You are here:

Architecture/to header or not to header

Advertisement

Expert: - 4/20/2004


Question
Answers to most of your questions:

How old is the house?   30
What is the span of the floor joists with the header removed?   64 inches
Are there any notches or cuts in the joists?   no
What species of wood are the joists?   Douglas fir
Are there any other loads bearing on the joists?   no, just the upstairs bath
Is there any blocking between the joists?   no
What building code is in force in your area?   not sure of your question

Don


Followup To
Question -
Good morning,

I am very experienced with home remodeling. My wife and I have
owned 13 homes, 3 new.

My basic question is this - we are in the process of remodeling
our kitchen which is on the first floor of a two-story home. The
rafters between floors are 2x10. We are changing a pantry closet
into a butler's pantry. The closet has a header above the
doorway, 48 inches. I want to remove the header but I am not
sure.

The rafters run east to west and the header runs north to south.
Above the space is the master bathroom, tile floor, built-in tub.
The closet is in a hallway between the dining room and the
kitchen. The hallway is 40 inches, the closet is 24 inches deep.
All 2x4 construction. 8 ft ceilings. The back wall of the closet
backs up to a powder room.

What do you think?

Thanks,
Don

Answer -
Don:

Thanks for your question.

I need more information:

How old is the house?
What is the span of the floor joists with the header removed?
Are there any notches or cuts in the joists?
What species of wood are the joists?
Are there any other loads bearing on the joists?
Is there any blocking between the joists?
What building code is in force in your area?

Thanks,

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtaylorarchitects.com

Answer
Don:

If the floor joists only span 4 feet, and there aren't any other loads on them other than the floor load, then you're well within the limits of the strength of the 2 x 10s.

Although it sounds as though everything's ok, don't rely on my long-distance opinion alone.  If you're unsure about the structure, have it reviewed by a local engineer.

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtaylorarchitects.com

Architecture

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Richard Taylor, AIA

Expertise

Ask me about all aspects of house, remodeling. , and room addition design and construction. Ask me about historic homes, renovation, and restoration. Ask me about materials and techniques, and about how you can get the best value for your design and construction dollar. Ask me how you can make your home a very special place. I can't, however, answer specific structural engineering questions in this forum - that's something you'll need on-site observation for.

Experience

I own a full-service residential architectural firm, and have been designing custom homes, remodelings, and room additions across the country since 1983. Check us out at Richard Taylor Architects and RTA Plans. I have written and been published extensively on the subject of residential architecture.

Organizations
American Institute of Architects, City of Dublin Architectural Review Board, Vice Chair of City of Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission, American Planning Association, Board Member Historic Dublin Business Association, Past Editor of SPLASH (a software forum), Past Editor of Open Directory Project, Assistant Scoutmaster, Boy Scouts of America

Publications
Business First of Columbus, Suburban New Publications, About.com, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Columbus Dispatch Residential Architect Custom Home Architect Remodeling Architect

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Environmental Design (Architecture) Miami University 1983
For more about home design, check out my blog at Sense Of Place and join the conversation on our Facebook Page.

Awards and Honors
2010 Dublin Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.