How to Read a Timber Frame Shop Drawing Package

Published March 24, 2026 by MVP Pro Timber

A practical guide for builders on reading timber frame shop drawings — what the package contains, what to check before signing off, and how to flag discrepancies before fabrication starts.

Most builders get a timber frame shop drawing package and hand it straight to the framer. That works until it doesn't — when a beam centerline is misread, a connection detail is skipped, or a loading assumption doesn't match the structural engineer's intent. Knowing how to read the package yourself takes thirty minutes and saves weeks. ## What Is a Shop Drawing Package? A timber frame shop drawing package is the complete set of engineered documents that tells the fabricator how to cut every timber and tells the erection crew how to assemble them. It is different from the architectural drawings: the shop drawings reflect the actual fabricated dimensions, connection hardware, and assembly sequence — not the design intent. The package typically includes: - **Framing plans** — top-down views showing timber layout per floor and roof level - **Elevation drawings** — side views of each bent (a transverse structural frame) - **Connection details** — enlarged views of joints, hardware specs, and fastener schedules - **Timber schedule** — complete list of every member with species, grade, dimensions, and quantity - **Hardware schedule** — connector plates, pins, bolts, and hangers with manufacturer references - **Erection sequence diagram** — numbered assembly order, often bay by bay ## Key Things to Check Before Signing Off **1. Bent labels match the plan.** Every bent has a label (B1, B2, etc.). Confirm the bent labels on elevation drawings match the framing plan. Mislabeled bents cause the crew to erect the wrong frame in the wrong bay. **2. Ridge and eave heights match your permit drawings.** The shop package is engineered from the structural model, not always from the architectural set. Spot-check ridge height and plate height against your permitted elevations. A 2-inch discrepancy here can mean re-fabrication. **3. Connection hardware is fully called out.** Every joint should have a specific hardware callout — manufacturer, part number, and fastener pattern. If you see a generic note like "engineer to specify" or a blank hardware field, flag it before fabrication starts. **4. Member sizes match the structural engineer's schedule.** Cross-reference at least three or four critical members (main ridge beam, primary floor beams, corner posts) between the shop drawings and the structural engineer's stamped drawings. Fabricators occasionally interpret beam dimensions differently from the SE's intent. **5. Crane pick points are identified.** The erection sequence should note where the crane picks each bent or section. If this is missing, your crane operator and framing crew will improvise — which is a safety and schedule risk. **6. Delivery bundle tags match the timber schedule.** When the package arrives on site, each bundle should be tagged with a member mark that matches the timber schedule. Confirm the tag convention during your shop drawing review so your crew knows how to read them on delivery day. ## What to Do When You Find a Discrepancy Log it in w