JLC ??APRIL 1992
Selecting the right-size header is a
common problem for contractors.
Reference tables are available, but
they can be long and confusing. Here
I have tried to offer a simple reference
for sizing standard headers.
There are many definitions of the
word "header," but in this article we
are talking about main supporting
beams that carry vertical loads
around openings in walls. These can
be door headers, window headers, or
headers above portals between
columns or posts. Here we are referring
exclusively to wood headers in
wood frame construction with wooden
floor, ceiling, and roof framing
running perpendicular to the direction
of the header.
Using The Table
The tables are grouped by lumber
species. Load capacities are given per
linear foot