# Upgrading An Insufficient Load Bearing Wall



## CplDevilDog (Mar 18, 2009)

Any reason not to just crib up the floor and reframe the exterior wall with the appropriate jack studs? Looks like your added work will be moving the exterior receptacle box on the left and what I assume is a vent run from the basement on the right. But you'll make up for it in cost and not having to mess with jam extensions when you are ready to trim the door. Of course I might be missing something obvious here.


Other than that my only comment might be the framing member laying sideways along the mud-sill. As it dries it will shrink. Maybe enough to allow your fur wall to sag.


----------



## AndyGump (Sep 26, 2010)

Don't do any over-kill on your project unless needed. Does the header actually sag?
put your line on the top of the header and see, if it doesn't sag then your contractor may have installed that rather over-sized header incorrectly. 
That he may not have braced the floor when installing the header and it fell a bit.

Andy.


----------



## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

It appears the header is straight on top, lining a straight edge in front of my monitor (not totally accurate). The plate is lower from the string line - 1/4"? Cut off the extra length of hanging string as it will help sag the main line. Try adding slightly longer cripple studs next to the existing over the headers after checking header for straight as Andy said. You will lose some elevation as mentioned due to lumber shrinkage, but not recent if done 4 years ago; http://www.paintsource.net/pages/solutions/new construction/wood_shrink.htm

See if adding the longer cripples bows the header. Add some metal gusset plates at the jacks or tear into it and add these: http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/HH.asp

Gary


----------



## Tizzer (Jul 24, 2010)

You said the contractor installed a 'new' sliding door, was there something there before? Did he put that header in or just those 1" jacks? 
Why 1" btw?


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

CplDevilDog said:


> Any reason not to just crib up the floor and reframe the exterior wall with the appropriate jack studs? Looks like your added work will be moving the exterior receptacle box on the left and what I assume is a vent run from the basement on the right. But you'll make up for it in cost and not having to mess with jam extensions when you are ready to trim the door. Of course I might be missing something obvious here.
> 
> 
> Other than that my only comment might be the framing member laying sideways along the mud-sill. As it dries it will shrink. Maybe enough to allow your fur wall to sag.


CplDevilDog,

Thank you for your comments.

Based on the load above and code there should be two 2x4 jack studs under the 4x12 header. The header was obviously cut too short when the building was constructed in 1984. I remember the contractor who installed the new sliding door in 2006 had a very difficult time removing the original slider because there was zero clearance in the rough opening. He had to rip the single jack studs to 1” in thickness just to obtain the minimum rough opening size for a standard 6 foot wide sliding door.

To reframe the opening properly the header must be replaced with one wide enough for two jack studs and allowance for the minimum rough opening size of the sliding door. To do this I would have to remove the stucco from the exterior of the wall, destroy the Anderson doorframe and most likely the floor and wall tile in the master bath above.

Regarding the 2x6 PT I would rip for the mudsill and the 6x6 I would place on top of it. I have both stored inside for over a year and no more shrinking will occur.


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

AndyGump said:


> Don't do any over-kill on your project unless needed. Does the header actually sag?
> put your line on the top of the header and see, if it doesn't sag then your contractor may have installed that rather over-sized header incorrectly.
> That he may not have braced the floor when installing the header and it fell a bit.
> 
> Andy.



Andy,

Thank you for your comments.

The original builder installed the header in 1984 and a 4x12 header is called out in the original drawing. There is no detail on the drawing indicating the number of jack studs, but code dictates two must be used based on the load above.


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

GBR in WA said:


> It appears the header is straight on top, lining a straight edge in front of my monitor (not totally accurate). The plate is lower from the string line - 1/4"? Cut off the extra length of hanging string as it will help sag the main line. Try adding slightly longer cripple studs next to the existing over the headers after checking header for straight as Andy said. You will lose some elevation as mentioned due to lumber shrinkage, but not recent if done 4 years ago; http://www.paintsource.net/pages/solutions/new%20construction/wood_shrink.htm
> 
> See if adding the longer cripples bows the header. Add some metal gusset plates at the jacks or tear into it and add these: http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/HH.asp
> 
> Gary



Gary,

Thank you for your comments.

The plate deflection was measured slightly over 3/8” before the other string you noticed was strung. I only mentioned the deflection of the plates to emphasize the load above. This wall supports a second floor and roof load with a heavy stucco exterior. The room above is a master bath with a thick-mudded tile floor and floor to ceiling mudded tiled shower. There is also a large two-person Jacuzzi tube above the slider that cantilevers out the back over the door.

NOTE: We are in a seismic 4 area.

BTW, I only use structural select KD DF for all my 2x lumber. My lumber yard here stocks it for just pennies more than green lumber.


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

Tizzer said:


> You said the contractor installed a 'new' sliding door, was there something there before? Did he put that header in or just those 1" jacks?
> Why 1" btw?


 
Tizzer,

Thank you for your comments.

We upgraded from a 6 foot wide single pane aluminum sliding door to a 6 foot wide Anderson Gliding Door. The 4x12 header is original construction and the contractor that installed the new Anderson door ripped the jack studs to obtain the minimum rough opening.


