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Cutting load bearing members - standard practices

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Cutting load bearing members - standard practices mike 09-27-2006
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Posted by mike on September 27, 2006, 6:44 am
I am putting a window in my garage along one of the external walls. We have
already cleared the brick and sheetrock only to reveal a double wall stud
near the center of the new window opening. In the attic, this doubled stud
supports a doubled rafter which would appear to be a load bearing member.

I need to cut that double wall stud and build the header to frame in the new
window opening. I have read that standard practice is to make the header
size twice the size of the member being cut. Would the appropriate header
for a double stud member then be qty 4, 2x4's? Seems a bit much but there is
room to do it. Also, would the two adjacent wall studs need to be doubled as
well?

Please comment
Mike in DFW



Posted by RicodJour on September 27, 2006, 8:16 am
mike wrote:
> I am putting a window in my garage along one of the external walls. We have
> already cleared the brick and sheetrock only to reveal a double wall stud
> near the center of the new window opening. In the attic, this doubled stud
> supports a doubled rafter which would appear to be a load bearing member.

All rafters are load bearing members. A doubled rafter indicates a
larger load. Consider it a red flag.

> I need to cut that double wall stud and build the header to frame in the new
> window opening. I have read that standard practice is to make the header
> size twice the size of the member being cut.

Not sure where you got that advice, but don't go back for more.

> Would the appropriate header
> for a double stud member then be qty 4, 2x4's? Seems a bit much but there is
> room to do it. Also, would the two adjacent wall studs need to be doubled as
> well?

There are many variables and you haven't provided any of the important
information. It doesn't sound like it will be a big deal, but it would
be foolhardy to recommend a "solution" to someone unfamiliar with
framing practices and without having seen the conditions personally.

Standard practice, when you don't know _exactly_ what's going on
structurally (including all loads involved, design standards,
connections, etc.) is to hire an engineer to design you a solution.

R


Posted by Matt Barrow on September 27, 2006, 9:09 am

> mike wrote:
>> I am putting a window in my garage along one of the external walls. We
>> have
>> already cleared the brick and sheetrock only to reveal a double wall stud
>> near the center of the new window opening. In the attic, this doubled
>> stud
>> supports a doubled rafter which would appear to be a load bearing member.
>
> All rafters are load bearing members. A doubled rafter indicates a
> larger load. Consider it a red flag.

Why a "red flag" item?



Posted by RicodJour on September 27, 2006, 1:06 pm
Matt Barrow wrote:
>
> > mike wrote:
> >> I am putting a window in my garage along one of the external walls. We
> >> have
> >> already cleared the brick and sheetrock only to reveal a double wall stud

"Only to reveal" suggests that you laid out the wall from the outside
without verifying framing prior to cutting, or that you didn't strip
the drywall before knocking out the brick.

> >> near the center of the new window opening. In the attic, this doubled
> >> stud
> >> supports a doubled rafter which would appear to be a load bearing member.
> >
> > All rafters are load bearing members. A doubled rafter indicates a
> > larger load. Consider it a red flag.
>
> Why a "red flag" item?

I'll answer your question with three other questions.
Why did they double up the rafter in the first place?
Was the existing garage built correctly?
Do you feel from the information provided that the OP should forge
ahead on his own with information garnered from a newsgroup (where the
best intentioned advice is based on many assumptions), or should he get
some pro eyeballs on it?

R


Posted by Matt Barrow on September 27, 2006, 3:19 pm

> Matt Barrow wrote:
>>
>> > mike wrote:
>> >> I am putting a window in my garage along one of the external walls. We
>> >> have
>> >> already cleared the brick and sheetrock only to reveal a double wall
>> >> stud
>
> "Only to reveal" suggests that you laid out the wall from the outside
> without verifying framing prior to cutting, or that you didn't strip
> the drywall before knocking out the brick.

Tell that to Mike, not to me. I only left that in for context.


>
>> >> near the center of the new window opening. In the attic, this doubled
>> >> stud
>> >> supports a doubled rafter which would appear to be a load bearing
>> >> member.
>> >
>> > All rafters are load bearing members. A doubled rafter indicates a
>> > larger load. Consider it a red flag.
>>
>> Why a "red flag" item?
>
> I'll answer your question with three other questions.
> Why did they double up the rafter in the first place?

You better ask Mike...I only asked the last question.


> Was the existing garage built correctly?
> Do you feel from the information provided that the OP should forge
> ahead on his own with information garnered from a newsgroup (where the
> best intentioned advice is based on many assumptions), or should he get
> some pro eyeballs on it?
>
You're losing track of the questions.




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