How many jack studs are needed for a 6 foot wide header?
#1
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How many jack studs are needed for a 6 foot wide header?
I have a door opening for french doors which is 6 feet wide. How many jack studs are needed for an opening this wide?
2nd question:
I live in California and I had a contractor install two french doors in a back load bearing wall that faces my back yard. Previously there was a sliding glass door in one of the locations and a window it the other. He stated that we needed a bigger header or engineered header under both of these new french doors. He supported the ceiling there is a second floor above and took out the headers and replaced with new engineered header and in doing this he had to cut into the top plate to make it fit.
He then simpson strong tied strapped the new headers to the top plates and put on either end of the header one jack stud and on the outside one king stud and nailed it all together.
Does this sound right to do. Another contractor that came out to finish leveling the doors said this is wrong construction and want to charge me some money to fix. Other people said this looks ok. What is the consensus? I need to finish this project up.
Thanks
Rafael
2nd question:
I live in California and I had a contractor install two french doors in a back load bearing wall that faces my back yard. Previously there was a sliding glass door in one of the locations and a window it the other. He stated that we needed a bigger header or engineered header under both of these new french doors. He supported the ceiling there is a second floor above and took out the headers and replaced with new engineered header and in doing this he had to cut into the top plate to make it fit.
He then simpson strong tied strapped the new headers to the top plates and put on either end of the header one jack stud and on the outside one king stud and nailed it all together.
Does this sound right to do. Another contractor that came out to finish leveling the doors said this is wrong construction and want to charge me some money to fix. Other people said this looks ok. What is the consensus? I need to finish this project up.
Thanks
Rafael
#2
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We use two jack studs for anything 6' or more unless specified different. I've never used more than two. Sometimes Ive used one jack stud. It all depends on what you're carrying above.
Your floor joists above could be running parallel to the header and the rafters on the second floor could be sitting on top of the second floor walls above the header, therefore the header in question is carrying the roof load but not the floor load.
You could be carrying both floor and rafter load, or a beam above. There are many things that have to be weighed out.
As far as cutting into the top plate,. we do this all the time. Around here in NJ we can cut into the first of the two top plates and butt the top of the header right into the second top plate. There's no problem doing that. The floor joists above or box is still nailed to it. I framed houses or additions cutting out both top plates before.
Is it code where your from, I don't know. Can it be done, yes it can, it's done all the time. It's really not up to the contractor to determine this. Ripping out headers and insatlling microlams headers or any other headers should be designed by an Architect or Engineer and you have to get permits to do this, unless you don't need to where your from.
Your floor joists above could be running parallel to the header and the rafters on the second floor could be sitting on top of the second floor walls above the header, therefore the header in question is carrying the roof load but not the floor load.
You could be carrying both floor and rafter load, or a beam above. There are many things that have to be weighed out.
As far as cutting into the top plate,. we do this all the time. Around here in NJ we can cut into the first of the two top plates and butt the top of the header right into the second top plate. There's no problem doing that. The floor joists above or box is still nailed to it. I framed houses or additions cutting out both top plates before.
Is it code where your from, I don't know. Can it be done, yes it can, it's done all the time. It's really not up to the contractor to determine this. Ripping out headers and insatlling microlams headers or any other headers should be designed by an Architect or Engineer and you have to get permits to do this, unless you don't need to where your from.
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The wall is carring the load of the second floor joists they rest on the top plate and the roof rafters are loading on the oppisite walls vertical to this wall.
So if this wall is not carring the load of roof and is carring the load of the second floor it might be alright to have one jack stud on either end of the header?
Thanks for your help
Rafael
So if this wall is not carring the load of roof and is carring the load of the second floor it might be alright to have one jack stud on either end of the header?
Thanks for your help
Rafael
#4
Rafeal,
I believe the code calls for 2 jack studs for openings 6 to 8 feet wide. I did the same job on my house 2 weeks ago, used 2 studs on the opening for the new french doors. I hope this helps, besides what is 2 more 2x4's cost, 5 dollars?
I believe the code calls for 2 jack studs for openings 6 to 8 feet wide. I did the same job on my house 2 weeks ago, used 2 studs on the opening for the new french doors. I hope this helps, besides what is 2 more 2x4's cost, 5 dollars?
#5
...So long as you allocated for 2 vs 1 jack stud...for your door to fit in the new r/o. That may be 3" narrower than planned for.
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Leave it alone it will be o.k. sounds like he put in a bigger header than what was there, there were no problems then there will be no problems now, what you might want to do though is go down in the crawl or basement and put in blocking under the studs & jacks to transfer the weight to the foundation.