"Common studs" can be crippled (straightened) with a sawcut and cleats as per Fig. 6.2 of AS 1684.2. Crippling is limited to 20% of the studs in single or upper-storey loadbearing walls, ie. the "common studs". Studs supporting a concentration of load are a special case. These must not be crippled. Calculation of the input to determine sizes of studs supporting a concentration of load is explained in clause 6.3.2.2 and illustrated in Fig. 6.13.

Preservative-treated round poles achieve a high level of protection. The easily treatable sapwood provides a continuous band of treated wood around the heartwood core, heartwood being less easy to fully penetrate with preservative. There is some evidence to suggest that concrete encasement retains moisture at the concrete/timber interface and thus creates an increased risk of decay. However, it is not considered a significant risk in the case of CCA-treated softwood.

The cladding installation details on the WoodSolutions website are intended to be generic, ie. applicable to all types of timber cladding.  By clicking on the "Installation" tab you will find details of recommended fixings, but they are not specific to American red oak. We are not qualified to advise you on warranty issues and are not sure what warranty your supplier has offered, if any. It would seem that if the supplier has referred you to the WoodSolutions installation guide then they have adopted that as their product guide.

We consider the advice that "the tongue and groove are brought tightly together by using a ch