Just a little trick I picked up from a veteran, when the CDX arrives still banded together I measure for layout (16" O.C. or whatever it is) on the top sheet and bottom sheet then snap lines, spray with hair spray so it doens't wash off. Now when we sheath no one has to measure each sheet, either use a T-square or if I did both sides just snap lines. Real time saver. Never seen anyone else do it except the guy who taught me.

 

The pushed up header is the only way to go.

When building party walls in multi-family units that have joists running parallel, balloon frame the walls up to the bottom of the subfloor height. It makes the addition of the shearwall plywood, soundboard and fire rated type x much easier and saves a floor joist/truss over every party wall. Just make sure the PE and Arch buy off on your change.

 

When building party walls in multi-family units that have joists running parallel, balloon frame the walls up to the bottom of the subfloor height. It makes the addition of the shearwall plywood, soundboard and fire rated type x much easier and saves a floor joist/truss over every party wall. Just make sure the PE and Arch buy off on your change.

I am not getting what you mean. How does it make the plywood, soundboard, and type x install easier?

 

I like the pushed up header too but don't forget some backing for the heavy curtains. Also i like the garage header dropped to the proper height. I think that big @$$ spring needs to be mounted to the header and not just a block of 2x.

 

I talking about new work here. For me with new framing unless noone is sure of the window height there is no need at all to push the headers up to the plate and then waste time and more material to frame down to the rough opening.

Forget about the, "What If's" as far as a window or door change. I don't frame for the , "What If" we have to change a window or door height. For new work, you get the plans and you get the ro's and that's it.

I would never frame a 8' - 12' or 16' rough opening for a door by putting the header up at the plate and then go back and frame down to the top of a 16' door. I will have a nice big microlam right at the top of the door, not some doubled up 2x4's with small cripples going up.

Sometimes we have to put flush headers and hang the joists because of a transom or circle top or interior trim, but that's a different story. I don't have to worry about any shear because that's not an issue here. We put headers in at the top of the windows and doors where they're supposed to go and then the sheathing starts at the sills and run horizontally and work our way up. No shear, no hardware or anything.

 

I wouldn't push up a header unless there was some good reason to do so. I was however known to header the whole kitchen window wall. Then when they changed their minds on cabinet layout for the 20th time I was ready to pop in a window. Then they would want me to move it one more time anyway.

 

Joe,

I'd have to disagree with you. Pushing the headers to the plates is a "better" way to frame in my opinion. I used to have a book by Seagle where he spoke about to types of framing method and stated the the superior frames were the ones with the header flush to the top plates.

It takes no less or more to frame either way and I guess it all just boils down to what you prefer.

 

What's his reason? I can't think of one. What makes this guy Seagle claim it to be a superior way? I've always framed this way and never had a problem.

The way your doing it your using 2 extra 2x4's for every opening for no reason by doubling up the bottom at the right height. Therefore your wasting time on every opening by cutting 2'extra 2x4's for each opening and it is taking extra time.The way I do it the bottom of the header is at the right height and your only nailing cripples on top with no horizontal 2x4's.

You ever disagree with me again, I'll knock you out..:hammer::hammer::laughing::laughing:

 

Ya should sheet those walls before you stand them. .... Just kidding.:laughing:

 

Funny, that's all we need is another sheathing after walls are up vs sheathing on the deck useless debate. Wise Guy

 

pushing headers up..

Seems goofy to me.

You are using more lumber and it looks like it would take more time.

To argue that is a failsafe for mistaken window heights is not too convincing. There would be some annoying tearout and re-build either way.

I would say, frame the header to the window height shown on the plans. If the customer wants to change it, charge them for it.

 

Slow nailer

Joe,

We both know you and don't always do stuff the same way, If I were to frame the other way (your way) the net difference would be one 2x4. Since I put a 2x on both top and bottom of my headers.

You may just put a 2x on the bottom of your header and that's why you get 2, so even if I frame the way you like, it still would be different. Now whether it takes more time to nail it together would depend on who's doing the nailing.

Maybe your a slow nailer:furious::jester:

Seagle was an expert in construction techniques in the 30' and 40's and the exact reasoning I'm not sure oF, maybe it just looks better.

 

I put a 2x on both top and bottom of my headers.

Why do you do that?

 

Specwood,

The guy I started with 27 years ago did it that way. I never was a production framer always a custom and I've never had a reason to change.:jester:

 

That reminds me of a story.

