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13 Mass Timber Design Resources You Won’t Want to Miss

The Mass Appeal of Mass Timber

Mass timber is going mainstream. Whether it’s cross-laminated timber (CLT), nail-laminated timber, dowel-laminated timber (DLT), or glued-laminated timber (glulam), more and more clients are looking for design and sub-consultant teams with the expertise to take these engineered wood products to the next level. Light, durable, safe, and resilient, it’s being used in everything from multifamily homes, hotels, schools, airports and civic facilities to tall timber office towers and residential buildings. And with the rising imperative for more sustainable, low-carbon construction solutions, the interest in mass timber is only set to grow. Ensure your team is ready and has the know-how to meet this growing demand with these 13 mass timber tools.

Image of a crew putting together a mass timber building.
Mass Timber Guides, Manuals & Inventories
Mass timber building in the middle of a busy intersection
Mass Timber 101
New to mass timber construction and design? Master the fundamentals with these helpful backgrounders on mass timber products, systems, and connections.
Read More
Interior of a mass timber building
Mapping Mass Timber Across the Country
As of 2023, 1,693 multifamily, commercial, and institutional mass timber projects had been constructed or were in design across all fifty states. Get inspired and learn what your peers are doing when it comes to innovative mass timber construction with these mapping tools.
Explore the Mapping Tool
Cover of the Think Wood Mass Timber Design Manual
Mass Timber Design Manual – Volume 2
Stay current with Think Wood and WoodWorks’ updated Volume 2 of the popular Mass Timber Design Manual. The must-have manual features 10+ new case studies of cutting-edge timber projects, expert Q+As, new technical resources on mass timber construction management, and more.
Download the Manual
Construction crew laying down a piece of CLT on a building
U.S. Mass Timber Construction Manual
This practical guide—with its emphasis on real-life applications—gives project teams, general contractors, and installers a framework for the planning, procurement, and management of mass timber projects. While intended primarily for GCs and installers, it is a useful reference for all members of a mass timber project team and anyone interested in the construction of mass timber buildings.
Download the Manual
Mass timber crew installing a piece of CLT on top of a building
Mass Timber Installation Training Curriculum
A complement to the U.S. Mass Timber Construction Manual, these training modules will close knowledge gaps and help get contractors, subcontractor erectors, and installers up to speed when it comes to quality mass timber installation methods.
Download the Curriculum
Mass Timber Cost and Design Optimization Checklists
Follow best practices and ensure maximum value with these convenient checklists designed to guide coordination between architects and engineers as they work with general contractors, construction managers, estimators, fabricators, and installers to make cost-driven decisions on mass timber projects.
Download the Checklists
Inside of a mass timber apartment building
Mass Timber Project Questionnaire for Builder’s Risk Insurance
Preemptively address insurance-related concerns with this editable form that construction, development, and design teams can use to collect mass timber project-specific information to share with insurance providers.
Download the Questionnaire
Interior of mass timber beams in a high-rise
U.S. Mass Timber Floor Vibration Design Guide
Managing vibrations in mass timber buildings is crucial. Use this comprehensive, approachable guide to ensure your next mass timber project follows ideal design recommendations that minimize the impact of vibrations and ensures long-term occupant comfort.
Download the Guide
Mass Timber Codes & Standards
AWC Code Adoption Map
More and more jurisdictions are including mass timber in their code updates. Quickly find out which mass timber-relevant code provisions have been adopted across the country and in your region.
Explore the Map
CodeMaster Reference - Design of Tall Mass Timber
Follow the 11 steps for determining structural and fire protection, special inspection, energy, sound transmission, and construction fire safety requirements for tall mass timber buildings in accordance with the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) with this handy four-page CodeMaster tool. Developed by the International Code Council, AWC, and WoodWorks, the CodeMasters are brief, laminated reference guides for the code-compliant design of wood buildings.
Get the CodeMaster
Carbon & Climate Resources
Image of a sustainable working forest
Measure Your Mass Timber Project’s Carbon Footprint: WoodWorks Carbon Calculator
Increasingly clients and occupants want to understand the environmental impacts of buildings. Estimate the wood carbon footprint of your next mass timber project, including how much carbon is stored in the wood, greenhouse gas emissions avoided by not using steel or concrete, and the amount of time it takes U.S. and Canadian forests to grow that volume of wood.
Use the Carbon Calculator
Interview graphic for Aureus Earth and Founders Hall
Aureus Earth Mass Timber Carbon Offsets
For the first time, building owners who choose to build with carbon-storing materials, such as mass timber, can issue carbon offsets, putting a dollar value to the environmental benefit realized. The offsets can be retained by the building owner or sold on a carbon market—essentially giving owners a “cash rebate” for choosing to use a carbon-storing material like wood.
Learn More in this Q&A

Mass Timber Business Case Studies

Get an insider’s look into the business case and financial models behind successful mass timber projects. From detailed timelines and product strategy to investment highlights and quantitative overviews, mass timber design teams share how their projects penciled out.

Exterior image of the 1 De Haro building
1 De Haro
Photo credit: David Wakely

Didn’t find what you’re looking for?

We’ve only scratched the surface with these 13 mass timber tools. If you’re looking for more in-depth learning, check out Think Wood’s selection of continuing education courses

If you have specific questions about these resources—or if you’re getting started on your own mass timber project—get in touch. We can connect you with the timber industry’s leading experts to help with any aspect of wood design or construction, at no cost. Contact us today to get started.

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