With so many developers and design teams pursuing mass timber, there is a need for practical training and education to help general contractors (GCs) successfully bid and complete projects.

The U.S. Mass Timber Construction Manual gives GCs and installers a framework for the planning, procurement, and management of mass timber projects, and provides a bridge from their experience with other systems. Mass timber is unique in that it draws installation techniques from other construction types, so people with concrete, precast, tilt-up, and structural steel experience can readily adapt to these materials. However, understanding how mass timber differs from other building systems is key to cost effectiveness.

The manual was produced with primary funding from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Rural Communities, in collaboration with WoodWorks’ mass timber manufacturing partners in the U.S. and Canada. 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.