A young couple was hosting a dinner with friends and family. The lady of the house was cooking a roast. She had cut the roast in half, before putting it in the oven to cook. Her friend was in the kitchen with her and asked her why she cut it in half first. The cook replied that she had been taught that way by her mother so she always did that way.

Since the young lady's mother was also at the party, the friend found her and asked her why they cut the roast in half. She replied that her grandmother, who was from the old country, always did it that way, and that is how she was taught.

The friend noticed a little old lady in the corner, who happened to be the cook's great grandmother. The friend went to her and asked why did they cut the roast in half in the old country? She replied that they were very poor in the old country, and the oven they had over there was very small...:blink:

 

And I say again, they way we were taught to frame (those of us the really know the trade) were shown by someone with a lot of experience and even bigger boots....the first guy I worked for, when I was allowed to even put on a tool belt, always insisted on angled blocks in every corner, you know, a 45 degree angled 2X between studs going up to the top corner intersection from the bottom plate.....hurricane bracing he called it, and we sheeted the corner with 3/4 CDX.......so I can assure you the blocking we put in had no purpose at all......but back then we also used the black asphalt board....geez...has it only been 30 years or so?

 

There's a guy around here that is putting wind bracing in, then sheathing with OSB.

 

I like to put a 2x on top and bottom of my headers also, if there's room.

With the heat and humidity here, the headers like to swell or cup in opposite directions. A 2x nailed top and bottom helps keep them together, and maintains a constant width. I also glue 'em with solid plywood in between. It might sound like overkill, but it keeps the headers tight.

If I have a house with lots of different header heights, I prefer to push them to the top. That way it's less confusing keeping an eye on 4 guys building 4 different walls and and 4 stacks of trimmers laying around. I can have my pick-up man come back and fill in later while we're framing roof.

We also put let-in bracing in interior walls, that won't have any plywood on them. Not a lot of walls, just the long ones that "need" them. It's one part of the job I hate the most, notching for a windbrace. I had a saw kick back and cut my thumb real good once doing that....


John

 

I'm from Totowa. PVHS '71.

You're OOOOOLLLDDDDD! LOL

 

That's why I said it fast , hoping no one would notice. :jester:

 

Headers are always a fun topic. West coast we used 4x's alot and ususally used a 2x6 on the underside flat for nailing...if we used 2x6 walls. Back here in Maine, many builders want a solid triple 2x12 with ply sandwiched because they want solid nailing for their trim. Double sills everywhere, no matter what width window...again for trim nailing.

I modified this triple header method. They want triples? OK, so I nailed 3 together without the ply in between. I did this just so I didn't have to go and grab some ply and rip some down just for fillers. What I did AFTERWARDS during punchout was take all the scrap ply left over and rip it to the width needed for the fillers and went around and filled them all at once. So my headers would go 3-2x's, then 2-½" ply on the interior side. I also did 3" strips so if they wanted some rigid insulation for their headers, they can have some.

Different method, same results. Simpler for me, but others will do the sandwich and I'm not saying my way is better, just different.

 

around here, the headers are double 2x10, with 2x6 top and bottom. some guys space the 2x10 to opposite sides of the 2x6 and stuff the cavity with fiberglass before nailing on the second 2x6, others nail the two 2x10's together and throw them to the outside of the wall. I've never heard of anyone filling in the cavity, people would prefer to fill it with spray foam for isolation. I know of more people that buy a length of 5.5x12 glue lamb and chunk off the lengths for their headers to save on nailing time.

 

"Flex Arm" for the guys who might not know...

Take a 16 ft 2x8 and put it on your saw horses, (laying flat), set at 16 ft apart. Put a 30 lb weight in the center of the 2x8. You get a deflection/bending of say 6 inches...Now put a 20 ft 2x8 on your same horses with 4 ft hanging over, your flex arm. Put a 30 lb weight on your flex arm and a 30 lb weight between your horses again. The deflection changes to say 3 inches..... But using different loading you can change the loading from compression/ compression on each horse to compression on one horse and tension on the other which is the basic principle in truss design.

Anyway, using a "flex arm" in framing gable end wall can reduce the lumber size or just make the whole thing stronger.

But.. generally it is not necessary.

 

Back to the OP... I temp joist over the stair well and plywood right over it and leave it that way until I'm ready to set the stairs. Easier to frame without those guardrails in the way and it keep homeowners, kids, and stoners from falling through the hole. Leaves ambulances and ER rooms available for other chores.