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.

A 172-ft bridge over railroad tracks in a sleepy Southern town typically doesn't pose much of a challenge. Throw in a large skew angle, T-beams with a significant camber, a slight crown and a vertical ...

LANCASTER — Super-heated steel has a smell, an distinct mixture of sweat, carbon, iron, oil and heat. It rolls off the metal and permeates the air. The scent isn't offensive, but rather harkens to ...

Many renovated buildings replace wood and masonry structural elements with steel. The replacement of heavy wooden roof and floor joists with the lighter steel open-web bar-truss joists is a common ...

In this article we will continue to look at building structural systems. Last month we discussed concrete, which is one of the most basic building construction components. To review, concrete is a ...