Building a temporary stud wall is simi-
lar: Tack-nail the top plates, then plumb down to
mark the bottom plate. (To keep the bottom plate
in place, tack-nail it to the joists underneath.) Cut
studs 1⁄4 in. longer than the distance between the
plates because, here, the studs do the lifting.
Toenail the studs to the top plate on 16-in. or
24-in. centers. Then use a sledge to rap the bottom
of each stud until the stud is plumb. recheck each
stud for plumb as you progress, and monitor them
periodically.
Once shoring supports the loads above, remove
the studs from the bearing wall as needed to
enlarge openings, add headers, and the like. if the
bearing wall transfers loads from upper stories
down into girders or foundation walls, study the
lengthy section on jacking and shoring in chapter 10
beginning on p. 237.
Structural Carpentry
209
Structural Remodeling
iS iT a bearing Wall?
Once shoring is in place, it should be safe to
remove bearing walls. Check with a structural
As noted in “Exploring Your options” on p. 183,
engineer if you have any doubts. Again, wear
bearing walls and girders usually run parallel to
safety gear (hard hat, eye protection, work boots
the roof ridge and perpendicular to the joists
with thick soles), and test the electrical outlets to
and rafters they support. And in most two-story
be sure the power is off. If you need to do any
jacking, read chapter 10.
houses, joists usually run in the same direction
from floor to floor.
Framing a dOOr
Things get tricky, however, when rooms have
Or windOw OPening
been added piecemeal and when previous remod-
elers used nonstandard framing methods. For
After cutting back interior surfaces to expose the
that, you’ll need to explore. use an electronic
framing in the exterior wall, outline the RO by
stud finder or note which way the heating ducts
snapping chalklines across the edges of studs. If
run (usually between joists) to figure out joist
you can incorporate existing studs into the new
direction. If all else fails, go into a closet, pantry,
opening—an old stud might become the king stud
of the new opening, as shown in the right photo
or another inconspicuous location, and cut a small
on p. 198—you can save time and materials.
hole in the ceiling to see which way joists run.
Finally, nonbearing walls sometimes become
To remove old studs within the new opening,
bearing walls when homeowners place heavy
use a sledge to rap the top plate upward, thus
furniture, bookshelves, appliances, or tubs
creating a small gap above the studs (and old
above them. If floors deflect—slope down-
header, if any). That should create enough space
to slip in a metal-cutting reciprocating-saw blade
ward—noticeably toward the base of such walls,
and cut through nails holding the studs to the top
they’re probably bearing.
P R O T I P
plate. Although sheathing or siding may be nailed
to the studs, they should still pull out easily.
Today, rough openings are
Start framing the new opening by toenailing
usually 821⁄2 in. high, which
the king stud on both sides, using three 10d nails
accommodates a standard 6-ft.
or four 8d nails top and bottom. Laminate the
8-in. preframed door. but if your
reciprocating saw. Or, if you want to strip most of
house is nonstandard, try to line
header package or cut it from 4x stock. (The pro-
the siding in the affected area first, drill a hole
up new or enlarged openings in
cedures described here employ terms illustrated
through each corner of the RO. Outside, snap
exterior walls to the tops of
in “Stud-Wall Elements” on p. 187. Precut the
chalklines through the four holes. Remove siding
existing doors and windows. The
jack studs, and face-nail one to a king stud; lean
within that opening—plus the width of the new
underside of a new header will
the second near the other side of the opening.
exterior casing around all four sides. Nail the
usually be 2 in. to 21⁄2 in. above
Place one end of the header atop the jack stud in
sheathing to the edges of the new frame. Finally,
the window or door frame, but
place. Then slide the second jack under the free
run a reciprocating saw along the chalklines to cut
check your unit’s installation
end of the header. Raise the header by tapping
sheathing flush to the edges of the RO. Now you’re
instructions.
the second jack into place. Or, as an alternative,
ready to flash the opening and install the door or
you can use a screw jack to hold the header flush window. Chapter 6 will guide you from there.
to the underside of the top plate. Check for level,
then measure and cut both jack studs to length.
rePlaCing a bearing wall
if there are cripple studs over the header, nail
Bearing-wall replacements should be designed by
up one jack stud, use a level to establish the
a structural engineer and executed by a contractor
height of the jack stud on the second side, and
adept at erecting shoring and handling heavy loads
nail it up. Install the header, then cut the cripple
in tight spaces. In the two methods presented in
studs to length and install them. If you’re fram-
the following text, beam-and-post systems replace
ing a window opening, there will also be cripple
bearing stud walls. In the first method, the bearing
studs under the sill. So level and install the sill
beam is exposed because it supports joists. In the
next, using four 8d nails on both sides for toe-
second method, the beam is hidden in the ceiling,
nailing the sill ends to the jack studs. End-nail
and joist hangers attach joists to the beam.
