Garage door header question

[Youngfd]

I am getting ready to frame in my pole building for garage doors. Openings are currently 12 feet wide and 10 feet tall. Doors will be 10 feet wide and 8 1/2 feet tall. What should I use for a door header?

 

[DCarr2]

A LVL should work say a 2x12?

LVL stands for Laminated Vaneer Lumber, think if it as a sheet of plywood made into a beem. they are EXTREMELY stong

 

[DougWil]

The headers would be non load bearing if they go in the front of that building since the roof is already supported by beams.

 

[bczygan]

Take the required live load per SF plus the dead load per SF and add them together.

Determine the contributing area, which is half the span from the header to the back wall.

Multiply by the total load per SF.

You low have the total load per lineal foot on the header beam.

Find a chart or table, for the strength of beam you are going to use, and based on the span and load, determine the beam you want to use. You will have to choose a deflection limit for the live and total loads.

Typically you will use a double LVL beam, fastened together as specified, so look for beam sizes that will support loads that are half the required ones.

Here's a chart I use:
http://parr.com/PDFs/LP%20LVL%201.9E.pdf

Any other method is a wild-assed guess, and just plain dumb.

Note that this is if the roof framing bears on the header. Otherwise the post above this is correct. In that case, the loads are substantially lower and dimentional lumber could likely be used.

Bill

 

[Cyberbear]

Usually a 10' opening requires a 4 x 10 header and should also handle any snow load.

 

[Youngfd]

No load bearing on this end. J

 

[matt_i]

You could probably use a double 2x6 since its just a piece to frame the opening and sees no load from building or garage door. Sometimes its nicer to also place the flat edge of a 2x4 or 2x6 to finish the top of the frame rather than trying to deal with the typical lumber wane and edge misalignment of a built-up beam's 1-1/2" wide edges. But that will have to be accounted for when building the rough opening to a dimension.

Deck or framing screws to attach everything together would be my choice.

 

[bczygan]

2 2x12's will do nicely. Could probably use 10's.

Bill

 

[Styx]

As mentioned it's not load bearing but it will have to carry the weight of the door and tracks. I would probably go with 2x10 doubled up and 2x4 or 2x6 studs depending on wall thickness.
What type of opener are you using???

Cheers Randy...

 

[Youngfd]

thanks, going to use a side mounted opener.

 

[AMCguy]

Since there is no load to bear the header is nothing more than a filler panel.

It will however have to handle the torque that the springs impart on the centre bearing plate.

 

[Youngfd]

Door header is in. OVERKILL -- Three 2 x 10s with 2 pieces of 1/2 plywood in between to make up the 5 1/2 inches. Above that is three 2 x 6's with the 1/2 plywood. Door company with have no problem finding something to fasten to.