Proper Header Placement???

[Jawgarage]

Quick framing question......what is the difference in placement of headers when framing??? Take a garage door header....laminated beam.....in situations where it is a 9x7 door or even a double door at 16 or 18x7, with a 9 or 10 foot tall interior ceiling, I've seen the headers placed with the bottoms right above the garage door, and I've seen the headers placed with the tops flush with the ceiling heights.....meaning that the small filler space is sometimes above and sometimes below the header......is one right or wrong? One used in some situations Vs others? I'd think with a laminated beam you'd want the full length of the beam supporting the entire top plate of the wall and the joists above so put the header all the way up and fill in below........

Anybody know the difference? Code Requirements?

 

[readhead]

Typical is at the top of the opening but it can be placed under the top plate with the same results. Why do you ask? Are you wondering why the window headers are high and the garage door headers are low? The window headers are way oversized but the framer probably uses the tall header to offset labor cost of framing cripples. The garage openings will probably see operators for the doors and they need a solid connection among other things.

 

[Jawgarage]

Framers are asking for "future use" purposes since there are 10' interior ceilings and plans only call for a 7' tall door......he is suggesting to put the laminated beam (5 1/4x18") up high and frame below to allow for a door change to 8' high before install or at some point in the future......I like the idea but did not know if there is some reason to do one vs the other

 

[readhead]

I revised my post but your comment is confusing. The garage door headers are low.

 

[Jawgarage]

the garage has 10' tall interior ceilings and with an 18" tall header the wall can accommodate an 8' tall garage door. The plans only call for a 7' tall garage door currently. So the framer is asking about placing the header to be flush with the plate above and he would "Fill in" frame below with cripples so an 8' door could be replaced later without any header issues. I don't see this ever being done but I thought it was a good question to ask.........easier to increase the door size later if the header is up high as someone would not need to touch the header.

The garage door is already getting high lift tracks and motor so the higher header will work for that too.

If it's typlical to have the bottom of the header at the top of the opening that's fine.....I don't want a framing inspection issue

 

[usa#1]

Look at the documentation that came with the beam. It may require diagonal bracing to prevent out of plane bending if it is framed "low.

 

[Jawgarage]

Thanks for the quick quick quick replies......were sticking with THE PLAN and following typical methods......header will be framing the opening with cripples above......otherwise there is no support for "fake cripples" below and I don't want to get into that..........I'm not changing out the door in the future...

 

[kbs2244]

Too bad.
Your carpenter was wanting to do it right.

 

[Homerr]

Over time framing methods have changed along with the way many homeowners approach the project. Nowadays headers are more often put flush up under the top plates for 1) higher windows/transoms; 2) owner changes in the field so they change out/eliminate the cripples for larger (taller) windows. Yes, there also can be situations where the header size means there are no cripples, either by chance or design.

Garage doors can be done the same way, just add some flat blocking cripples in the center above the opening and below the header. A rail garage door opener railwill be supported by this.

 

[dlewis]

Do what ever you have to do to get the 8' door.You can't fit a SUV or truck in a 7' for yourself or when selling down the road.

 

[ndm]

Do what ever you have to do to get the 8' door.You can't fit a SUV or truck in a 7' for yourself or when selling down the road.

yup

 

[The Cobbler]

When they framed my garage, the windows & man doors had the header at the top plates, the garage door was at the door height. no rhyme nor reason , other than that's the way they did it I suppose. I tend to like the headers higher tho for more flexibility down the road

 

[SH7mi]

The header should be installed in contact with top plate and the jack stud should be one continuous stud from header to bottom plate. Pack the header down to desired height. The small cripple studs are not load bearing members and will easily split when nailing.

 

[lakeroadster]

I'd agree with the "place the header so an 8 ft door upgrade will be easier" crowd....

BUT if you have "Engineer Stamped" drawings and an inspector who is on the ball, they'll want the drawings revised and re-stamped/signed.

 

[matt_i]

I am with everyone who suggested an 8 foot door. Just do it now.

I moved my door header up 1 foot as a result of this same problem. It took some doing to get it working correctly and now I have a false (weak) panel that makes up the difference in height. However this is in an interior wall now, and so the panel isn't a big deal. But I would not want that on the exterior of the building.

In regards to the different design choices, I want the most solid piece right above the opening and then the cripples in compression. Otherwise the cripples hang down, likely requiring metal reinforcement and there's likely some sort of much weaker 2x piece (like a 2x4 or 2x6 depending on wall thickness) making up the top of the opening and hanging from end-grain fasteners.

 

[ndm]

I have a normal run of the mill 2013 dodge Ram 2500HD. It has a cab on the back that had a low profile ladder rack. I could not fit it in the 7 foot garage door with the rack so I had to take it off. It still has tabs that held the rack and If I ever planned to lift the truck at all then the truck will not fit. If I got more meat on my tires, my truck will not fit.

GET THE STINKING 8 FOOT DOOR ALREADY!!

 

[padroo]

I never heard of what your carpenter wants to do but as long as the load is still being carried by a proper size header I don't see a problem with it. I agree with everyone else, put in the 8 foot door and you won't be sorry. I assume this is not a brick house. Contractors seem like they give people tiny garages with 7 foot doors.