Skip to content
Home > CAD & Revit - Mass Timber > Panels Connect with Single Surface Spline

Panels Connect with Single Surface Spline

Adjacent floor panels with routed surfaces are butted together. A plywood spline is fastened to both panels using partially-threaded screws or nails.

Purpose: Transfer of in-plane shear along the panel-to-panel joint.

Design Notes

Capacity of connection is controlled by shear capacity of dowel-type fasteners.

  • Double surface spline or steel surface spline can be used for increased capacity.
  • Spline may be fully above panels without routed surface where floor or roof coverings allow.
  • Where using nails, consider specifying nail gun nails instead of common wire nails for constructibility, or collated screws instead of individual screws.
  • Where screws are used instead of nails, cost increases and constructibility is moderate.
  • Typical minimum plywood thickness is ½” nominal.
  • Coordinate spline and rout width and thickness with panel supplier.
  • In diaphragm design, consider that, for extreme in-plane bending, bearing in the connection will occur. It is preferable for the panels to bear on one another before bearing on the spline, which is achieved by specifying a larger gap between the spline and panel than between the two panels.
Class
Class 1
Load
Load Medium
Cost
Cost $
Const.
Constructability Easy
Fire
Fire Rating I

Panels Connect with Single Surface Spline

Adjacent floor panels with routed surfaces are butted together. A plywood spline is fastened to both panels using partially-threaded screws or nails.
01 - Panels Connect with Signle Surface Spline