header for 6x7 french door

[chrisbrowning]

What size of header do you recommend for  6(wide) x 7 french door in the load bearing side of 12 x 18 house. This will be on 18 ft end of non-gable. I would like to place small window on this side also but feel is too much.

[John Raabe]

A double 2x8 would be plenty for a 6' span. If you get really heavy snow fall on the roof you could go to a double 2x10.

[chrisbrowning]

So John with a 81 1/2 " tall door and a 8 inch header on top. Will I have to raise the height of the walls. Because the cripple studs will be too short. Or does it matter.  The plans on the 12x 18 call for 92" studs will this be sufficient?

[John Raabe]

Hummm....

You could certainly use 96" studs if you want a bit of extra ceiling height.

Are you doing a 6" wall? - then you could go to three 2x6 with two slices of 1/2" plywood.

If you are doing a 4" wall, then personally, I might use 2-2x6 with 1/2" plwd sandwiched and glued together.

My span chart shows a 2-2x6 Hdr (no plywd) will span 5'-5" with a 20' wide buiding and a 20 psf live load. You have a 12' wide building so you do the interpolation. The limiting factor is deflection and the worst that could happen is the space for shims might be closed up somewhat in a heavy snow load situation.

Other options - go see an engineer, or use a metal flitch plate for insurance if they have them there.

[glenn kangiser]

Chris - unless I'm not picturing something right it seems to me this should fit even with the 92 or 91 1/2 Inch studs.  81 1/2" framed door +7 5/8" 2x8 header= 89 1/8" + 4 7/8" double top and bottom plate =94" leaving about 2 1/2" cripples above the header to the top plates.

Maybe I'm not seeing things right-  I think this is considering a 6068 french door rather than a 6070 door.  Just going from your 81 1/2 measurement.

Just re-reading, Chris, did you add the 1 5/8" bottom plate and the double top plate at 3 1/4" to the length of the studs to get a total height of 96 7/8" for wall height.  If I recall right some stud mfgrs make 91 1/2" precut studs giving 1/2 " less - may be wrong though.

[chrisbrowning]

Glenn I just didn't know how short the cripples could be without problems

[John Raabe]

Short cripples always have problems but that's no reason to discriminate against them.

This is not a Randy Newman song  

[glenn kangiser]

I don't see much problem - the header will carry the load to the sides of the door frame then down to the foundation - they only need to fill the space between the header and the top plates - green wood should nail without splitting much.

John - I realize that short cripples sometimes have problems, but do you really think it is fair that they always get the best parking spaces.  

Please join the  -Fresno Area Reform Troupe-  and help us take back our parking spaces.