Q: I have an older home with a crawlspace foundation. My problem is the floors sag in the living room to the point where it's hard to keep a lamp steady on the end tables. My other problem is there is ...

The builder of your new home wants to use modern wood I-joists instead of regular solid-wood floor joists. He says they are stronger than solid wood. But will these products save the builder money and ...

Q: I have an older home with a crawl-space foundation. My problem is the floors sag in the living room to the point where it’s hard to keep a lamp steady on the end tables. My other problem is there ...

Q: I want to finish my basement but the refrigerant lines for the central air-conditioning system are fastened to the bottom of the joists. I'd like to run the lines through the joists, instead. The ...

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 ...

Q. Tim, I’ve never worked with metal joist hangers. How long have joist hangers been around? When I hold one in my hand, I question whether it’s actually strong enough to support all the weight that ...

The best things to use to attach the joist hangers to the beam are structural screws or bolts. Never use roofing nails. (Tim Carter/TNS) Perspective by Tim Carter Q: Tim, I’ve never worked with metal ...

Along with the foundation, posts and beams are the backbone of a house frame. A beam is a horizontal support and a post is a ...