Part IV · Standards and grades · Chapter 21
Submittal requirements
What a millwork submittal must contain, read from AWI 100, the Woodwork Institute's sample set and the federal guide specs: sheet size, scale, cover, index, views, material lists and samples.
12 min read
"Submit shop drawings" is one line in a specification. Behind it sits a published list of what the package must contain: sheet size, minimum scale, a cover with the grade on it, an index, particular views for each kind of product, a material list, and samples cut to a stated size. This chapter reads those requirements from the standards themselves, so you can build a package that goes through on the first review.
Which requirements apply
Three families of requirement turn up on millwork jobs. Your specification names the one that binds you.
| Source | Publisher | Status of the text used here |
|---|---|---|
| AWI 100 – Submittals | Architectural Woodwork Institute | Read in full, §3.2 to §3.4, on awinet.org, 21 September 2026 |
| North American Architectural Woodwork Standards (NAAWS) | Woodwork Institute and AWMAC | Not read. The text sits behind a free account at naaws.com. The Woodwork Institute's sample set, which points to the older AWS Section 1, stands in for it below. |
| UFGS 01 33 00 Submittal Procedures, and UFGS 06 41 16.00 10 Plastic-Laminate-Clad Architectural Cabinets | US Army Corps of Engineers, NAVFAC, AFCEC | Read in full, wbdg.org |
Chapter 19 explains how AWI and the Woodwork Institute came to publish separate standards, and how to settle which one a specification means. If the specification is unclear, ask on day one. Everything below depends on the answer.
Sheet size
| Source | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Woodwork Institute sample set, cover note | "MINIMUM SHEET SIZE REQUIRED BY W.I. IS 11” x 17”" | Not stated |
| AWI 100, §3.2.3(c) | 279 mm × 432 mm [11″ × 17″] | 610 mm × 914 mm [24″ × 36″] |
| UFGS 01 33 00, §1.6.4.2 | 210 × 297 mm [8 1/2 × 11 in] | 1189 × 841 mm [30 × 42 in], "except for full-size patterns or templates" |
11" × 17" is the ANSI "B" size, "typically referred to as a 'tabloid' size sheet of paper", in the words of a basic drafting handbook. The residential set in this book is drawn on it. AWI 100 also says "Each sheet shall be sequentially numbered and dated" and "Drawings may be formatted as PDF electronic submittals." UFGS asks for PDF plus the native file.
Note what the sizes mean in practice. A set drawn to the AWI minimum scales on an 11" × 17" sheet runs to many sheets. Pick the sheet size before you start, from the specification, not after the first elevation will not fit.
Minimum scale
AWI 100 §3.2.3(b) gives a "universal minimum scale for drawings":
| View | Ratio | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Reference plan | 1:50 | 1/4″ = 1′-0″ |
| Plans and elevations | 1:20 | 3/8″ = 1′-0″ |
| Sections | 1:10 | 1 1/2″ = 1′-0″ |
| Details | 1:4 | 3″ = 1′-0″ |
AWI lists each ratio beside an imperial scale, and the pairs are not exact equivalents. 1 1/2″ = 1′-0″ is 1:8, larger than 1:10. AWI's installation standard says the measurement system in the project's contract documents decides which figure is used to verify compliance. On an imperial job, meet the imperial figure.
Worked check: the residential set against AWI 100
The 16-sheet residential submittal was not an AWI job. Checking it against the table shows how the minimums bite.
| Sheets | View | Scale drawn | AWI 100 minimum | Meets it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02–03 | Floor plans | 1/2″ = 1′-0″ | 3/8″ = 1′-0″ | Yes |
| 04–07 | Elevations | 1/2″ = 1′-0″ | 3/8″ = 1′-0″ | Yes |
| 08 | Floating bar, plan and elevations | 3/4″ = 1′-0″ | 3/8″ = 1′-0″ | Yes |
| 09–16 | Sections drawn at 1″ | 1″ = 1′-0″ | 1 1/2″ = 1′-0″ | No |
| 09–16 | Sections drawn at 1 1/2″ | 1 1/2″ = 1′-0″ | 1 1/2″ = 1′-0″ | Yes |
On a job that named AWI 100, every section drawn at 1″ = 1′-0″ would fall short, and any joint that needs a detail would need its own view at 3″ = 1′-0″. That is several more sheets. Know it before you quote the drafting hours.
