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? I'm worried it might not be ...

The Tampa Bay Times e-Newspaper is a digital replica of the printed paper seven days a week that is available to read on desktop, mobile, and our app for subscribers only. To enjoy the e-Newspaper ...

Welcome back to the "Behold the Beam" series of articles. In part three (Firehouse®, September 2010) of the series, we discussed the first five of the 13 common types of beams that firefighters can ...

Throughout the United States, engineered wooden I-beam joists are becoming more prevalent in residential construction for several reasons. For example, they can be more cost effective than dimensional ...

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 ...