Carpentry Students Build Expertise in Roof and Stair Systems

Posted on: May, 2, 2025

Article by Jaxon Adkison, Marketing Work Study

Grays Harbor College’s Carpentry program leveled up this past winter quarter as students learned about roof and stair systems.

“People often question why we do roofs and stairs in the same quarter,” said GHC Carpentry Instructor Kelly Williams. “‘You don’t put stairs on your roof, silly!’ Well, no. But, the critical math is the same. That math involves figuring out triangles and is called Trigonometry!”

Throughout winter quarter, Carpentry students stayed busy learning about the precision required to construct various kinds of roofs. They also applied those aforementioned major trigonometric principles so that each construction is to precise industry standards.

The Carpentry class started with the gable rafter system, built on floor systems developed in previous quarters, and then progressed to hip roof systems and truss roof systems.

When explaining the truss roof system, Williams said, “We have three different styles of trusses in our truss package: scissor truss, standard truss, and room-in-attic truss. These styles are what students will be most likely encounter in the trade.”

All of this hands-on experience is all done at low, safe levels to eliminate the need for complex fall arrest equipment, but students do still learn to use the Fall Arrest equipment in the field.

In addition to roof systems, recent projects in the Carpentry program have extended into stair and balustrade construction. For example, students were required to calculate the most effective number of stairs while considering necessary clearances, such as three clear feet around landings in all directions.

GHC’s Carpentry students demonstrated higher-order problem-solving skills as they dismantled older systems and integrated new approaches into subsequent projects.

Faculty and students alike were all excited about last quarter’s progress in Carpentry, with many GHC faculty and staff members stopping by the program to admire the students’ work. The Carpentry program’s hands-on training prepares graduates for the broad spectrum of challenges, both hands-on and theoretical, that they will face in the construction industry.

In the various projects and systems covered in the Carpentry program this year, GHC’s students have been dedicated to quality craftsmanship, efficient materials use, and adherence to current building codes, so that each project is a testament to the high levels of GHC’s Carpentry program.