Expert: Daniel Humphrey - 2/10/2008

Question
Currently renovating a basement bathroom.the existing door is 24 inches wide.Want to put a 30 inch, but on one side of the jam the is a jack post.Is it possible to reframe the door  to become load bearing and cutting out the post.The beam is above the door.

Answer
Roland,

What you're envisioning is quite possible and commonly done. The framing on each side of the door can be used to hold up considerable weight, as is often done in new construction. The header connecting the two king studs makes a door frame a very stable support.

To widen the doorway, you will need to remove any sheetrock or wall paneling to get to the framing, insert a new-full length king stud from floor plate to top plate to make a 33-1/2" opening. Back up the king stud with as much full-length wood as you want to stiffen it, since this will be your new post, then sawzall the old nails and remove the old header and king stud/trimmer to widen the door. The weight from above will now be on your new post.

A new trimmer needs to be added to the inside to make a 32" rough opening, and a new header at 35" needs to be placed above the door to connect the two king studs. This 32" is about what you need to get a 2-6 door in there, especially if you have an uneven floor or crooked trimmer. As a matter of fact, this is a good opportunity to make the door plumb and square if there were any problems before. Select your new trimmer and stud pieces to employ the straightest wood possible here.

I hope I've envisioned the project correctly. Feel free to follow up if need be.

Daniel