Raise My Garage Door Header

[[email protected]]

I built my house 10 years ago and one of the mistakes I made was installing a 16 foot by 7 foot garage door. Now I want to raise the door 21 inches by adding another panel to my rollup door. The big job is raising the header 21 inches. My garage is 23 feet wide and when we installed the header we ran the header all the way across the width of the garage so the header is 23 feet long. It is going to be difficult to raise the entire 23 feet so I was thinking about cutting the header so that it would be 16 foot and 6 inches. (The header would be above the door only not spanning the entire width of the garage) I would have two trimmers under each end of the header and a 4" X 4" stud at the ends of the header going floor to ceiling. My ceiling height is 10 foot 3 inches. Do you see any problem with my plans?

[Charliehamr]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

If you are doing this to your house, and not one of ours, why would any of us see a problem?... If you are asking if this is a good idea..... perhaps you should hire a contractor...

[George Roberts]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

I guess the only question I would have is: Is the final result compliant with the prescriptive code?

A "yes" would be good. Otherwise engineering would be required.

[Unforgiven]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

I would think for a 16' header you would need more than 6" for jacks...just sayin'.

[[email protected]]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

At this point I say, Thanks for nothing.

[Overbuilders]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

Well then, by golly at this point, you're welcome. For nothing.

[Dancing Dan]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

And that's exactly what you paid, too!

[[email protected]]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

You guys should be comics.

[[email protected]]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

I would think for a 16' header you would need more than 6" for jacks...just sayin'.

I have no idea what you are talking about.

[J.Buesking]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

We are check the funny papers

[David Meiland]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

I have no idea what you are talking about.

In which case you're not qualified to do the job.

[magna111]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Which is why most people on here don't want to deal with HO questions.

Check out this thread I think it might help. http://forums.jlconline.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=41060

[[email protected]]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

Sorry, I didn't realize this forum was for professionals only. I have built (doing all the phases of construction) 4 houses over my 65 years of life but I am not a professional builder. I am a mechanical engineer. I guess I should know what a "jack" is but I don't. Maybe they are what I know as cripple studs?

[Lavrans]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

John- yes, they are also known as cripples. A double cripple on either end gives you about 6" of bearing to support that header. Things seem a bit lean, but it really depends on construction. Truss roof or stick framed with a gable that's got to hold up a ridge beam that holds 1/2 the roof, etc. Likely might want more bearing, but might not need it. I can't say right now.

[George Roberts]

Re: Raise My Garage Door Header

Sorry, I didn't realize this forum was for professionals only. I have built (doing all the phases of construction) 4 houses over my 65 years of life but I am not a professional builder. I am a mechanical engineer. I guess I should know what a "jack" is but I don't. Maybe they are what I know as cripple studs?

Being a professional engineer I guess you have a right to be here.

Being a professional engineer you might understand the liability of giving assistance based on incomplete information.

I would suggest you make up some sketches of what is in place and what you plan to do and see the local building inspector. Most of the guys here who are inspectors appear to be friendly.