Replies

1. 
   Huck | Oct 12, 2005 07:19am | #1

   the only way to be sure is to have it engineered by a structural engineer

1. 
   keek | Oct 12, 2005 02:12pm | #2

   I spoke with an engineer from a truss company and he sid that that would work but that it would be pushing the limits of the material.

2. 
   MikeSmith | Oct 12, 2005 02:22pm | #3

   keek... what is there now and why can't you just reuse it..

    moving it up to where you want it ? 

   the loads haven't changed, the span hasn't changed...

   also... the load tables from the mfr for that roof config and your snow load are pretty straight forward...  your LVL dealer should be able to rattle off the LVL spec in 60 seconds... it's a common load calc... a 16' garage door... how conventional can you get ?

   not to say it isn't spec'd wrong often enough... but ...

   Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
3. 
   BossHog | Oct 12, 2005 02:50pm | #4

   There's no way we could possibly know, given what you've told us.

   We don't know the span of the trusses on the garage, the loading requirements in your area, or the local codes.

   If you got the design through a local LVL supplier, they SHOULD know all of those things. (Assuming they got all the correct info)

   Personally, I don't like pushing the limits of beams/headers, and it sounds like you're doing that. But heck, it's only a garage.

   Did you ask them how much deflection it would have?

   I'm Not Bald. Heavy Thinking Burned My Hair Off
4. 
   Framer | Oct 12, 2005 02:54pm | #5

   I agree with Mike. What does moving the header up 1-1/2" have to do with anything?

   Cutting out one top plate doesn't change anything.

   Joe Carola
5. 
   PHILLK | Oct 12, 2005 08:49pm | #6

   Go with a 3 1/2" x LVL rather than laminated LVL's. You might be able to reduce the height of the header. Check w/ engineer first.

   Phil

1. 
   BossHog | Oct 12, 2005 09:08pm | #7

   "Go with a 3 1/2" x LVL rather than laminated LVL's."

   Going with a single 3 1/2" thick LVL is no stronger than a pair of 1 3/4" LVLs.
   Caution: Mouth sometimes operates faster than brain

1. 
   keek | Oct 13, 2005 12:04am | #8

   I should have started bty saying that the existing header is way under sized and that it is already failing. That is what propmted the owner to want to do something with it. He want s to make the new door an 8' tall instead of leaving it at the 7' height he has now. Since he has 9' walls I told him this would not be a problem.

   I spoke with an engineer today and we figured it out. Triple 11 7/8" LVL 's wil do the trick.

1. 
   MikeSmith | Oct 13, 2005 12:27am | #9

   9' walls ... so that leaves  12" over the top of the 8' door.. unless you have a dropped slab ( good design )

   i like to keep 18" over the top of the door.. have you thought about  a 7'6 " door ?

   then you can use regular mount track instead of low mount track

   most cars with racks will fit under a 7'6" door......

    my F150 with its ladder racks is only  6'8"Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

6. 
   EricPaulson | Oct 13, 2005 12:28am | #10

   I have a customer that wants to raise the height of his overhead door opening from 7' to 8'.

    The walls are 9' tall,

   I think you all are missing something here.

   Looks to me like all he needs to do is push the header up after taking out the cripples I assume are above the header to the plates???

   Assuming the header is sized properly that is.

   Or am I reading this wrong?

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