through the sill into the top of the cripple studs;
Once you’ve cut electrical power to the affected
toenail the bottoms of the cripple studs to the
area, installed shoring on both sides of the exist-
sole plate.
ing bearing wall, and inserted blocking under
To mark the rough opening outside, cut
support post locations, you’re ready to remove
through the sheathing and the siding, using a
the bearing wall and replace it with a new beam.
210 Chapter 8
However, if you’re installing a hidden beam, your
job will be easier if you leave the old wall in place
a bit longer to steady the joist ends as you cut
Height of notch equals
zzzzzz Supporting an exposed beam
through them.
Exposed beam
thickness of top plate.
(2x10 or 2x1
2
installing an exposed beam is the easier of the
built-up beam)
two methods. Because ceiling joists sit atop an
exposed beam, it’s not necessary to cut the
4x4 post
Doubled top plate
joists—as it is when installing a hidden beam.
After removing the bearing wall, snap chalklines
on the ceiling to indicate the width of the new
Stud face-nailed
beam—say, 41⁄
to post
2 in. wide for a beam laminated
from three 2x10s or 2x12s. Cut out the finish sur-
faces within this 41⁄2-in.-wide slot so the joists can
sit directly on the beam. Chances are, the slot
Second stud
won’t need to be much wider than the width of
“captures”
the top plate of the wall just removed.
beam
Doubled 2x8 blocking
transfers post loads
Because the beam extends into end walls, notch
to girder.
the beam ends so they will fit under the end-wall
top plates, which may also support joists. Notch-
ing ensures that the top of the beam, the top
Subfloor
plates, and the bottom of the ceiling joists will be
the same height. If end walls have doubled top
plates, the notch will be 3 in. to 4 in. deep. Before
notching the beam, eyeball it for crown and place
2x8 joist
it crown up. Before raising the beam, be sure to
Sole plate
have blocking under each post to ensure a con-
tinuous load path down to the foundation.
Girder
A laminated 2x12 beam can weigh 250 lb., so
have enough helpers to raise it safely. Once the
top of the beam is in place, flush to the underside
of the joists above, temporarily support it with
plumbed screw jacks or 2x4s cut 3⁄
After notching and then raising an exposed beam with jacks, cut 4x4
4 in. long and
wedged beneath the beam—have workers tack-
posts to support it at both ends. There must also be blocking under each
nail and monitor the 2x4s so they can’t kick out.
post to transfer post loads to the girder and other foundation elements.
(Put 2x plates beneath the jacks or the wedged
2x4s to avoid damaging finish flooring.)
Measure from the underside of the new
exposed beam to the floor or subfloor. Then cut
4x4 posts slightly longer than the height of the
opening, and use a sledgehammer to tap them
into place. (Ideally, cut posts the exact length, but
a little long is preferable to a little short.) Plumb
the posts, and install metal connectors such as
Simpson Strong-Tie A-23 anchors to secure the
post ends to the top and sole plates. Add studs to
both sides of each post, as shown in “Supporting
an Exposed Beam” at right to “capture” it and
keep it from moving; nail these studs to the plates
and to the 4x4s as well.
installing a hidden beam (see photo at right)
takes more work than installing an exposed beam
but yields a smooth ceiling. To summarize, after
erecting stud-wall shoring on both sides of the
bearing wall to be replaced, cut all the ceiling
joists to create a slot for the hidden beam, assem-
As a chain fall and a nylon sling support one end of the beam, master builder John Michael Davis
ble the beam on the ground, and then lift it into
and his helper lower the other end into the tight space between newly cut joist ends. Both ends of
place. Here, joists will hang from the sides of the
the beam will sit on a doubled-top-plate-and-post assembly that transfers loads down to
foundation components.
Structural Carpentry
211
1. Make the attic workspace safe and comfort-
able. Place 2-in.-thick planks or 5⁄8-in. plywood
walkways on both sides of the area where you’ll
zzzzzz Hidden beam
New built-up
Existing ceiling joists
or engineered beam
insert the beam. Tack-nail the walkways so they
flush to beam
can’t drift. Clamp work lights to the underside of
rafters, and add a fan to get some air moving.
