Header and trimmer questions 16' overhead door

[Rynoman27]

Hi everyone, first post here, finally registered after lurking for a while.

I'm currently building a 24x32 garage, 9' total wall height with a 1 course block wall on concrete pad. I'm a little stuck and can't find what's right correct and want some opinions on what to do with my garage door opening. I have 2 LVL headers, 1 3/4" thick and 17'3" (iirc) long to span my opening. First question is, I don't need to sandwich plywood between them do I? Do I just trim the ends to my opening and put them up separately then nail them together?

Also the trimmers/jack studs on the end, is a 2x4 sufficient or should I go 2x6? Is 2 trimmers enough?

 

[nadogail]

What do your approved plans call for?

 

[Rynoman27]

Approved plans do not go into that much detail as far as 2x4/2x6 or sandwiching lvl. Its a kit from Menards if that matters.

 

[theoldwizard1]

With LVLs I think the plywood would just be there for proper spacing.

 

[The Cobbler]

plywood adds no structural strength as far as engineers are concerned. it's just there to make the correct width . look at it as cosmetic

 

[The Cobbler]

usually trimmers & jacks are the same dimensions as the studs . the question is how many do you need

 

[larry4406]

How long are the wing walls each side of the 16' door? Appears that the 16' door goes on the 24' side therefore meaning that the wing walls are each 4'. Is there a door in one of the 4' wings or a both 4' wings full walls?

Where I am heading with this is that depending on your building design, you may need to portal frame this garage door wall to provide shear wall resistance. If there are 4' full wall sections each side of the door that are fully sheathed (no man door), this should eliminate the need for portal framing.

Typically in a portal frame, the header is continuous across the wall, straps are involved, and prescriptive nailing patterns as well.

I know this doesn't answer your question regarding the number of jacks and kings on each end of the header. This will also depend on how your roof system loads the structure (i.e. trusses vs ridge/rafter and which way they span).

An intro to bracing garage walls:
https://www.builderonline.com/building/code/bracing-narrow-garage-walls_o
http://robertsuess.com/files/narrowwallbracing.pdf

 

[matt_i]

My calibrated eye isn't working correctly today....if you are framing 2x4s then I wouldn't space them...the 1-3/4" x 2 = 3-1/2".

If you are framing 2x6 studs then you can choose to space the LVLs or not. If you don't it will leave a "pocket" above the door which is difficult to span over with drywall as the traditional length screws won't work. Using 1-3/4" thick LVLs you need a 2.0" spacer to make it to the 5-1/2" full width. However you arrive at that thickness I would consider filling the rest of the gap with rigid foam for improved insulation performance.

As far as your jack/trimmer studs, those are bearing the compressive loads concentrated from the header. I would verify in tables but there's no way I'd use just a single jack stud per side. I would use two minimum per side.

 

[Innovate1]

Really depends on if the garage door is on a gable end or if the roof trusses bear on the LVLs. Huge difference in loading.

Also depends on how wide the remaining walls are beside the door as Larry has noted. In portal framing the header goes at the very top of the wall just under the top plate(s).

 

[Rynoman27]

My calibrated eye isn't working correctly today....if you are framing 2x4s then I wouldn't space them...the 1-3/4" x 2 = 3-1/2".

As far as your jack/trimmer studs, those are bearing the compressive loads concentrated from the header. I would verify in tables but there's no way I'd use just a single jack stud per side. I would use two minimum per side.

Framing is 2x4s. What tables are you talking about? And i didnt plan on just a single jack, i just want to make sure 2 is enough.

Really depends on if the garage door is on a gable end or if the roof trusses bear on the LVLs. Huge difference in loading.

Also depends on how wide the remaining walls are beside the door as Larry has noted. In portal framing the header goes at the very top of the wall just under the top plate(s).

Door is on the gable end. No portal framing required.

How long are the wing walls each side of the 16' door? Appears that the 16' door goes on the 24' side therefore meaning that the wing walls are each 4'. Is there a door in one of the 4' wings or a both 4' wings full walls?

Where I am heading with this is that depending on your building design, you may need to portal frame this garage door wall to provide shear wall resistance. If there are 4' full wall sections each side of the door that are fully sheathed (no man door), this should eliminate the need for portal framing.

Typically in a portal frame, the header is continuous across the wall, straps are involved, and prescriptive nailing patterns as well.

I know this doesn't answer your question regarding the number of jacks and kings on each end of the header. This will also depend on how your roof system loads the structure (i.e. trusses vs ridge/rafter and which way they span).

Thank you, i did not know this, but the wing walls are 4' with no doors, so portal framing is not required.

I just looked at my plans, there isn't even a header across garage opening, so that did not help at all.

 

[matt_i]

What tables are you talking about?