The cover and the index
AWI 100 §3.2.1 requires "a cover or title sheet" with "project name, address, specified AWI grade, and scope". Each set must also "indicate the aesthetic and performance grade, duty level", and list contact details, "including phone numbers and email addresses", for the design professional, the general contractor, the manufacturer/supplier, the installation firm "(if other than manufacturer/supplier)", and the finisher.
§3.2.2 requires a table of contents listing "all items in the manufacturer/supplier's submittal package": each drawing's page number and title; the materials, hardware and schedule "that includes manufacturer/supplier's name and model number"; and a description of each finish sample submitted.
The Woodwork Institute sample splits this across two sheets. Its cover carries the notes. Its first numbered sheet (1 OF 10) is a project form with:
- Blocks for the fabricator, the contractor and the architect: company, address, licence number, contact, phone, fax.
- An architect stamp box, a general contractor stamp box and a "W.I. LABEL" box.
- A "W.I. SPECIFIED GRADE" table, set per product: tops, cabinets and millwork "CUSTOM", doors "PREMIUM". One job, two grades.
- Yes/no boxes: W.I. certificate required; labels required on shop drawings, countertops, cabinets and millwork; door certificate; installation certificate.
- Installation requirements "per Architectural Woodwork Standards", including the note that anchoring requirements are the architect's or engineer's responsibility.
The residential set's cover is simpler: project name and a sheet index with columns for sheet, room, name and description. It meets the index requirement in spirit. It has no grade and no contact list, so it would not meet AWI 100's cover rules.
UFGS adds a sheet-level rule: "Include on each drawing the drawing title, number, date, and revision numbers and dates", and "Number drawings in a logical sequence."
The specification sheet
The next page of the Woodwork Institute sample (page 3 of the PDF) is a form titled "Specification Requirements". It records, before any casework is drawn, every construction choice the specification forces. Copy the idea. It turns the specification section into one sheet the floor can read.
| Block | Fields in the sample |
|---|---|
| Case body | W.I.C. type and style, core material, joinery type, semi-exposed and exposed interior, exposed face, edge band and thickness, backs, anchor strip, toe base and height, back prime, full sub-tops, Title 24 required |
| Door and drawer fronts | Core material, laminate grade, edge band, notch for hinge, inside face, grain direction at drawer face, grain match |
| Drawer box | Core material and thickness, joinery type, edge band, semi-exposed surface, notes on bottoms and guides |
| Cabinet shelves, wall shelves | Core and finish material, edge banding, exposed surface |
| Countertops | Core material and thickness, laminate minimum thickness, post-forming thickness, backing sheet, splash type, front edge |
| Hardware | Finish, hinges, pulls, drawer slides, file drawer slides, shelf standards and clips, catches, bolts, door and drawer locks, keying, grommets, each by maker and model |
| General notes | Work by others (plumbing, electrical, painting, blocking, base), shelf span per the manual, construction to the latest edition of the standard unless stated, locks and shelves only where indicated |
| Miscellaneous / revision / substitution | A blank block for changes |
Under it, the note: "Shop drawings must include all items required in original specifications. Changes from the original specifications shall be submitted by the fabricator in a separate document signed & approved by the architect prior to fabrication."
The drawings
For every product
AWI 100 §3.2 and §3.2.3 set the general rules:
- Show "each component of Product in plan, elevation, and section view as needed to clearly indicate the Product being provided, its location, and its method(s) of construction and attachment."
- Include "a reference plan showing location of each Product as well as the relationship of Product to the building or its architectural features."
- Include "orientation of grain and/or directional pattern."
- For transparent finish, include "veneer species, cut, leaf match/balance, panel match, and room match" and, if specified, flitch number and supplier.
The Woodwork Institute sample's floor-plan sheet puts the minimum in one note: "Shop drawing must include 1. Floor plan 2. Cabinet location 3. Cabinet elevation & sections 4. Cabinet joinery details 5. Room & building location (optional)." Its sheet also shows a key plan locating the room in a multi-building site.
