On 7/1/2020 11:13 PM, pyotr filipivich wrote:
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?

I don't know that I've ever seen a 4"x8" board, let alone one used as a
header. Two 2x8's nailed together should do the trick. I used 2 2x6's
as headers in my garage shop without any problem.

I assume that the 8" is called for in the case of your span.

When I built the garage, I used a pair of 2x10's (IIRC) bolted together
with a "flitch plate" sandwiched between them. Plate was a 2x10 piece
of 3/8" steel. 34+ years later, with midwest snow loads there has been
ZERO deflection on that 16' garage door header.

As for the rest of the "problem", I'm not sure I understand what you're
asking so I won't volunteer anything other than to suggest what you're
already considering: Right sized windows to begin with.

Have you thought of hitting a "Habitat for Humanity" resale shop?
Amazing what you can find there.



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.