Window and Door header construction

[iSpark]

Hi guys

I was watching the framers this morning build the house right next to mine, and they're flying! If they had the trusses on site I would imagine they would be setting them today too!

Anywho, I noticed they were not using anything between the two 2x12 boards in the header construction for a 2x4 wall.
Is it not common now to use a 7/16 or 1/2 plywood sandwiched between the 2x's?
As it is, there is nothing but a 1/2" air gap ( no insulation or plywood) inside the header., or is the air gap the insulator?

No "filler" material between the 2x12's, good or bad?

Just curious, as the contractor on the house next door, will most likely be building my 32x56x10 hobby/whatever shop in a few months.

 

[GMCGarage]

Hi guys

I was watching the framers this morning build the house right next to mine, and they're flying! If they had the trusses on site I would imagine they would be setting them today too!

Anywho, I noticed they were not using anything between the two 2x12 boards in the header construction for a 2x4 wall.
Is it not common now to use a 7/16 or 1/2 plywood sandwiched between the 2x's?
As it is, there is nothing but a 1/2" air gap ( no insulation or plywood) inside the header., or is the air gap the insulator?

No "filler" material between the 2x12's, good or bad?

Just curious, as the contractor on the house next door, will most likely be building my 32x56x10 hobby/whatever shop in a few months.

If the framer is good, then you dont need the filler. Its not adding significant capacity to the header. If tehy are bad, you will need a good drywaller.

 

[nadogail]

I am seeing, in the literature, foam board sandwiched in the 2" boards making up headers as a thermal barrier.

 

[iSpark]

Aye, thanks guys!

 

[joe--h]

And half the time those 2 2x12s are holding up not much of anything.

Habit.

Joe H

 

[The Cobbler]

spacers add zero structural, merely a spacer to flush the lumber

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

The fact that the AHJ isn't requiring some form of advanced framing details seems quite odd.
https://basc.pnnl.gov/resource-guides/advanced-framing-insulated-headers

Last time I saw 2X12 being used for header material for doors and windows? Oh, about the time 2X4's were real 2X4's! 2x12 is way to expensive- and spans are not much different than 2X10's. Engineered materials (LVL, LSL) are stronger- longer spans for the money.

 

[yeldogt]

The various framing details .. seems endless. I'm surprised 2x4 .. they last I did in SC was just assumed to be 2x6.

I have never asked an engineer how much strength the ply center adds .... but it must add a fair amount. The question is --- is it needed.

All that said -- it's time and material. Any production job falls victim -- some of the "energy" increasing framing details caused some problems back when they became popular -- especially with substandard lumber. Mostly in the corners ...

 

[iSpark]

Aye
They could be using 2x10's, I was looking from a distance. heh
And yes, I was surprised it's a 2x4 exterior wall, even if I was trying to build as cheapest as possible, I would have used 2x6's

I suppose in the grand scheme of things, nothing being used in between the header panels and the load it will be carrying isn't that much of a concern.

I just remember back in the day the headers having a plywood core. Am I getting old?? O.O

 

[DFB]

And here I thought 2x6 was a standard for Energy Code


Like others say was flushing out the header to wall thickness

 

[Ben W]

If they're using 2x12s or 2x10s then a plywood center is not going to be continuous between supports. So structurally it's not really contributing to the carrying capacity in the same means than a continuous framing member is, but what plywood can do is add stiffness. That's not really critical for a header though.

 

[spudley]

If they're using 2x12s or 2x10s then a plywood center is not going to be continuous between supports. So structurally it's not really contributing to the carrying capacity in the same means than a continuous framing member is, but what plywood can do is add stiffness. That's not really critical for a header though.

What am I missing...why wouldn't the ply be continuous? Is there that many headers in a house longer than 8'?

 

[The Cobbler]

the plywood is not structural, it is just a spacer . even tho it adds some, it is not recognized as structural .

 

[yeldogt]

the plywood is not structural, it is just a spacer . even tho it adds some, it is not recognized as structural .

This seemed to be the job for the "new" guy -- good training task. Make up the headers .. while you clean up.

Now, even small jobs often have "framers". It's just cheaper to have professional framers comes in .. that's all they do... they know all the tricks ...bam!.

A couple years ago we had a tear down two house away -- it was unbelievable how fast they framed the new. They had two girls cutting everything .... the guys were yelling out dimensions from above .... it was unbelievable. And, almost no waste ...

 

[spudley]

the plywood is not structural, it is just a spacer . even tho it adds some, it is not recognized as structural .

Right, it 's just for filling in to make (in this case) a 3 1/2" thick member to keep everything even, but my point was it's easy enough to rip a continuous piece.