I knocked out a piece of wall under my cabinate and think I need a header my opening is 6 ft. wide and approx 2 and a half tall I am opening up a wall to make a bigger counter anyway I have 2 2x4 studs that need to be took out and I am afraid of just taking them out as this was an outside wall at one time there is now a dining room attached and the wall to the dining room is the one I removed part of. Anyway any advice would be helpful.

THE outside wall was and is a weight bearing eall . If I were you I would most surely would put adouble 2x8 with 1/2" plywood gluded both sides and nailed from both sides with 16 penny coated nails .:":" make sure that the header is suported on each end.

Thank you flying blue eagle,
another question should I cut the end supports and wedge the 2X8 header in this, is that a possibility? I don't have much room I can support 1 end with a couple 2X4's never mind I think I can support both ends with a couple I would just have to box in the 1 end which will be a collum anyway I was trying not to have too much stick out on the one end and the 2x4 that is there is perfect and on the one side I have a wall full of cabinates I can't take down so I need to attach this from the one side? Am I making sense? Any help out there??

If you have an opening of 6ft, which is 72" this what you need to cut your header, now under this header is where you will install the jack studs. once you have the header installed and nailed into place. add the jacks studs or cripples underneath the header, 1 at each end and then every 16" on center.

as far as removing the 2 2x4s you'll mostly be fine to just cut them out of the way, easiest thing to use if you have once is a sawzaw. If not a handsaw or skil saw will work.


as I read your last post I'm wondering if we both have misunderstood your first question. Do you have a pic of the area your working in? Email me at [email protected] and ill be more than happy to give you all the answers you need, thanks Eric