Install new 16 ft door replace 2 8's

[digitalshooter]

My son bought an older home that has 2 8 foot doors, approximately. In looking at the garage structure, I understand that in order to replace with one door, the header will need to be changed out.

In looking at what is currently there, there appears to be 2 x 6 headers above each door. In looking at this header area, there is no room to increase these headers to say several long 2 x 12 beams, you would have to go down which would make the door shorter and would not work.

SO my question is: what can we do?

[pushkins]

Your looking at a minimum of a 16' span, the only thing you can add lumber wise is 3 LVL beams and they will need to be 11 7/8 x 1 3/4 wide at a minimum.
There are a few other areas that you don't mention like how much height you have above the existing header, which way the gable runs, what loads are above this garage, just a roof or is there living space ?
I understand your desire to get ride of those pesky 8' doors (never understood why they did two small doors over one large one anyway) but you need to be very careful any undersizing of the new span header will cause serious and possibly dangerous problems.

Another option and probably your only real option to maintain height (7') is to add a steel " I " beam or perhaps a flitch beam (1/2" steel plate sandwiched between two pieces of lumber and bolted together).

Get back to us with the details above and we can look further.

[digitalshooter]

Your looking at a minimum of a 16' span, the only thing you can add lumber wise is 3 LVL beams and they will need to be 11 7/8 x 1 3/4 wide at a minimum.

Cant do the 11 7/8 no room

There are a few other areas that you don't mention like how much height you have above the existing header,

Minimal, the rafters/ceiling joists are there.


which way the gable runs

Pependicular to doors


what loads are above this garage, just a roof or is there living space ?

Just a roof



I understand your desire to get ride of those pesky 8' doors (never understood why they did two small doors over one large one anyway) but you need to be very careful any undersizing of the new span header will cause serious and possibly dangerous problems.

Absolutely, That is why I am asking here.


Another option and probably your only real option to maintain height (7') is to add a steel " I " beam or perhaps a flitch beam (1/2" steel plate sandwiched between two pieces of lumber and bolted together).

If we do a fitch beam, can this be 2 x 6?



Get back to us with the details above and we can look further.

Will post a picture tomorrow. Maybe these added details help.

Thanks

[digitalshooter]

cant post a pic until I get more posts!

[pushkins]

Extremely unlikely that a 2x6" 1/2" flitch will be sufficient even with only a roof load, 2x8 1/2" flitch would be much closer. Ideally you should bring in a structural engineer to physically look at the project, there will be other areas that will need to be addressed as well including support jacks on either end that will need to match whatever the header is made of.
The cost of the engineer will vary from location to location and depend on what they need to do in terms of drawing to satisfy your local building department but should be between $250 and $500.

[garagepro]

garage door size

it’s not a problem today you can order any size garage door but its cost elite bit more money and its take up to 3 weeks to order it

[pushkins]

it’s not a problem today you can order any size garage door but its cost elite bit more money and its take up to 3 weeks to order it

What's NOT a problem ??? removing the post between the existing two doors ?.....undersizing the new header ?....
The OP wasn't asking if they can order a door that wide, they are asking HOW to reconstruct the opening safely.

[digitalshooter]

pushkins did you get that link I sent you?

[pushkins]

Opps sorry I just saw it there.

With 10" of room you certainly have enough head height to add a "I" beam with a 2x4 on top and a 2x6 on the bottom.
Is the roof a rafter frame or truss ?
You mentioned that the roof sits perpendicular to the door, this means that the roof slopes down towards the existing 8' wide doors, thus making it a load bearing span. Rafters/trusses sit on the wall above the doors.

Per your drawing you have 11 1/2" from the bottom of the rafters/trusses down to the very bottom of the 2x4, this gives you enough room for 11 7/8" LVL beams 3/8" makes little difference.
You mentioned that the existing doors are 8' once you remove the middle section your opening will be much more than 16', so you will either need to frame the opening to be 16' wide or order a custom sized door, you might want to check door prices standard opening doors will be cheaper than custom.

Problem here is going to be you need to support the entire roof structure over the doors while you remove the top plates and all other material, then you need to install the LVL's. They can sit on the existing supports (or new framed opening) on either end (min. support is 1 1/2").
Removing the top plates and installing the new LVL's is most certainly not for the average DIyer .

Can you post a picture of the front of the garage and maybe one from the inside ?

[digitalshooter]

Opps sorry I just saw it there.

With 10" of room you certainly have enough head height to add a "I" beam with a 2x4 on top and a 2x6 on the bottom.
Is the roof a rafter frame or truss ?

Rafter


You mentioned that the roof sits perpendicular to the door, this means that the roof slopes down towards the existing 8' wide doors, thus making it a load bearing span. Rafters/trusses sit on the wall above the doors.

Yes (corrected this)


Per your drawing you have 11 1/2" from the bottom of the rafters/trusses down to the very bottom of the 2x4, this gives you enough room for 11 7/8" LVL beams 3/8" makes little difference.
You mentioned that the existing doors are 8' once you remove the middle section your opening will be much more than 16', so you will either need to frame the opening to be 16' wide or order a custom sized door, you might want to check door prices standard opening doors will be cheaper than custom.

Yes, I said 8 they could be other wil measure


Problem here is going to be you need to support the entire roof structure over the doors while you remove the top plates and all other material, then you need to install the LVL's. They can sit on the existing supports (or new framed opening) on either end (min. support is 1 1/2").
Removing the top plates and installing the new LVL's is most certainly not for the average DIyer .

I understand, had to have my homebuider replace the header in my garage in my new home and it took a boat load of us to lift it after the opening was supported with a temp wall.



Can you post a picture of the front of the garage and maybe one from the inside ?

I cant, too new here. Let me move some to that folder and I will advise you when they are there.

I really appreciate you sticking with me on this!

[pushkins]

I cant, too new here. Let me move some to that folder and I will advise you when they are there.

I really appreciate you sticking with me on this!

No problems, that's why we are here, to offer as much help as we can.

[digitalshooter]

some pics are there when you have time

[pushkins]

Only the diagram is there.

[digitalshooter]

There are 7 pics there, try closing your browser and going in again. If that goes not work I think you have to clean your cookies to get ot to refresh.

Let me know

Thanks

[pushkins]

Sorry, nothing there but the original diagram.