Header
A horizontal beam placed above a door, window, or wall opening to support the load from above.
A header spans an opening in a wall—such as a doorway, window rough opening, or a new pass-through—and redistributes the structural load around that opening to the trimmer studs and jack studs on either side. Without a properly sized header, the weight above the opening has no path to the foundation and the structure can rack or sag.
Headers are typically made from doubled 2×lumber, LVL (laminated veneer lumber), LSL (laminated strand lumber), or steel depending on the span and load. Local building codes specify minimum header sizes for given spans and loads; a structural engineer should be consulted for spans over six feet or when the wall above carries significant weight.
The cost of a header varies widely: a simple 2×6 doubled header over a 3-foot interior doorway may cost under $50 in materials, while a large LVL beam for a wide kitchen opening can cost several hundred dollars plus engineering and labor.
Real-World Example
After removing the wall between two bedrooms, the framer installed a doubled 2×10 header to support the ceiling joists over the new 8-foot opening.