Beam cutback is the visible representative gap in beam geometry at the connection point in join relationships.
Fabricated materials require spatial and placement considerations for which they will be cut to fit. This gap is evident when comparing the conceptual coarse (symbolic) view to the medium/fine view of non-concrete beams. Setback and cutback adjust for non-concrete beams based on their default cutback settings. Concrete beams take precedence in mixed material joins, forcing non-concrete beams to set back and cut back.
The shortest beam in a join extends to the furthest boundary of all joined beams. All other beams cut back. The following diagrams illustrate a general understanding of the relationships of joined framing elements with respect to cutback and setback.
| Coarse level of detail (symbolic) | Medium/Fine level of detail (physical geometry) |
|---|---|
 |
 |
| KEY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| A. | Beam into which others are framed | D. | Symbolic cutback |
| B. | Cutback beam | E. | Join cutback |
| C. | Common endpoint in join | F. | Setback |