framing question - adding 3rd garage door

[AndyL]

Contemplating adding a 'drive through' in the garage...

Basically want to cut in a new 9x7 door opposite my current pair of 9x8 doors - facing the back deck for entertainment purposes...

Standard 2x6 framed walls, 9'2" ceiling. Definitely load bearing wall that I'm planning to cut into...

Anyone able to point me in the direction of framing/beam requirements for this? Trying to figure out costs to decide if i should proceed or scrap the idea altogether

Thanks in advance!

 

[kbs2244]

If your front wall is also load bearing you should be able to just duplicate how the front doors are framed.
If not, you will just need a stronger header.

 

[CNGsaves]

Post up some pics of what you've got now. Pics tell a thousand words.

 

[ddawg16]

Allow me to throw a wrench in the works....the beam and related framing is easy.

What do you have in the foundation that would support the point loading of the jack studs for the header beam?

 

[bczygan]

If it's a single story (No bonus room above) garage, with the gable end on the side wall, then the trusses run from front to back and it is "load bearing" in the sense that a portion of the roof load must be transferred around the new opening and into the foundation.
Even walls on the gable end bear a load, but it is very much reduced in comparison, since very little roof and wall load is present to transfer.
Will this opening allow someone to actually drive out onto the back deck?

For sizing of the header beam, if there are no additional loads compared to the front doors, then matching those headers will be adequate, as mentioned above.

Typically garages have at least a trench footing, and that is adequate for this type of load.

 

[AndyL]

I'll see about pics, nothing much to see as i haven't started peeling back the plywood walls... so no idea how they've framed the doorways on the front side.

Simple roof - ridge runs parallel to the doors, trusses run perpendicular. Not 100% on foundation - but the end wall has an 8" grade beam thats at least 24" deep (dug out a rose bush recently - was surprised at the footing)

Wasn't planning a drive thru so much as a way to bring materials in/out... maybe shortcut for the lawn tractor...

 

[Moose97]

How close will the opening be to the corner of the house. Got to take in wind bracing requirements.

 

[LB-1911]

How close will the opening be to the corner of the house. Got to take in wind bracing requirements.

X2

 

[fury9]

Allow me to throw a wrench in the works....the beam and related framing is easy.

What do you have in the foundation that would support the point loading of the jack studs for the header beam?

I'm sure there is a footing under the exterior walls which is where the cripples would go.

 

[RickP]

I just happened to be looking at the blueprints for my garage today... my load bearing walls sound identical to yours (although I'm sure my footer isn't nearly that deep). My garage doors are 8 feet wide and support the roof (along with the attic space under the roof). My blueprints specify 6x12 headers over each 8 foot garage door.

This PDF might also help:
Wood Beam Load Tables

 

[AndyL]

How close will the opening be to the corner of the house. Got to take in wind bracing requirements.

Rough guestimate - 32" its more than 30" less than 36" (have a 30" cabinet tucked behind the door track front side just enough room you cant reach those items you dropped without hauling the works out)

But other than aesthetics no reason i cant shift or go to an 8x7 door

 

[bczygan]

I'll see about pics, nothing much to see as i haven't started peeling back the plywood walls... so no idea how they've framed the doorways on the front side.

Simple roof - ridge runs parallel to the doors, trusses run perpendicular. Not 100% on foundation - but the end wall has an 8" grade beam thats at least 24" deep (dug out a rose bush recently - was surprised at the footing)

Wasn't planning a drive thru so much as a way to bring materials in/out... maybe shortcut for the lawn tractor...

We call that grade beam a trench footing. Dig at the back wall, where the new door will be. If a footing is there, it probably runs under that whole wall, and you are good to go. Typically those do NOT go across the garage door openings.

If this is a typical size garage, with typical load requirements, I'll bet the headers over your existing doors are a pair of 2x12's. Let us know what they are.

 

[AndyL]

30wide by 26' deep...

I was really hoping not to peel out the plywood on that side of the garage...

 

[bczygan]

30wide by 26' deep...

I was really hoping not to peel out the plywood on that side of the garage...

What loads do you have to accommodate. In other words, what is the required live load and dead load?

Do you have more than one layer of shingles?

Any attic storage?

 

[bczygan]

If nothing is non-standard, and you have trusses 24"oc. and roof dead load is not to high because of extra layers of shingles, and no heavy attic storage, etc. etc., you could probably do it with a couple of 2x12's plus 1/2" plywood spacer as a header beam, set on doubled 2x4 posts on each side. Remember to set the dimensional boards with the camber or crown up. I prefer LVL's. Use 2 @ 11 1/4 x 1 3/4, nailed together in the approved pattern. Also use doubled 2x4 posts on each end of these.

Again, this is if no unusual conditions. Photos would still be nice.

And that short distance to the corner bothers me. It needs to be a shear panel that locks together the foundation, wall framing, header beam and roof framing. This can be done with plywood on the inside and lots of screws and the proper straps and anchors.

 

[Moose97]

Rough guestimate - 32" its more than 30" less than 36" (have a 30" cabinet tucked behind the door track front side just enough room you cant reach those items you dropped without hauling the works out)

But other than aesthetics no reason i cant shift or go to an 8x7 door

You've got to have a minimum of 4X8 plywood fastened at 6" nailing pattern around the perimeter and 12" in the field. That will meet a 90MPH wind load requirement. Simpson strong tie has other ways to do that on shorter return walls. Get with your local Building Official and see what the local requirements will be.

 

[AndyL]

Or do i take the beam all the way over to the corner to help with the sheer forces?

Yeah 24" o/c - single layer shingles. No storage in the attic. But lowish slope roof (4-5/12) and snow loads to consider - garage roof is below the house roof (semi-attached) we get some big drifts up there when a storm blows through...

Ok so its probably not insane... yeah need to clean out some space, talk to the framing inspector, didnt want to start there until I had some ballpark of where it'd end up...