01 / REVIEW
Identify the collection point
Begin with the surface where water could collect behind or beside the cladding. In your sketch, distinguish exposed faces from concealed water-control layers. A line labelled flashing is not enough; the reviewer needs to see its relationship to the surrounding layers.
02 / REVIEW
Follow the outlet
Draw the intended path to an exterior discharge point. Note any trim, closure, sealant or blocking that could interrupt it. These are coordination questions, not instructions to remove components from a tested assembly.
03 / REVIEW
Keep the exit inspectable
Record whether the outlet can be seen after completion. If it becomes concealed, identify the hold point for review before covering it. Retain the approved drawing and an oriented photograph together.
Follow the water until it leaves the detail
A section is incomplete if it shows water entering a cavity but stops before showing where that water can leave. Begin at the likely entry point, trace the intended drainage surface and continue to the exit. Then look at the material immediately below the exit. A detail that protects one junction by discharging onto another vulnerable junction has only moved the problem.
The Building America drainage-plane guide explains the role of a continuous drainage layer behind cladding and its integration with flashings. Wood Details uses that principle to review interfaces. The specific products, dimensions and sequence still come from the coordinated project detail.
Draw the concealed layers in the order they work
Show the wood face, cavity or support arrangement, water-control layer, flashing and receiving surface as distinct elements. Identify where each layer continues and where it terminates. A clean exterior elevation can hide a reverse lap or a blocked path behind the finish. The useful section is the one that exposes that relationship.
At a transition, ask which component receives water from above and which one directs it outward. Keep sealant joints distinct from drainage openings. A general note to seal all joints can conflict with an opening intended to drain or ventilate. Resolve that conflict in the detail instead of leaving it for the installer to interpret.
Scroll sideways to read all columns. Keyboard: focus the table and use the arrow keys.
| Point on the path | Coordination question |
|---|---|
| Entry or collection zone | What water is this detail expected to manage? |
| Drainage layer | Does it remain continuous through the junction? |
| Obstruction | Can supports, trim or accessories block the intended route? |
| Exit | Where does the collected water discharge? |
| Surface below | Is the discharge compatible with the next assembly? |
| Future access | Can the exit be inspected or cleared? |
Check the end of the flashing, not only its middle
An idealized section through the center of a flashing does not show every corner, termination or interruption. Review where the flashing ends at a return, opening or change in level. Use an additional view when a two-dimensional cut cannot explain how the layers meet in three dimensions.
Do not fill an unresolved termination with a generic bead of sealant. Identify the required product relationship and ask the responsible designer or manufacturer to resolve it. The worksheet should name the missing condition precisely, such as the end of the head flashing at the jamb, rather than simply flagging waterproofing.
Make the sequence inspectable
List which work must be present before the next layer covers it. Assign an observation point before concealment and identify the drawing revision that will be checked. Photographs should include a location view and a close view of the relevant relationship. A photograph of finished boards cannot prove what happened behind them.
At handover, preserve the exit location and any maintenance access requirement. The cladding-base guide addresses a common discharge location, while concealed-work photographs explains how to make the installation record useful. The aim is a traceable water path, not a universal wall assembly copied onto every project.
A junction coordination study
Concept example: a proposed base trim visually hides the cavity outlet. The review record asks the designer to show the drainage route through the complete base assembly, including required closures. No opening size is selected from this schematic.
Use the result
Keep the completed review with the relevant project record. Assign unresolved items before relying on a conclusion. If the material, condition or document changes, revisit the affected questions.
Assembly explorerTechnical references
General background for the subject. Project worksheets and fictional situations are original review aids, not official agency forms.