Garage door header.

[waltersjmk]

I am going to be framing a 16ft and a 10ft garage door this weekend. Home Depot sent me an lvl for each door header. They are 1 3/4 thick, to me that doesn't seem to be enough for a header. Am I wrong or is that plenty strong enough for a 16ft door?


Thanks for any help.

 

[Hondaracer2oo4]

Those lvl headers are designed to replace 2x whatever you would usually use for a header. Using 2x whatever you would have to put a piece of 1/2 ply inbetween each piece which would allow the header to fit in a 2x4 or 2x6 stud wall. The lvl is 1 3/4 because you don't use a filler material. You just nail the Lvls together. You will need to look on the lvl manufacturer website for what nails to use and what nailing pattern to use nailing them together.

 

[BD1]

Don't know your location but might be a good idea to check local code book. Many call for TWO 2 x 12's with 1/2'' steel plate sandwiched in between.

 

[waltersjmk]

So I would need to nail 2 lvl's together? If so I will have to special order 2 more because they only sent 1 per door which I really don't want to do. My plan was to nail a 2x10 to the lvl to give me the thickness I need and then set it on double 2x4 jack studs.

 

[Justanoldguy]

How high is the lvl?

 

[DougWil]

Since you haven't told us whether the locations are load bearing or not, or what the loads are or what dimensions the LVLs are no one can provide a real answer.

 

[waltersjmk]

It is not load bearing, I have 1 16x7 door and 1 9x7 door. One lvl is 1 3/4 thick x 10'' wide x 16ft long. The other one is 1 3/4 thick x 10'' wide x 9ft long.

 

[Hondaracer2oo4]

If the wall is truly no load bearing it will have no load to carry other than whatever is over it for stud wall. But you won't have anything to attach the garage door spring to. I would have just bought 2x10s and 1/2 ply for the filler. No need for the engineered lumber in my eyes.

 

[waltersjmk]

@Hondaracer2004....... I agree completely that there is no need for the lvl, but Home Depot wants a %20 re-stocking fee to return them so I figured I might as well just use them.

 

[Zeke]

Add furring strips to them to flush them up with the rest of the wall. If not finishing the interior, place them at the outer edge of the wall and carry on like nothing happened.