Temporary support wall question

Windows · 02-01-2013, 01:17 PM

I am about to replace a 28 in. door in my house with a new, wider, 32 in. pre-hung door and install a new, properly sized header. The door separates the upstairs hallway from the unfinished attic space. The wall that the door is in supports both the hallway ceiling and the roof. The wall has a single top plate.

I was planning on building a simple support and putting it on the hallway side of the door but then realized that would do nothing to support the roof. So I thought about building a second support to put side on the attic side of the door, but that starts to feel like I'm over-doing it. Considering that the present header is a couple of 2x4s laying flat and that has been fine for the last 90 years, maybe I don't need a temporary support wall at all to do this work. Any thoughts?

**oh'mike** · 02-01-2013, 01:38 PM

A picture of the attic would sure help

You are only removing enough framing to widen the door?

Windows · 02-01-2013, 02:57 PM

I was worried about that. Here are a couple of pictures - they are not the best - it is an awkward area. Just a couple of additional notes: the rafters are 2x4s and sit on the top plate with a bird's mouth cut. The present door is actually 24 inches, not 28. The king on the right side of the door will stay, the jack will have to be replaced, and the king and jack will have to be replaced and moved to the left on the left side; new header and cripples; no other framing will be touched. That wiring was not done by me and will be removed as part of this project. Thanks for the help.

kaschmid3 · 02-01-2013, 04:24 PM

U will be fine u can either do header same way Just longer or u could do 2x6 or 2x8 as header rough opening 2 1/4 in bigger than door ( 2' 8" door = 34 1/4 in rough opening

woodworkbykirk · 02-01-2013, 04:53 PM

with that small an opening not much is going to happen, you should be fine without a temp wall. if you were talking 5' then the wall would be a good idea

**Gary in WA** · 02-02-2013, 04:45 PM

I'd just stick a 2x4 under the rafter (or two) a few feet from the door/wall to give working room, at a 60* angle. Safety - to keep that section of probably over-spanned rafters/roof from sagging when you remove the existing header to grow 8-10 inches more. BTW- the paper facing on the batts is facing the wrong way- though it is stopping wind-washing.

Gary

Windows · 02-02-2013, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary in WA

I'd just stick a 2x4 under the rafter (or two) a few feet from the door/wall to give working room, at a 60* angle. Safety - to keep that section of probably over-spanned rafters/roof from sagging when you remove the existing header to grow 8-10 inches more. BTW- the paper facing on the batts is facing the wrong way- though it is stopping wind-washing.

Gary

That is what I ended up doing. I could write a short book about all the things that were done wrong in this house.