Most builders install built-up
dimension lumber headers over
standard window and door openings
without worrying about the loads. You
just put in the same-size double 2x10 or
2x12 headers throughout the house —
not only will they carry standard residential
loads, but they also automatically
keep the window and door heads
at a uniform height.
You can't beat sawn lumber for most
small window headers, but as spans and
loads increase, stronger materials are a
better choice. Sawn lumber limits
design potential and in some cases just
doesn't work. LVL (laminated veneer
lumber), Parallam, Timberstrand, and
Anthony Power Beam are all good alternatives
for longer-span and heavily
loaded beams.
In this two-part article, I'll compare
how sawn lumber and these engineered
materials