As builders of custom oceanfront homes, we use a lot of long structural beams. Whenever we build on pilings, as we often do, we use girders to transfer loads to the pilings. Also, increasingly, the architectdesigned custom homes we build feature large open spaces and complex roofs that require heavy beams. Anytime the structure of a house requires something stronger, shallower, or longer than we can accomplish with three or fewer 2x12s, our beam of choice is Parallam. I first used Parallam five years ago in a house that I designed and built for myself. The job went well and I was satisfied with how easily I could integrate Parallam into the frame. Not
