When doors and windows are framed, extra reinforcement is required. There are two reasons for this. The first is that doors and windows are points of structural weakness, because studs must be omitted or moved to accommodate the opening. The second is that doors and windows place strain upon a structure as they are used. Doors in particular are weak points, as the opening and shutting of a door puts strain on the surrounding framing.
Many building codes have specific regulations about how doors should be framed. King studs are run along the side of the frame to provide support and take some of the weight and strain of the door, and the door header bridges the top of the door, supported by the king studs.
It is not a simple DIY project because improper installation of headers can cause damage to the house. You can refer to your architect or structural engineer if you want headers for your door frames.
Nonetheless, you also need to learn the basic concepts about headers. To decide whether to add a header, you will need to identify if the door frame is on a bearing or non-bearing wall. Aside from the type of wall, check if the door frame is for external or internal purposes.
The door weight and size also affect your decisions on installing a header. Keep reading for the factors that determine whether you need a header or not. Based on a construction perspective, the two main types of walls are load- or non-load-bearing walls. You will have to examine the anatomy of your walls to distinguish the two types.
Find out their differences below:. These walls carry the load or weight above them and other elements of a house. They are a structural element. Load-bearing walls distribute the load from the top to the foundation of the house. Based on This Old House , you can determine a load-bearing wall by the following:.
Hence, it is a must to install a header if your door frames are on a load-bearing wall. If you have a non-bearing wall, a header is optional. Non-load-bearing walls are common for partitioning an area in the house. Most non-load-bearing walls only need two flat lumber pieces to support the door frame, nailings, and trims. There is only one stud that supports the frame for non-load bearing walls.
In general, installing a header for door frames on non-load-bearing walls and partitions is optional. You should also determine if the door frame is for the exterior or interior. Exterior door frames need headers to support their heavyweight. On the other hand, interior doors are smaller and lighter.
You can still install a header for the interior door frames, but the materials will be less durable. Headers span the opening of a door. The header also helps keep the opening rigid and stable. Sounds like an enormous job for a simple board or even two, but the header has a little help.
On either side of the the closet doorway or any other opening , the wall studs end with a final full-length stud called the king stud to which a door-high stud is nailed. These shorter studs, called jack studs, support the header as well.
Between the top wall plate and the header, short cripple studs spread the weight of the structure above onto the header. The thickness of the header, then plus the support of the jack studs which are in turn reinforced by the king studs, allows a strong, stable, rigid opening with the weight spread evenly.
In fact, think of the header as a mighty bridge that supports anything crossing it. As you might have guessed, even a closet doorway needs a header. No matter how light the door, window, shutter -- or even if an opening is empty -- you must frame it with king studs, jack studs, cripples one every 16 inches and a header. Here's where it becomes confusing: Many articles and sources make comments such as, "If it's a non-load-bearing wall, use a two-by-four instead of a header.
A single two-by-four, when spanning over the opening, is a header, too. Building professionals make a distinction in headers because it instantly supplies a wealth of information to anyone fluent in building terminology. Automatically, builders know that a two-by-four header means either an interior, non-load-bearing wall one that doesn't support the roof and a second story, if applicable or an opening 3 feet wide or less.
A regular header, on the other hand, must be used for load-bearing walls, whether interior or exterior.
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