Is This An Incorrect Header

Maplehead

My client has complained about the wall and ceiling planes separating every winter and he having to caulk there. Also, on the left side of this wall at the upper corner the separation occurs as well. My attached pic shows this corner opened.

Now, I'm there to put in a new Anderson window that's about 4' x 8' in size. The old '60's metal window I removed was a couple inches larger all around. We decided to removed the blueboard and inspect the framing. The header seems to be sized properly, 2 x 10's. However, the header goes over the two studs where I believe the header should end in the jack stud/king stud way. The header moves to the next stud and abutts it.

I removed the outter of the two stud combo so the pic doesn't show it.

Anyways, as you can see the framing is bending outwards slightly, especially on the stud where the header ends. This is about midway beneath the roof, which is low pitched and I believe with undersized rafters.

My plan is to sister a pt 2 x 4 to these bowing studs and then cut back the header and frame it in correctly at the window ends with the jack and king combo. One stud being underneath the header and the other going to the top plate.

Am I correct and is what's pictured incorrect?

Attached Thumbnails

 

neolitic

I can't see what's "bowed" in the pic.
You don't want to stick treated
in there.
No benefit, more problems with wet wood.
I'd think a jack at the left end,
and a double at the opening would do it.
May as well get the rest of the plaster
out to the ceiling on the left to make
the patch easier and get some toe nails
into the corner "king" stud.
An angle bracket, to make sure the
header can't twist on your jacks at
the opening couldn't hurt you either.

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ryanh

Definally need more support studs under that header

genecarp

A King would be nice, frame it normally, king on each side, i do see that bow, king studs up to top plate, and nails goimg through kings into side of header might let you get that bow out.

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neolitic

Wish I could tell what is bowed.
I can see that some one else got
there before now.
Wonder why they pulled a stud?

Maybe the OP will be back someday....

ETA: now I see the bow in the plaster,
corner angle?
Another reason to get rid of the rest
of the plaster. See what's going on in the
corner from the ceiling down.

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house bldr

Is it inside walls that are cracking in the top corner? Is it stick framed roof or trusses? What you describe sounds like truss uplift. Not that the header couldn't use a little work but I don't think thats your problem.

neolitic

Let's see now. 1X8 sheathing,
cracks over exterior header,
I don't think truss are the problem.

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house bldr

Many houses around here were built with 1x sheathing and homemade trusses.The op also said the wall to the left was seperating which could be an interior wall.The fact that it cracks in the winter is what lead me to think of this as a possibility.It doesn't take much movement to make plaster crack.Just trying to cover all the bases!

neolitic

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Teetorbilt

Most woods expand and contract more as they get older. This could just be old house syndrome. Caulking the gaps when they show could lead to a more serious problem.

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K2

I'd like to hear more about the foundation, the soil it's on, how much moisture . I had a similar situation on a cabin in the ski country that was built in a marshy area on a stem wall without much frost protection.