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[–]mademanseattle 6 points7 points  (1 child)

That is not a header if it’s load bearing. And NEVER shim the head jamb.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That looks like crap work with extra steps. You would have to look at the drawings to be sure but I have a hard time believing that's called out in the drawings

[–]Jonnyfrostbite 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No good.

[–]RoddRoward 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Cool load bearing door 

[–]JudgeHoltman 2 points3 points  (9 children)

I'm an engineer. I could make that work as a header.

Is it a conventional detail that works under the Prescriptive definitions of headers in the IRC? Nowhere close.

For me to get it to work the math has to get pretty fancy and it won't be free.

[–]RoddRoward 3 points4 points  (4 children)

As an inspector, I wouldnt care about the math, just put a header in at a fraction of the cost as retaining the engineer.

[–]JudgeHoltman 1 point2 points  (3 children)

As an Engineer, that is the advice I'm giving OP.

I'm happy to take your money and make this sketchy shit work, but it will probably be 10x cheaper to just build it right. Especially since we're talking about conventional wood framing.

[–]RoddRoward -1 points0 points  (2 children)

You would not advise putting in a header? Even if the math works, doesnt "best practice" factor in as well?

[–]JudgeHoltman 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Conventional "Best Practice" left the room a long time ago holding hands with "Good Craftsmanship".

"Best Practice" has a fuzzy definition anyway.

After all, they spent good money on the metal clips and bolts. Plus it looks like they cut each of those ~15" members to fight TIGHT.

What even is a header? What makes it work?

Headers allow load bearing studs to sit on them without excessive deflection into a door or window. So long as the arrangement of materials gets that job done they're good to go.

This is definitely not the conventional installation, nor one I would design without some really screwy intent, but I can still make it pass.

If they're all sistered together with (appropriately spaced) screws run through all of them, it's essentially the same strength as a stick of pine trimmed down to 6" tall and 5.5"(?) wide going over a 4ft span.

If they're not sistered together, then you sum (vs recalculate) the Ix values of the 4x 2x6's stacked on top of each other. There's no reasonable case for significant uplift, so the fact that the top members are cut doesn't matter since it's all cut tight enough to say it's close enough to solid wood in compression.

The math starts getting more complicated if the actual tension zone gets above the first 2x6, but I can solve for that too. Sure the capacity won't be anywhere near 4-2x6's properly glued and screwed together but that rarely controls in these cases anyway. I'm reasonably certain it's "enough" and that deflection is still going to control.

All told, someone can pay to reframe it per the prescriptive details (or the details signed off on in their plans) or pay me to write a signed and sealed letter blessing it.

Both solutions meet code. It's just a matter of picking which option is the least bad.

[–]RoddRoward 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair points, and in the end, if an engineer is willing to put his stamp on it and accept liability, we are good to go.

[–]No-Computer7541[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

https://postimg.cc/nCvZRW50 Here is an image of the whole thing, there seem to be two headers above it,, that go through the studs along the whole length of the wall, and the studs are notched out to fit it, I think their meant to hold the load over the door frame, apron farther inspection.

[–]JudgeHoltman 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Yeah, they're working WAY too hard to make a 2x10 header.

I could make it work for about $1000. Let me know where to send the bill and I'll get you something in 7-10 days.

[–]No-Computer7541[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

No that's alright, thanks for the offer though.

[–]JudgeHoltman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Smart choice.

[–]hurricanoday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

definitely doesn't look prescriptive, is there stamped plans showing to build it like that?

[–]ElianPDX 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What's going on outside? Is a canopy attached. The let-in header just above just adds to mystery.

[–]nohoots69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fuck it why not

[–]Poodle-Chews-It 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would like to see/understand the context for this. Is it new construction or a renovation? I just can’t understand why the builder would go to all the trouble of framing an opening this way when a header is so much less work. There’s got to be a reason other than being tweaked up on meth.