Glulam Building: Start to Finish – Part Four C

Welcome to our “Glulam Building: Start to Finish” series. Our goal is to provide an overview – from idea to completion – of a glulam building, from the perspective of a glulam manufacturer and designer.


Part 4C: Connection Drawings


After the Layout Drawings, a typical set of Unalam shop drawings will have the connection detail sheets. Every unique connection on the project gets a detail on these drawings, which can be anywhere from a few, to dozens, to over a hundred different connections.

A typical detail includes isometric, plan, and elevations views of the connection with glulam members, steel components, and hardware identified. If the connection involves materials supplied by others, additional information (like bearing plate elevations) is shown to facilitate coordination and detailing of those elements – for example, at a glulam to structural steel connection.

Plan, elevation, and isometric views for Full Moon Resort, Big Indian, NY

If the connections include welded assemblies or steel plates, details are included with all of the dimensions necessary for shop fabrication and assembly of these components.

Details and dimensions for shop fabrication for Full Moon Resort, Big Indian, NY

Table of components

Each sheet of the connection drawings also include a table of components. First, for each connection, a list of every piece of hardware (screw, nut, washer, etc) and finished steel component used. This includes the finish of each item (prime painted, hot dip galvanized, stainless steel), and whether the item will be attached to glulam in our shop or shipped loose to the field. Then, for every finished steel component, there is a list of the individual steel shapes and plates it is made of.

Connection installed at Full Moon Resort, Big Indian, NY