On 2/15/17 1:16 PM, Sonny wrote:
As to 1) header and 2) jack studs.

I want to widen a 4' wide doorway, to 55" wide.... on a 6" support
wall (in the interior, back end of my garage). I constructed the
original doorway framing with 4X6 king studs and installed two 2X6
jack studs on each side of the doorway. I suppose two jacks studs
on each side is overkill, but I often over-build, as that, since I am
not an expert (it passed Metro-Code inspection, so that's good enough
for me). The header is a 6X6.

I have a (salvaged) 6X12 header, 7' long. I thought to install this
(shortened) larger header. Is a 6X6 header sufficient for the 55"
span or does it really need to be replaced with a larger header? If
6X6 is sufficient, then I won't have to trim the cripple studs,
above.

Other info: The ceiling joists above this door, which is floor joists
for upstairs, are 2x6s, 16" on center. To date, there is no
evidence of the present 6X6 header being insufficient. On one side
of the doorway wall, 10' from the doorway, is a 6X12 beam supporting
the ceiling. On the other side of the doorway, 12' away, is a **6"
exterior (support) wall. The concrete footings are 2'X2' and the
slab is 6", i.e., no foundation failure, anywhere.

**On this 6" exterior wall is another 4' wide doorway. I will be,
similarly, widening this doorway, also, later. At the moment, I
don't recall, exactly, its framing/rough construction (i.e., header &
jack studs). The roof profile above this wall is a gable roof.

Also, do I really need 2 jack studs on each side of the doorway, for
this additional span? If I can eliminate 1 or 2 of the present jacks
studs, this will allow less work of modifying other aspects of the
rough framing, as well as the interior wall's finishing, etc.

Thanks. Sonny


I don't think you ever needed two jack studs for a span that short.
The 6" non-engineered lumber headers would concern me.
This is where I would advise you consult an architectural structural
engineer.


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