Metal Framing Door Headers

When the opening is greater in width than the stud spacing and most windows are wider than 24 in.

Metal framing door headers. You will need to add 1 2 of plywood between the 2x4 s to get the right wall thickness of 3 1 2. Most door frames that are 4 feet wide or less require a 2 by 6 header. If you need to cut dozens of metal studs and tracks quickly use a circular saw fitted with a toothless carborundum metal cutting blade 7 when cutting individual steel studs or tracks with a circular saw cut on the closed or web side and support the piece tightly on sawhorses. Unlike wood framing steel framing doesn t rot due to moisture and it resists rust.

When in doubt use 2 by 12 inch headers. The longer the distance a header spans and the heavier the load it supports the more substantial it needs to be. Cut the door header. This is the actual thickness of a 2x4.

Step 1 measure and mark the door jambs from the floor to the desired height of the header. Together the headers king studs and trimmers act as a system that transfers weight from above down and around the window and door openings to the floor and foundation below. A header is a simple beam sized to support the load above the opening it spans. Infill stud sill angle header tracks infill stud jamb additional anchorage jamb base track cripple stud cripple stud use of cripple stud to receive head sill tracks at the.

If you are using metal stud framing you can buy an easy to install one piece factory fabricated header or you can build your own. Measure the width of your door frame. To cut individual steel studs and tracks use straight cut aviation snips photo 1. Large openings in the wall are made for windows and doors.

To make the door header the top of the door frame cut two 2x4s to the same length as the width of the original opening and nail them securely together. Armor door 36 in. Between 4 and 5 feet the header should be built 2 inches wide and 8 inches long while a larger opening needs a header that is 2 by 12. Then a header must be inserted to carry the load of the interrupted stud s.