16 garage door headers the garage and other window and door openings are prescriptive see figure r602 10 6 2 alternate braced wall panel adjacent to a door or window opening a minimum 3 x 11 25 net header size is required for opening from 6ft to a maximum 18 ft.
How to build a header for garage door.
The technique of building a garage door frame is straightforward and a finished frame can be completed in an hour.
The procedure for constructing a header for 6 inch exterior wall framing can be modified for any wall thickness.
Garage wall framing typically utilizes this technique encompassing the vehicle doors.
Building a structural header for a garage door opening can be handled on the jobsite and will offer the same structural support as more expensive solid wood beams.
Header requirement 2 at minimum the header should be 12 wide with doubled 2 4 at opening and ceiling running the width of the door with a 2 4 in the center of the opening for the center bracket to attach to.
The opening must be finished framed before a garage door can be installed.
The jambs need to be 17 inches.
Wide window and door openings and in most situations be code compliant for openings up to 6 ft.
In an attempt to construct portal frames some garages are built with one continuous garage header extending over two or three garage door openings as shown in figure a.
When in doubt build a double 2 12 header sandwich like we explain next.
In all but the most bizarre situations they ll easily carry the weight for 4 ft.
That would take care of the wind and seismic shear loads.