Carriola - the universal building material for everything

 What is the 2 by 4 in the US, that's the carriola here in Panama.

Everything is being build using carriolas. Or, the other way around, carriolas are used to build everything!

At the Hostal Un Mundo it was used for the roof truss (the original purpose of existence for Carriolas). But it also was used for the columns that hold up the roof truss and thus create the second floor of the building, and to stabilize that structure.

Miguel and Brian supporting and securing Delmer (who is on the outside of the roof screwing down the latest sheet of "zinc")

It is being used as platform on real and makeshift scaffolds, as temporary support for zinc (wavey sheetmetal used for roofs) during its installation, as temporary support to lean the ladder against, and similar temporary purposes. 

Iris watching how Fernando is applying the "repello" (concrete plaster) on the outside of the wall - she's trying to learn everything!

Then, we used it for the ramp that leads to the the door of the second floor, to hide/protect the water pipes in the bathroom, and - in  little while - to create the greenhouse for our vegetables. 

Not sure if my design is good, but Delmer thinks it might work. We added a sheet of aluminum as topping, later, and a railing on both sides...

I might use it, also, to build shelving, bunkbeds, maybe even the base for the sink in the kitchen. Who knows what other purposes I might come up with...

Delmer, my trusted carriola, electricity, masonry, and welding specialist (Fernando, a local muchacho who also got some very useful expertise in wall finishing and masonry, in the background)

The idea is derived from U-beams. The simple U beam was enhanced with small lips at the opening of the U. That allows for even more stability, as well as for easier welding on the opening side of the U.

Here's a schemata of the structure:

+----+
|       |
|
|
|
|
|
|       |
+----+

The most common dimensions are 3", 4" and 6". The closed side of the U of 3" carriola is 3" wide (7.5 cm). the walls leading up to the opening of the U are 4 cm, and the lips are about 7 mm. 

Sometimes, if an even stronger beam is needed, two carriolas are welded together like this:

+----++----+                                                        +----+    
|       |  |       |                                                         |       |
|                 |                                                         |+----+
|                 |                                                         ||        |
|                 |       in some special cases like this  |         |
|                 |                                                         |         |
|                 |                                                         |         |
|       |  |       |                                                         |        ||
+----++----+                                                        +----+|
                                                                              |       |
                                                                             +----+

I already bought a welding machine. I guess, within short or long I will have to learn how to weld, too...