[jpbusch]

Not sure if this is the right location for this but I have a question. This is our front window its 85.5" across and as you can see from the picture has a good bow in it and the drywall is now cracked. Would love some suggestions. I know I need to tear out the drywall and add a microlam to shore up the header. Any suggestions would be appreciated. The measurement is 12 3/4 on the left side 13 in the middle and 12 5/8 on the right side. We live in CO and there's solar panels a pretty heavy snow load (right now) on the roof right above the sag.

Thanks

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[Nealtw]

Is the blind new, I would suspect that was just a bad job of installing the corner bread on the drywall. I would start by just removing the corner bead and prove me wrong.

 

[chandler48]

If the sheetrock is cracking above the window, you may have a header problem. Go ahead and pull the sheetrock from the ceiling down across the entire window. It's not pretty, but you can tell what you have or don't have at that point. Post a picture of the results so we can see, also.

 

[jpbusch]

The blind was there when we bought house in 2008. It's never been level but the crack is new. I hope its just a bad drywall job

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[Old Thomas]

You should do some exploratory surgery to see what is there. I saw one that sagged and rather than being upright dimensional lumber it was a pile of 2x4s. Strip it to see what is there.

 

[carpdad]

Above is a full header. Below is small header and the space filled with short studs. Depends on your header. You can start with 1/8 or so drill bit and see what kind of header you have. You may get some idea by knocking on the drywall and see if you hear solid or hollow sounds.


Also the span is about 7'. Double 2x10 may not be enough.


But then, if the header was sagging, you'd see more cracks. Along the ceiling/wall corner and the window opening drywall beads. How long in the house? That window opening was straight before?

 

[Nealtw]

If the sheetrock is cracking above the window, you may have a header problem. Go ahead and pull the sheetrock from the ceiling down across the entire window. It's not pretty, but you can tell what you have or don't have at that point. Post a picture of the results so we can see, also.

Larry, there is a double plate at the ceiling , not much will need fixing that high going all the way to the ceiling just adds a tough corner to the drywall repair.

 

[chandler48]

Neal, I am just concerned that there may only be one jack in the middle of the window causing undue pressure. I still think exploratory surgery is indicated to see what is there, as obviously something is not right. There may not be a header, and there may be a couple of stacked 2x4's, no one knows.

 

[Nealtw]

Neal, I am just concerned that there may only be one jack in the middle of the window causing undue pressure. I still think exploratory surgery is indicated to see what is there, as obviously something is not right. There may not be a header, and there may be a couple of stacked 2x4's, no one knows.

Still fixable with out touching the top 1 1/2" of the wall.

 

[Old Thomas]

Without looking inside, we are all guessing. Fixing it will require getting in there, so blast away. Weird things are found, it could be a header that failed at a big knot, dimensional grade stamped lumber that was ripped narrower, stacked 2x4s, who knows.

 

[Nealtw]

It might have been 2 windows with 2 headers at one time. Well still with 2 headers.

 

[jpbusch]

Ok, drywall removed. Here's the header photo. Not sure there is a small low spot but only 1/8 to 3/16.
Heres a pick of the exposed beam
And measurements are
1 12
2 12 3/16
3 12 1/8

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[Nealtw]

Is it level?

 

[jpbusch]

Not entirely and if you look at the sil plates above the header. You'll see the gaps on either end are wider than in the middle. The level rocks a bit. But not much. You can see the ends of the level in this pic

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[schreibdave]

Was the sheetrock that you cut out screwed into the header? The header doesnt look like it's sagging. Maybe the sheetrock wasnt screwed well and it was sagging?

 

[jpbusch]

Yes it was with single and overlapping shims

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[Nealtw]

The header was wet and it shrank

Lay a 6 ft long 4x6 beam on the sill jack it up in the middle and put shims on top of the jack studs.

 

[jpbusch]

Seems reasonable. I have a 20ton bottle jack so I'm sure that will work.

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[Nealtw]

Seems reasonable. I have a 20ton bottle jack so I'm sure that will work.

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That is lot's of jacking power, limit the lift to 1/8 per day, give things time to adjust.
You want to close the gap on both sides.

 

[jpbusch]

It's only about 1/8 to 1/4 max off

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