How to Remove Window Next to Door to Make Opening Larger – Two Story Home Remodeling
The video starts with a scenario where someone wants to remove a window next to a door to create a larger opening to fit a double door or a sliding glass door. The first step is to identify the header which is the horizontal beam above the window and door opening that supports the weight above it. There are different configurations of headers depending on the house. In this video, the header runs north to south.
Before removing the header, a support wall needs to be built underneath the existing header to temporarily hold the weight of the floor above. This is because removing the header will leave the opening unsupported and could cause structural damage.
An important point to consider is whether the existing header is load-bearing. A load-bearing header supports the weight of the upper floor or roof. If the header is load-bearing, it’s crucial to determine its size and whether it can support a larger opening. In most cases, a larger header will be needed, and consulting a structural engineer is recommended. Here, the video mentions that a 4x6 header might need to be upgraded to a 4x12 header or a special beam like a par Lam beam or glue lam beam.
The video acknowledges that not everyone will hire an engineer. If you decide to do this project yourself, the video recommends using bigger headers whenever possible. For example, if you can fit a 4x12 header and a 4x10 header would also work, it’s better to use the 4x12 header.
Next, Greg demonstrates how to frame the opening for the new door. Then mentions that double trimmers are required for any header over 5 feet long. A trimmer is a vertical stud that supports the header. Double trimmers simply means there are two trimmers on either side of the opening. Also mentions that the anchor bolt on bottom wall framing plate might need to be cut off and repositioned before installing the double trimmer.
There are cases where adding another trimmer might not be possible due to space constraints. In such scenarios, the video suggests notching the header around the backing stud. Notching the header means cutting a small section out of the header to fit around the stud. However, the video emphasizes that this should only be done if the header is fully supported by double trimmers.
Then concludes by mentioning that if the new header plate (the top plate that sits on the trimmer) does not have an anchor bolt within 12 inches of it, then a new anchor bolt will need to be installed using epoxy or a framing anchor.
