widen door opening and re-studding it
#1
10-29-04, 10:48 AM
widen door opening and re-studding it
we have a dummy wall for the exterior of our closets. we want to widen the opening into the closets and install bi-fold doors (48" wide opening). right now the opening is 24" for each closet. (also, there is a header above the door but we've had a few contractors come in and look at the wall and they all say its a dummy door.)
we are contemplating doing this ourselves...at least the widening of the door.
my question...how do you insert new king studs next to frame out the door without tearing the whole wall out up to the ceiling? ideally it would be best if we could just cut the wider opening in the wall without removing the plastered drywall above the door too.
also, what should we do with the existing header considering that its not a load bearing wall? remove it or just leave in and put a 2x4 below it to frame out the door?
Thanks in advance for your answers!
Brian
we are contemplating doing this ourselves...at least the widening of the door.
my question...how do you insert new king studs next to frame out the door without tearing the whole wall out up to the ceiling? ideally it would be best if we could just cut the wider opening in the wall without removing the plastered drywall above the door too.
also, what should we do with the existing header considering that its not a load bearing wall? remove it or just leave in and put a 2x4 below it to frame out the door?
Thanks in advance for your answers!
Brian
#2
10-29-04, 08:20 PM
Mr_Funkenstien,
I'm not understanding what these contractors mean by calling it a "dummy door". If it is a swinging door that is 24" wide, the rough opening will be framed for a 24" door (about 26" wide). If it's a sliding pocket door, that opening will be framed just like you need it -- about 50" wide.
If it's a 24" swinging door, it is possible to reframe the opening without tearing into the sheetrock above it on the room side. (Not the easiest way to do it, but 'possible'!) You'll just be doing all of the work from the inside of the closet.
You won't reuse the old header -- you'll need a new one about 53" long.
I'm not understanding what these contractors mean by calling it a "dummy door". If it is a swinging door that is 24" wide, the rough opening will be framed for a 24" door (about 26" wide). If it's a sliding pocket door, that opening will be framed just like you need it -- about 50" wide.
If it's a 24" swinging door, it is possible to reframe the opening without tearing into the sheetrock above it on the room side. (Not the easiest way to do it, but 'possible'!) You'll just be doing all of the work from the inside of the closet.
You won't reuse the old header -- you'll need a new one about 53" long.
#3
10-29-04, 08:54 PM
hello lefty,
i'm sorry i mistyped...i was trying to say that the wall was non-load bearing based on looking in the attic and seeing how the beams are place in the attic.
that's a great idea to do the work from the inside of the closet in removing the header board. it is a 24" swinging door and we would like to make it work with bi-folds which span 48".
if the existing studs do not work with the new 48" opening how would you go about installing new king studs (the ones that go from the floor to the ceiling) to frame out the door? would you take out the sheetrock from the inside to attach the new king stud to the ceiling...or is it something that could somehow be slid up between the sheets of drywall?
thanks for your help.
brian
i'm sorry i mistyped...i was trying to say that the wall was non-load bearing based on looking in the attic and seeing how the beams are place in the attic.
that's a great idea to do the work from the inside of the closet in removing the header board. it is a 24" swinging door and we would like to make it work with bi-folds which span 48".
if the existing studs do not work with the new 48" opening how would you go about installing new king studs (the ones that go from the floor to the ceiling) to frame out the door? would you take out the sheetrock from the inside to attach the new king stud to the ceiling...or is it something that could somehow be slid up between the sheets of drywall?
thanks for your help.
brian