By product type
AWI 100 then lists what each kind of work must show. The headline items:
| Product | What the drawings must show (AWI 100 §3.2.3.1–3.2.3.6) |
|---|---|
| Casework | Trim and scribe in full-size profile; casework in plan, elevation and section; dimensions to build; face frame dimensions and attachment; drawer member type and thickness; door type and thickness; a section of each cabinet type; joinery and connections; special metalwork; "provision for field dimensions"; attachment to walls and floors; blocking locations with heights A.F.F. ("blocking to be furnished by others") |
| Wall and ceiling surfaces | Plan and elevation per panel; vertical and horizontal sections; inside and outside corners; panel-to-panel, panel-to-base and panel-to-ceiling joints; trim profiles at full scale; attachment and hardware |
| Standing and running trim | Trim in detail with elevations for coordination; column, pilaster, cornice construction; sections at corners, joints and adjacent work |
| Stairs and railings | Engineer seals if required; rail and trim profiles at full scale; plan and elevation of rise and run; balustrade section; joinery and attachment; field joint locations in long members |
| Door assemblies | Trim profiles at full scale; slab door construction; stile and rail construction; blocking, mortises, holes and cut-outs; undercuts; fire ratings for rated doors |
| Countertops | Each top in plan with field joints and fasteners; sink size, type and location if known; support brackets; attachment; build-up and support locations for wall-hung tops; overhangs, edges, splash, drip groove, end splash return |
AWI adds one allowance: "Details need not be drawn if properly referenced to a supplementary document." A shop standard detail book, submitted once and referenced by number, meets it.
The federal version
UFGS 06 41 16.00 10, for plastic-laminate-clad cabinets, says in one paragraph: "Include plan views, elevations, sections and attachment details. Show large-scale details. Show dimensions and locations and sizes of furring, blocking, and hanging strips. Show locations and sizes of cutouts and holes for items installed in architectural cabinets." UFGS 01 33 00 adds: "Prepare drawings demonstrating interface with other trades to scale. Use the same unit of measure for shop drawings as indicated on the contract drawings."
The material list
AWI 100 §3.2.4 requires a material list. For all products it must cover, as applicable:
- Panel core type and thickness, with any special compliance: "moisture-resistant, fire retardant, NAF (No Added Formaldehyde) or ULEF (Ultra Low Emitting Formaldehyde), and CARB".
- Laminates, "including the applicable ISO 4586-3 grade and thickness".
- Solid phenolic, solid surface, and specialty materials such as metal, glass and fabric.
- "All adhesive types being used", with locations.
- Hardware, "except fasteners", with the maker's documented specifications.
- Finishing requirements and veneer matching.
For casework it adds exposed, semi-exposed and concealed surface materials; laminate, core and edge band thicknesses; door core and edge band; drawer box material, construction and slides; hinges and shelf supports with finish; glass type and thickness; and adhesives for layup and assembly.
Samples and mock-ups
AWI 100 §3.2.5 says "Sample requirements are the same for all Products regardless of the aesthetic grade specified." Where samples are required:
| Sample | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Hardware | "one sample of each decorative and functional item" |
| Panel product | Minimum 203 mm × 203 mm [8″ × 8″], 6.4 mm [.250″] thick |
| Lumber | "as wide as practical", minimum 19.1 mm [.750″] thick by 203 mm [8″] long |
| Transparent or stained finish | "a minimum of three sets, bound together, of three samples each", showing the range of colour and grain |
| Opaque finish | "a minimum of three samples" per colour |
| Every finish sample | A label with date, project, design professional, general contractor, manufacturer/supplier, finisher, finish technology name and number, and steps used |
The design professional owes you a sample too: AWI 100 §3.4(f) asks for "a sample of the desired finish (suggested minimum of 127 mm [5”] x 203 mm [8”]) indicating the color, sheen, and/or transparency". Ask for it with the first submittal. You cannot match a finish you have never seen.
Mock-ups are "as required by the contract documents". The federal cabinet specification is an example of a demanding one: "Prior to final approval of shop drawings, provide a full-size mock-up of a typical" cabinet, "including all components and hardware", with "a minimum of one door and one drawer assembly". If your specification asks for a mock-up, final approval waits for it. Schedule it.
