Q: I’m getting ready to build a large room addition that needs a beam to support the floor joists. I’ve been told that a wood beam will work, but I’ve always seen steel I-beams in other houses. Is it ...

DEAR TIM: I’m getting ready to build a large room addition that needs a beam to support the floor joists. I’ve been told that a wood beam will work, but I’ve always seen steel I-beams in other houses.

Q: Can you tell me a few things about the wood beam I uncovered while doing a plumbing repair? How is it possible for this beam to carry the load of everything above it? How do I know whether the beam ...

A load-bearing wall works to support the weight of the structure, while a non load-bearing wall is simply a cosmetic addition. This means that you can remove a non load-bearing wall without any ...

This is a great tool for engineers, architects, and builders to design wood beams for strength in bending, shear, deflection, and bearing. Beam design is calculated by inputting a few design ...

I'd like to build a wood shed to hold firewood. I'd like to build a raised structure supported on concrete blocks or some other kind of foundation, if possible. Traditionally, people either just throw ...