Thomas Martinez

Steel: On first thought, mild steel seems pretty straightforward. A pound here and a pound there, right? Not quite! Steel can be lighter or heavier … Read more

So if you have framed a roof by eye before you might notice that there isn’t always a stack of lumber that fits perfect together. … Read more

How many bundles do I think will be needed? How many bundles? It’s hard to tell until you break the roof down into its true … Read more

A roof is a constant balance of material limits, geometry, and gravity. If you grab a two-by-eight at the lumber yard, there are two properties … Read more

Draw the plan, choose the plants, erect the walls. Sketch in the base, then add the roof, and now it is all about geometry. A … Read more

Deciding on a roof shape sets tone of the house’s appearance for half a century. Beyond its main task of keeping rain out, pitch determines … Read more

You can run the numbers in the calculator at the top of this post; but knowing what it’s asking for will help you catch your … Read more

The steel needs cutting. There’s a deadline for turning in your quote by lunchtime, but the machine is already humming in the corner. No problem … Read more

What most envision when they think “A-frame” is some massive triangle whose roof touches the earth. That’s not what it looks like in real life: … Read more

But, here’s the thing: The easiest-looking building to construct… What looks like a single pitch roof, can catch the uninitiated in a real mess. That’s … Read more

The math follows the dream Most DIY builders begin with a dream; they finish with the math. You want something that looks right, like a … Read more

Think about a bedroom. Imagine standing in a quiet room, looking at a perfectly good wall; then think about wanting to put in a window. … Read more

Roof trusses is just static triangles nailed to the wall, right? Not really. They’re complex tension and compression structures, designed with their exact shape to … Read more

The #1 reason porches fail is that the roof is too low or drains too slowly. Ideally you want one where you can stand up, … Read more