What travels with the drawings
Drawings are one class of submittal. The federal cabinet specification lists the full set for plastic-laminate casework:
| Class | Items listed in UFGS 06 41 16.00 10 |
|---|---|
| SD-02 Shop Drawings | Shop drawings; installation |
| SD-03 Product Data | Recycled content, regional materials, certified wood, low-emitting adhesives and sealants, low-emitting composite wood, wood materials, cabinet hardware, high-pressure decorative laminate, thermally fused laminates |
| SD-04 Samples | Cabinet hardware, high-pressure decorative laminate, thermally fused laminates, edge banding |
| SD-07 Certificates | Quality assurance, fabricator and installer qualifications, fabricator shop certification |
| SD-11 Closeout | Sustainable design requirements |
A201 §3.12.2 defines product data as "illustrations, standard schedules, performance charts, instructions, brochures, diagrams, and other information furnished by the Contractor to illustrate materials or equipment". In practice that means the manufacturer's cut sheet for every hinge, slide, laminate and sink. A vendor article on supporting documentation lists the same kinds of thing: cut sheets, finish samples, material and hardware schedules, a drawing index, compliance and certification documents, installation and maintenance instructions. It also names the mistakes that stall a package: "incomplete or outdated documents", unlabelled samples and cut sheets, and hardware marked "TBD".
Changes and substitutions
AWI 100 §3.2(b)–(c): changes drawn into the set "do not constitute a request for approval". Substitutions and change requests "shall be itemized separately from the shop drawings", submitted "no later than the time of shop drawing submittal", with "the reason for the change request and a statement of the anticipated impact to schedule, cost, and possible impact to other trades." Chapter 2 explains why that rule has teeth.
Checklist: a complete millwork submittal
- The governing submittal standard and edition are confirmed and named on the cover.
- Sheet size falls within the standard's minimum and maximum. Sheets are numbered in sequence and dated.
- Every view meets the minimum scale, in the project's own system of measurement.
- The cover carries project name, address, scope, grade per product, duty level, and every required contact.
- The index lists every sheet, every material and hardware item by maker and model, and every finish sample.
- A reference plan locates every product in the building.
- Each product type carries the views AWI 100 lists for it: sections of each cabinet type, attachment, blocking heights, full-size profiles, field joints.
- Grain direction and veneer matching are shown where they apply.
- The material list covers cores, laminates, edge bands, adhesives, hardware and finishes.
- Samples are cut to the stated sizes and labelled in full. The designer's finish sample has been requested.
- Product data covers every bought-in item. Nothing says "TBD".
- Every substitution is on a separate, itemised request with reason and impact.
Sources
- Architectural Woodwork Institute, AWI 100 – Submittals, §1.0, §2.0, §3.2 (including §§3.2.1–3.2.6), §3.3 and §3.4, awinet.org, read 21 September 2026. Every AWI requirement quoted above. Primary.
- Architectural Woodwork Institute, ANSI/AWI 0620 – Finish Carpentry/Installation, §3.1.1, awinet.org. Which measurement system governs compliance. Primary.
- Woodwork Institute, Sample Shop Drawings, 26 sheets, watermarked SAMPLE, fictitious names. Cover note (minimum sheet size, pointer to AWS Section 1), project form, specification requirements sheet, floor plan "must include" note. Document.
- A residential millwork submittal, 16 sheets, 11″ × 17″, revision 0. Scales as drawn, sheet index. Not reproduced: live job. Document.
- US Unified Facilities Guide Specifications, UFGS 01 33 00 Submittal Procedures (August 2026), §§1.6.4.2 and 1.6.4.2.1; UFGS 06 41 16.00 10 Plastic-Laminate-Clad Architectural Cabinets (August 2025), §§1.3, 1.4.3, 1.4.4, wbdg.org. Federal sheet size, drawing identification, casework submittal classes, mock-up, shop drawing content. Primary.
- American Institute of Architects, A201-2017, §3.12.2 (owner-issued sample copy). Definition of product data. Primary.
- naaws.com FAQ, read 21 September 2026. NAAWS publishers and the 5.0 effective date. The NAAWS submittal text itself was not read. Primary.
- Student Handbook for Basic Drafting (research/ptech_drafting_handbook_new.pdf), "Drafting sheet sizes". ANSI B size is 11 × 17, "tabloid". Document.
- Anuj S., "What Supporting Documentation Is Typically Required with Millwork Drawings?", LinkedIn, written to promote submittal-drawing services. Supporting documents and common mistakes. Claimed.