standards and NCC requirements that govern flush threshold design and describe how they interact.
• Describe the elements that must work together to achieve a compliant flush threshold system and the role each plays in delivering accessibility, weatherproofing and slip resistance.

AACA NSCA Competency Standards related to this session:

PC12 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
PC24 PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
PC28 PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
PC45 DETAILED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION

Speaker

Arnal Shyam – Specification Consultant, AWS