As a design-builder specializing in custom waterfront
homes and challenging renovations, I encounter a lot of
unusual structural problems. When my design involves long
spans or heavy loads that exceed the capacity of ordinary
sawn lumber, I turn to manufactured products like steel
beams, engineered timbers, wood I-joists, and floor trusses.
Steel, trusses, and engineered wood products expand my
range of design options. But because I also build all my own
designs, getting the job done on schedule and making a profit
are important concerns. Although steel is light, strong, and
economical, as a builder I often prefer to use engineered lumber
because it speeds up and simplifies the framing. Whenever
we're