----------



## Talbot3 (Apr 5, 2011)

If you do not want to reframe the opening, one way to reinforce the header connection would be to add an addition full height stud, add lag bolts thru the full height studs into the end grain of the header, and add a steel side plate with nails into the full height studs and side of the header.

But I like your idea better.


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

I have been out of commission and not been able to get any work done or post for over a week after an eye injury and severe knee pain.

Any suggestions on the best way to tie the new 2x4 support wall to the inside corner intersection of the existing 2x4 and 2x6 stud walls?

Thanks


----------



## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Add a 2x6 stud to the back (inside 2x6 wall) of the 4x, flush on the inside, sticking past the 2x4 wall end stud for nailing there. Use drywall clips at inside corner.

Gary


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

GBR in WA said:


> Add a 2x6 stud to the back (inside 2x6 wall) of the 4x, flush on the inside, sticking past the 2x4 wall end stud for nailing there. Use drywall clips at inside corner.
> 
> Gary


 
Gary,

Thank you for your suggestion, but this is no way to nail the overhang from the 2x6 attached to the 4x6 post to the 2x4 stud wall.


----------



## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Possible confusing explanation. Picture a 2x6 stud nailed to the backside of the 4x6, on the 4x side, resting on the 2x6 bottom plate. It will stick out the back 2" behind the 2x4 end stud wall. Face nail it through the 2x4 left side (the right side is face nailed to the end 2x6 already holding the walls together. 
Just as it sits, put a 2x6 stud in the 2x6 wall right behind the 4x6 and 2x4 next to it, tying them together. Nail the 2x6 to the post first before the plates.

Gary


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

GBR in WA said:


> Possible confusing explanation. Picture a 2x6 stud nailed to the backside of the 4x6, on the 4x side, resting on the 2x6 bottom plate. It will stick out the back 2" behind the 2x4 end stud wall. Face nail it through the 2x4 left side (the right side is face nailed to the end 2x6 already holding the walls together.
> Just as it sits, put a 2x6 stud in the 2x6 wall right behind the 4x6 and 2x4 next to it, tying them together. Nail the 2x6 to the post first before the plates.
> 
> Gary



Gary,

Thank you again for suggesting a solution. I understand the first part of what you are suggesting, but there is no way to face nail the 2x4 to the 2x6 nailed to the 4x6 unless I remove the exterior stucco and sheathing.

The last part _“__Just as it sits, put a 2x6 stud in the 2x6 wall right behind the 4x6 and 2x4 next to it, tying them together. Nail the 2x6 to the post first before the plates.”_ I just can’t picture.

Howard


----------



## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

Fire4Effect said:


> We had a contractor install a new Anderson sliding door 4 years ago and I remember him telling me he had to trim the studs to allow the door to fit in the rough opening. Currently we are remodeling our downstairs and removed the drywall and were surprised to see only single 1” wide jack studs supporting the 4x12 header above the door. There is a large second floor master bath with a mudded tile floor and a large two-person tub directly above that cantilevers out the back. I ran a string and the center of the two top plates deflects almost a 1/2” over a 6’ span in the middle. The load on this header must be substantial and even single unripped 2x4 jack studs would be insufficient for the load
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Did you have permits and inspections 4 years ago?


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

Joe Carola said:


> Did you have permits and inspections 4 years ago?


Permits are not required in our County for replacing windows.

I have finished widening the support on top of the sill plate in the crawlspace and now I am getting ready to work on the new support wall. I will need to shim the Parallam to the ceiling joist above since the center ceiling joist are 1/2” lower than the outer ones. I thought I would use KD DF 2x4 blocks under the center ceiling joist and progressively thicker blocks as I work my way out to the ends. I have very dry DF 3x4 I could trim to thicknesses greater than 1-1/2”. See drawing below.


----------



## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

Fire4Effect said:


> Permits are not required in our County for replacing windows.


Your contractor didn't just replace a window. He cut into the jack studs which is structural. Anything structural permits are required. He should have never cut those studs.


----------



## AndyGump (Sep 26, 2010)

I am watching this thread with great apprehension.

I just don't understand the reasoning for doing all this un-necessary (it seems to me) over-kill framing.

Is there any kind of footings or foundation under this new framing?

Andy.


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

Joe Carola said:


> Your contractor didn't just replace a window. He cut into the jack studs which is structural. Anything structural permits are required. He should have never cut those studs.


 I agree and that is why I started this thread.


----------



## Fire4Effect (Jul 29, 2008)

AndyGump said:


> I am watching this thread with great apprehension.
> 
> I just don't understand the reasoning for doing all this un-necessary (it seems to me) over-kill framing.
> 
> ...



Andy,

Why the great apprehension? Are you concerned about my wallet? The cost of materials is not great.

If you reread my initial post you will see I intended to build up the sill plate under the subfloor to carry the load to the foundation. There is a small drawing showing this next to the drawing for the new wall framing. I have already completed this portion and have moved the plumbing also.


----------

