I need to support an exterior wall to installa 6′ header, but I’m stumped on how to shore it while I cut the studs. The house is 2 1/2 story and balloon framed, with the floor joists on the 2nd floor and attic running perpendicular to each other. The wall I need to add the header is therefore supporting the roof and attic, but not the second floor, making a temp wall useless. I could lag a 2×10 to the outside and jack that, but the siding would take a beating. Any ideas out there?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Listeners weigh in on Brian’s haunted showerhead and ask questions about covering overhangs with trim coil, sealing air leaks, and how to partially finish a basement.
Featured Video
Related Stories
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
with the attic joists running past the ribbon and being face nailed to the studs of the wall you mentioned, shoring up the attic joists on the inside could be sufficient, nothing fancy, 4x4 across the ceiling, 4x4 to the floor setting on top of a 4x4 across the floor going the opposite way, that is, turned so it's perpendicular to the floor joists. The second floor joist , nailed to the wall studs, also helps support what's above. Your not cutting out the whole wall. Who know's what you got. Have you opened up the wall yet?
This may sound kind off cheesy, not for beginners, you can kind of test the breakthrough, just go ahead and start cutting, the sawzall blade will bind at maybe the last stud or second to last stud if you need to deal with some weight, and if you have to pound that header in you'll split it to pieces, have "plan B" ready.
no turn left unstoned
can you lag the 2X10 on the inside? Perhaps on the floor above, taking off a baseboard? just a guess
can you better fix the joists to the stud,perhaps with blocking, then support the joist?
Its really only a 6'gap and I'd figure the exterfior siding above would hold it to some extent--I do the sawzall thing--when it binds, its too much
James
i vote for EXRLLP's idea- also since 6' is not a 16"oc layout (plus trimmers etc) you are going to need to open the wall (inside) to get the header to the layout studs and furr in the trimmers to RO- on interior non-bearing (weight and wind load) wall with a HC door you can do it without overcutting the opening, but NOT on an exterior opening
After opening up the wall and seeing the doubled 2x4 header I wasn't too worried about shoring the wall. We cut the studs ( binding a little on the last one) and crammed a 2-2x10 header in with a little bottle jack persuasion. NO problem. Thanks for the suggestions.
Fleet,
Is there an outside joist that sits on the wall above your proposed opening?
Could this be doubled or tripled or more to make it into your header?
You most likely will have to move some wires, maybe not i you are lucky.
just one idea without seeing the actual situation.
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!