Putting French Doors In A Load Bearing Wall

On a simple passage door in a non loadbearing wall a header made from a pair of 2 x 4s installed on edge is usually sufficient while a typical double patio door in a non load bearing wall might require a 4 x 6 header or a 4 x 8 header.

Putting french doors in a load bearing wall. Remember to lay the header into the space between the existing wall and the temporary wall. Measure 3 feet away from the existing wall on each end and mark the location and pop a chalk line. Doors and windows rubbing or sticking. However if you know where to cut into the wall the project is quite.

Before doing any work determine if the wall is load bearing or non load bearing. Build the temporary load bearing wall by cutting a bottom and top wall plate from the stud material then cutting two end studs. Get a building permit two or three weeks in advance of beginning the project. Lay down the bottom plate.

If in doubt consult a structural engineer. I provide my plans to install a pass through window on a load bearing wall after discovering hardware for a pocket door spanned into the window location. Before you start cutting studs make sure that the wall in which the new french doors are being hung or any of the studs that you are removing are not load bearing. If a load bearing wall has been removed on the first floor without proper support installed for the load above it.

Need advice as to the whether to pursue the placement of a pair of french doors wall opening needed 82 1 2 x 62 1 2 in a 19 foot long 8 foot high load bearing wall which divides the familyroom and living room. The reason why this project is so difficult is due to the potential danger a load bearing wall supports the structure so its absence through accidental destruction could lead to the room or entire house collapsing. The house is 20 years old and the wall is drywall.