In the span tables for the LVLs you are using (you know, which height, how many plies of LVL), there should be some column for "bearing area" for the loading and span. Which might be described as bearing length that equates to the number of 1-1/2" SPF framing column(jack stud) plies and assuming a 1-1/2" width. It should be an integer multiple of 1.5.

 

[Rynoman27]

In the span tables for the LVLs you are using (you know, which height, how many plies of LVL), there should be some column for "bearing area" for the loading and span. Which might be described as bearing length that equates to the number of 1-1/2" SPF framing column(jack stud) plies and assuming a 1-1/2" width. It should be an integer multiple of 1.5.

https://www.lvlglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/UG-LVLGlobal-1.9E-USA.pdf

That's the table, but I can't find what you are asking for.

 

[nmk_61802]

https://www.lvlglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/UG-LVLGlobal-1.9E-USA.pdf

That's the table, but I can't find what you are asking for.

I believe you should be using page 8-10. The text below the table shows a min. bearing of 3", with the shaded areas equaling a greater bearing requirement to meet the load.

Oops, missed that 8-10 all are for headers, just different loading

 

[Rynoman27]

I believe you should be using page 8-10. The text below the table shows a min. bearing of 3", with the shaded areas equaling a greater bearing requirement to meet the load.

Oops, missed that 8-10 all are for headers, just different loading

Arent those pages for headers that are on the truss end of a building, not the gable end like mine?

If that doesnt matter, it says 3" BEARING AT BOTH ENDS AND 7½" AT INTERMEDIATE. That doesnt help me.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

In California, it was always standard to use dbl. trimmers at each end with any span 6'-0" and over. Most 16' + garage door opening would call for 4x4 trimmers.

 

[ford33]

See page 13 of the pdf for minimum bearing length in inches table.

 

[Rynoman27]

See page 13 of the pdf for minimum bearing length in inches table.

Ok, thats what I thought, but the reaction lbs is what threw me off. I guess i dont know how to figure that out from my engineered truss papers.

 

[nmk_61802]

Arent those pages for headers that are on the truss end of a building, not the gable end like mine?



If that doesnt matter, it says 3" BEARING AT BOTH ENDS AND 7½" AT INTERMEDIATE. That doesnt help me.

Sorry missed that is was a gable. The intermediate supports are not required, but if you use one, you would follow the min bearing.... Do your plans call for lvl’s? Seems a pair of LVL seems like overkill for a wall with basically no weight. If it was mine I’d use a pair of 2x12 SYP.


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[Rynoman27]

Yes the plans call for an LVL. Only thing I can think is for snow loads, but yes seems like overkill.

 

[ddurrett896]

Out of curosity, why did you use a 2x4 bottom plate then set on the treated plate? Seems redundant unless you built the walls offsite then lifted in place.

Do you already have the LVL? If so, I'd knock out that last stud and get as much in the wall as possible, with 2-3 jacks under each side.

If you don't have the LVL, I'd buy ones that span the entire wall, not just the garage opening plus 1'.

 

[Rynoman27]

Out of curosity, why did you use a 2x4 bottom plate then set on the treated plate? Seems redundant unless you built the walls offsite then lifted in place.

Do you already have the LVL? If so, I'd knock out that last stud and get as much in the wall as possible, with 2-3 jacks under each side.

If you don't have the LVL, I'd buy ones that span the entire wall, not just the garage opening plus 1'.

I did the treated plate to cover the full opening of the blocks. It is redundant, but yes I built the walls then lifted into place.

Yes, I have the LVL already, I think I'm going to end with 3 Jack's on each side

 

[ddurrett896]

Yes, I have the LVL already, I think I'm going to end with 3 Jack's on each side

3 jacks is fine. Send it!

 

[Innovate1]

Sorry missed that is was a gable. The intermediate supports are not required, but if you use one, you would follow the min bearing.... Do your plans call for lvl’s? Seems a pair of LVL seems like overkill for a wall with basically no weight. If it was mine I’d use a pair of 2x12 SYP.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

The end "trusses" are typically not trusses but just the outline of a truss with only verticals for nailing the siding on. The drawings from the truss company usually show support all along the bottom of the end "trusses" rather than just at the ends like the true trusses. The drawings also usually show the bearing pressure or reactions at the supports. The header has to support the weight from the last bay of roof. It's a lot less than the ends of trusses but it's not "basically no weight".

 

[vtjon]

I had a lot of questions when I did my 18' door. I'm not sure I needed an LVL but I did not want it to sag. I used two jack studs and then I wrapped my opening in a 2x6 to finish the opening. It passed inspection [emoji119] though the inspector did say that the 2x6 counted as a jack stud and I need it due to my roof loads (trusses with hip). I've attached a picture.

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[Rynoman27]

Ended up with 3 jack studs, should be fine. Now it's time to get that big header set and throw some trusses up.