Greetings

Seeking the collective wisdom of the Internet on a remodeling
project.

The Project of the summer is to put a window in the shed. (I
should have done this two years ago when I was rebuilding said shed.
"If I'd known then what I know now, I'd have done a whole lot of
changes from what I did.)
I have two sliding window panels (the remains of an 8 foot wide
five foot high unit. sort of like this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/JELD-WEN-95-5-in-x-47-5-in-V-2500-Series-White-Vinyl-Universal-Reversible-Sliding-Window-with-Fiberglass-Mesh-Screen-Sierra-2VSLD-8040/202035708)

Anyway, the issue is The Header. The thing which goes at the top
of the wall and transfers the load "elsewhere" First question: does
it need to be a 4 x 8, or can two 2x8s be nailed together and made to
work?

Secondly the wall I want to put the window into is 'load bearing',
specifically, those studs have the joists supporting the loft
attached. Unlike the north or south wall which are just holding
themselves up. Originally I was willing to cut the studs under the
joists, and install the header under the joist. But .. that puts the
bottom of the window below the (eventual) bench top. (If my
calculations are correct, the bottom of the window is at 21 inches
height, and the bench top is at 30 inches. That will provide
ventilation under the bench.)
If I cut the joists loose (propping them up _before_ I start
sawing) I could raise everything up by 1 Joist height (six inches, if
memory serves). This still leaves the bottom of my windows below the
bench top, but ...

The alternative is to go buy a shorter window, but I don't want to
waste money of things like that when I need to get some tools.
--
pyotr filipivich
TV NEWS: Yesterday's newspaper read to the illiterate.