Strength of Beams, Floors and Roofs is a practical guide for carpenters and builders that shows how to evaluate and design wooden structural members.
It combines clear, step-by-step methods with illustrations and tables to help you size beams, determine floor loads, and plan roof trusses with confidence.
This edition gathers material formerly published as articles, organized into chapters that cover strength, stiffness, and the safe use of timber. It emphasizes simple calculations and real-world examples, making complex topics accessible to readers with a common school education.
- How to determine the strength and stiffness of wooden beams and how span, depth, and load affect them
- Methods for sizing floor joists, roof trusses, and built-up members with practical rules
- Guidance on wind and snow loads, joints, bracing, and safety considerations
- Worked examples and diagrams to illustrate stress diagrams and proportioning of parts
Ideal for readers who are building, restoring, or learning about timber construction, this book serves as a reliable reference for both new and seasoned carpenters.