Framing anchors
Even in winter, it can be pretty hot in an attic. If
roofing nails protrude from the underside of roof
sheathing, wear a hard hat.
If there’s enough room in the attic, assemble
the beam in place and lower it down into the slot
you’ll create by cutting back joist ends. However,
if you must assemble the beam on the floor
Existing top plates
below—or if you’re raising an engineered beam—
“Let-in” joist hanger
use a nylon web sling and a chain fall (see the
flush to joist edge
photo on p. 211) bolted through the rafters to
raise the beam up through the cutout in the ceil-
ing. Angle-brace rafters to keep them from
deflecting under the load, and don’t attach a
chain fall to rafters that are cracked or already
sagging.
New 4x4 post
2. Snap a chalkline to mark the beam location
Existing 2x4
onto the top edges of joists. Snap a first line to
mark the centerline of the beam. Then measure
out half the beam width plus 1⁄8 in. on both sides,
and snap chalklines to indicate cutlines on the
New blocking
Subfloor
Girder
joists. Using a square, extend these lines down
the face of each joist. Use vivid chalk so the
marks will be visible.
Checking The loaD PaTh
A hidden beam al ows you to remove a bearing wal and stil have a smooth
Because loads will be concentrated on support
expanse of ceiling. A continuous load path—from the beam, through the
posts beneath each end of the new beam, those
posts, to the foundation—is crucial to a successful installation.
posts must be supported continuously all the
way down to girders and to concrete pads, foot-
ings, or foundation walls. To make sure there is
beam rather than sitting atop it, so the hidden
adequate support below proposed post loca-
beam will rest on top of end-wall top plates.
Install 4x4 posts between the top and the sole
tions, strip the bearing wall to its studs and
P R O T I P
plates—and blocking under the posts—before
insert shoring along both sides before removing
raising the beam. Snap chalklines on the ceiling
corner studs at both ends of the bearing wall.
before attaching joist hang-
to indicate the width of the beam plus 4 in. extra
Leave the rest of the wall alone for now.
ers, make a single pass of a power
on each side so you can slide joist hangers in
using a long auger bit (18 in. by 3⁄8 in.), drill
plane across the underside of
later. Cut out drywall or plaster within that slot to
down through a sole plate at each end, where a
each joist end where it abuts the
open up the ceiling and expose joists. After
post will stand. (In fact, the posts may be hidden
new beam. The planed area,
installing shoring, as explained in earlier sec-
in end walls at either end of the bearing wall.) If
roughly the width and thickness
tions, go into the attic. You could use the same
the bit hits a girder, posts should have adequate
of a joist hanger “stirrup,” ensures
method to replace a bearing wall on the first
support. But if the bit hits air or only a single
that the joist hangers will be flush
floor of a two-story house, but that would involve
joist, add solid blocking. That blocking may be a
to the bottom of the joists and
tearing up the finish floor above to expose the
the beam and that the patched
6x6 atop a girder or a new post and concrete
floor joists and making an unholy mess. If you’re
ceiling will be evenly flat.
footing—but let a structural engineer decide. Fit
gutting the house anyhow, that might not be a
the blocking tight to the underside of the sub-
big problem.
flooring beneath the posts so there can be no
deflection when loads are transferred to them.
212 Chapter 8
Because thin reciprocating-saw blades wan-
der, use a circular saw to ensure square cuts
Heavy metal
across joists. It’s hard to see the cutline of a saw
you’re lowering between two joists, so clamp a
Steel connectors are an important part of renovation carpentry, often joining
framing square to each joist to act as a guide for
new and old framing members.
the saw shoe. Some renovators prefer a small
Straps such as Simpson Strong-Tie lSTa strap ties are frequently used where wall
chainsaw for this operation, but hitting a single
plates are cut, at wal intersections, and as ridge ties. Pros often use them to splice
hidden nail in a joist can snap a chainsaw blade
new rafter tails to existing rafters (top photo below) to replace sections that rotted at
and send it flying. Whatever you use to cut the
the wal plate. after cutting rafter tails at the correct angle, toenail them to the top
joists, wear hearing and eye protection, and, ide-
plate, and use 12-in. or 18-in. strap ties to tie new tails to the existing rafters. after
ally, have a similarly protected helper nearby
shining a light into the cut area.
the sheathing is nailed on, such reinforced rafter tails wil stay in line indefinitely.
Renovation 4th Edition Page 49
