Recognize how and where building enclosures must accommodate differential shrinkage in wood-framed buildings.

Dimensional change in wood, often called wood shrinkage, is an important consideration for wood-frame multi-story buildings. The decrease in moisture content (MC) of wood from construction-stage to in-service conditions can be over 10%, resulting in wood shrinkage at a rate of approximately 0.25% change in dimension per 1% moisture change. Wood shrinkage must be accommodated where there is differential movement between the wood structure and building components, such as cladding, fenestrations, MEP equipment, or interfaces with masonry structures. Cladding elements not accommodating wood shrinkage can experience cracking, spalling, buckling, or reverse slope issues.