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Putting in header in wall!

15K views 144 replies 11 participants last post by  notmrjohn 
#1 ·
Hi everyone
been reading throughout here and see that a lot of people have the same project, but everyone's case is unique so here is mine. Appreciate any insight/suggestions you all have.

so basically we want to put in a 4ft opening in a wall upstairs, 2nd floor. the wall seperates 2 bedrooms. the unique thing is that the 2nd floor is actually the attic itself, and so the roof is essentially tied into the wall, so to speak.

so our idea is to cut out 2 rafters, and install about a 40 inch opening with 2x10 headers. whats the best way to do this?

for your convenience i have a video to make it easier to see.

thanks!
 
#53 ·
Mike, it was discussed but not answered. Look right above your post for my thoughts, and why vestiges ending where they do worries me. Could have got a higher ceiling if they'd been cut off higher.
 
#55 ·
This is full of " maybe nots" including need for engineer.
Fed you need to get somebody with professional knowledge and experience to at least take quick look around, B4 spending big bucks on it. Depending on what's below you may get by with just repositioning opening. Again, maybe..maybe not.
 
#57 · (Edited)
" a good carpenter could look at it and tell you to get an engineer." That's basically what I mean, somebody on site to verify our long distance diagnosis from photos and limited info. A "good carpenter" to walk in, look at it, run out immediately and shout from across street, "Get an engineer!"

Fed, a local contracter, builder, carpenter, may have info on qualified local engineer.
 
#58 ·
Can be hard to find a good anything in the yellow pages much less a carpenter or engineer. Probably worth caking a few contractors out to look, making it clear you just want an advisor on the phone but offering to compensate them. If things work out they may be able to recommend an engineer. If you're really lucky the contractor may be able to do the work and comp you for the consult.
 
#61 · (Edited)
Good link, GB.
Fed, notice how the trimmers are supported at both ends. Find page for framing your wall opening, too. i think i wasted everybody's time explaining how to do that way up top of thread B4 I walked head on into that rafter end. If I'da only known there was that online book, with pictures even.

Then after on site inspection, you should be able to handle job.
 
#62 ·
You can take those 2bys out because clearly, even if they were supposed to, they are not holding anything up. I too would be concerned about those rafters.

I think I understand why you want an opening but I am not sure how you would header it properly with the roof angle. Cutting rafters holding the hat of your home is usually not a wise idea.

This looks a bit like an under cover of darkness---with no drawings, permits and inspections---room addition to me.
 
#65 ·
absolutely the rafters on that side may or may not be load bearing, as well as that wall may or may not.
Hire a structural engineer then you will know. In this case I feel we can not give adequate information with some pics and a discussion over the net.
If none structural then all could go, no header needed. Or it could require header, beams in floor posts in walls, support to foundation.


I really want to know how this turns out.
 
#73 ·
now for your info the 2nd floor where this room is, is the attic itself. so the roof is directly above. the spray foam is sprayed directly underneath the decking of the roof. what we did was tore down all the ceilings so they could spray the foam right against the roof so create the envelope. so everything thats blocked by the foam is essentially plywood decking of teh roof, give or take. i have pics of it before the foam i can post if you guys prefer.
 
#77 · (Edited)
Fed, yes pics of pre-foam, especially at very top of underside of roof, where the shallow pitch roof rafters of addition are attached to opposite side original rafters. If they do.

1st pic, this series, does look like wall supports ceiling joists, if that is all it supports, it is not big problem as far as door opening itself.
2nd pic they kinda look like they slope, is addition ceiling flat or does it slope? I and ,I think, mae-ling have suspicion the ceiling joists, or "beams", are also roof rafters. ( shudder)



1st pic; that "triple cap" is sure constructed strange. Looks like a series of headers on jack studs with no real top plate. The king, if thats what it is just goes up to...rafter? Is it under a rafter?
Does that 2x4 sticking up continue on down to floor? Or does it end just behind that old rafter? It looks like it could have been extendended to hold ceiling joist. And you say joists are just sitting on wall unattached?

Pics 2 and 3 are opposite ends of the collar ties? ( The horizontal 2x's between steep old rafters?) I may be getting idea why the rafters were cut off and fastened to wall, somebody was worried about rafter spread in remaining old wall. That could also explain studs running up to new rafters. Though that could have been done by extending collars out to top of wall. Or just wanted to keep balanced looking sloped ceiling. possibility of old cut off rafters not being load bearing increased.

Fed once you get all the down stairs load bearing and other structural things checked out, you probablly can " extend the beams out" and get wider ceiling, more head room, and avoid the head level, head banging tunnel effect at new opening. If rafters have to stay, you may be able to devise way to cut them at wall height level, replace those collars with stronger beams running under rafters, on top of strengthened wall, over addition ceiling tie into to far ends of shed roof rafters or opposite wall.

Do not get frustrated that every answer seems to open up more problems. This is way simplest, most inexpensive, remodel jobs usually go. Take solace in fact that you have given us interesting puzzle to ponder.

Some one strips wall paper to slap on paint, termites chewed dry wall paper, remove drywall, they chewed stud, remove stud, they chewed plate and sill, blown in insulation has settled to lower 2 feet of wall. Might as well replace it while drywall off, in fact do whole wall, strip drywall, this wiring don't look good. There is no stopping place.
Speaking of puzzle, well some one was, sometimes it seems easiest way is take house apart, start all over. Every time we leave our house, mrsnot hopes tornado comes along, makes one quick dip and tears it down while we're gone. You could forget about opening, add exterior staircase to get into that room.:wink:
 
#83 ·
We are not all gents, ( as i learned to my chagrin, when I said he 'stead of she) and some of the ones of us that are he's, are gents but boorish louts. And as Mike the mailbox murderer reappeared to say, I myself am a "pathetic clown." It hurt me to my quick, and as my quick is worn down to the quick, it can't stand much pain.
 
#88 ·
here is room pre foam: (the wall color helps to distinguish which room)


so my understanding is this: basically the roof is directly on top of ceiling. you can see the new plywood they put in when we replcaed roof. and you can see how the rafters are like divided into 2 slopes. so......
 
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