# How do I Lower Closet Header?



## cheapchick (Aug 30, 2009)

My grandmother passed away recently and we are trying to fix up her house to sell. The closets have these awful vinyl folding panels from the 50s. I want to remove these and put in regular doors but the panels are 95 inches tall. I haven't seen stock closet doors that tall. I would like to lower the header 10 inches or so but I don't know how. I have been trying to find info online or a book but all I can find is info on how to build a closet from scratch. Does anybody know where I can figure out how to do this?


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## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

you don't move the existing header. Simply add another 2X 4 at the 81 1/2" height you need for the new doors. Add 2X4 blocks vertically at 16" on centers between this new "header" and the existing header. Use a wider top trim board to cover the lowered area or drywall and patch and use the existing trim after cutting the excess from the bottom of both trim legs.


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## TooledUp (Jul 7, 2009)

+1---what bob said!!


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## cheapchick (Aug 30, 2009)

I know this is a fairly simple thing to do. I have been looking at diagrams of how a closet is constructed and how the opening should be. I just don't know how to attach the new header. Come to think of it, the old doors go all the way to the ceiling...there is no drop. The diagrams show the header resting on jack studs but what is my new header supposed to rest on? I really need instructions...


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## UpComingBuilder (Dec 9, 2008)

The header rests on the jack studs. The studs next to the jacks (king stud), that's where you nail your header into. [k][j][header][j][k] The jacks hold it up in place. Nail in the king studs for support. You could probably just use a double 2x4 header. With cripples on top.


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## cheapchick (Aug 30, 2009)

I'm still not getting how the new header is supported. If I'm nailing a board across an existing opening what supports the weight of the new closet doors? The doors are 60lbs. If the doors are suspended from the new header and the header is held up by nails then I find it hard to believe nails are going to hold up my 60lb doors. Normally the jack studs hold up the header but there are no jack studs; they are under the drywall.


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## UpComingBuilder (Dec 9, 2008)

Use 16D common nails, thats what builders usually use to nail studs in for a whole house. And use screws for the new doors. Screw them into the jack studs where the drywall is.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Doors are not suspended from the header
The trim/door frame should be attached to the framing on either side
On the hinge side I use extra long screws to make sure the door is fully supported
The hinge side is what holds the weight as the door swings open
Doors in a non-load bearing wall do not even need a header

Ah...wait - closet door
Is this on a track? Bi-folds ?
In that case then the door IS suspended from the track in a lot of cases
So are you putting in bi-fold doors
Or a reg door(s) ?


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

I agree with the others, here's an illustration if it helps:

Existing bi-fold (I know you said yours goes up to the ceiling, but for illustation purposes this is a 95" existing door with 106" ceilings):






















New "standard" size door:


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## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

What you are missing is the header is to support the weight bearing down on it from above such as the second floor or roof loads. The door has no connection to this header at all.


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

Not sure what you mean bob (or was that to the op?)










I'm guessing that was for the op


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## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

Jay; simply put when a house is originally framed all openings are headered off to take the structural load above them. If you are replacing a door in a previously framed hole odds are it is already headered off, therefore as in this case the opening is higher than needed for new door. You infill the opening to fit the new door and everything you do to infill is NOT STRUCTURAL it is only for sheetrock and trim nailers and to hold the door frame.

That said IF you go with a larger door or window than original then you have to reframe including new header. Not talkin down to you dont misunderstand me am just trying to clarify which I hope I am doing :}:}:}:}:}:}


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

Kind of like I drew it?

I figured bob was talking to the op, just wanted to make sure.


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## Jay123 (May 7, 2008)

skymaster said:


> Jay; simply put when a house is originally framed all openings are headered off to take the structural load above them. If you are replacing a door in a previously framed hole odds are it is already headered off, therefore as in this case the opening is higher than needed for new door. You infill the opening to fit the new door and everything you do to infill is NOT STRUCTURAL it is only for sheetrock and trim nailers and to hold the door frame.
> 
> That said IF you go with a larger door or window than original then you have to reframe including new header. Not talkin down to you dont misunderstand me am just trying to clarify which I hope I am doing :}:}:}:}:}:}


Yeah, I agree with all that sky, do it on a regular basis (or did :laughing :thumbsup:


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## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

What is the problem here? He has an existing opening that's 59 years old. All he wants to do is lower the height. All he has to do is drop it down with 2-2x4's flat and some cripples above. No jack or king studs necessary. Nothing structural. Maybe there's a flush header above if it's a bearing wall, maybe there's no header above and it's non bearing wall. It's been this way for 59 years.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

cheapchick said:


> I'm still not getting how the new header is supported. If I'm nailing a board across an existing opening what supports the weight of the new closet doors?* The doors are 60lbs*. If the doors are suspended from the new header and the header is held up by nails then I find it hard to believe nails are going to hold up my 60lb doors. Normally the jack studs hold up the header but there are no jack studs; they are under the drywall.


I think the fact the doors are 60 lbs might be an issue
If they are on a track like some closet doors I have installed then they hang from the header, no weight carried by the sides or the floor


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## ursuletemail (Dec 28, 2017)

This is such an old discussion that the pictures Jay123 are no longer visible. Does anyone have an update on how to do this on an old house, so I assume no structural changes will happen and if the closet doors are heavy? Does it make a difference if they are bi-fold or regular sliding? Thanks


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Ursuletemail, welcome to the forums. It may be helpful if you started your own thread with pictures so we could customize our answers to you. Yeah, older posts won't have pictures. Describe your situation to us, also.


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## MI-Roger (Aug 8, 2009)

ursuletemail said:


> This is such an old discussion that the pictures Jay123 are no longer visible. Does anyone have an update on how to do this on an old house, so I assume no structural changes will happen and if the closet doors are heavy? Does it make a difference if they are bi-fold or regular sliding? Thanks


Sliding doors are supported from the top track and header.

Bi-Fold doors are supported by the outboard bottom pin which rests on the floor. The top track provides alignment and guiding only.


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## Glacier (Jan 12, 2022)

I am doing a similar project. Does the old plaster plaster board have to be removed before lowering the opening, or can I build over existing plaster board?


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## colin123 (Oct 9, 2014)

You won't need to remove any plaster just pull off the old jambs and toenail the new header into the exposed sides of the jackstuds. Then measure the distance between the old header and the new one and toenail a couple cripples in. You will have to add plaster or drywall to cover the area between the old and new header.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

don*t * believe I read the whole thing and didn’t realize it was five years old!! To summarize, a header is done at orig framing and normally transmits the forces from a roof or a second floor around the opening in question. Once you HAVE one, you don’t need another one unless you WIDEN the orig opening, and a couple of two byes on edge are fine for just supporting a folding closet door, bypass door, whatever.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

It's actually a 13 year old thread.


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