I want to install a closet door under my stairway in my basement. The stairway is in the center of the basement and the main support beam is split. There is neither a support beam nor a header currently where i want to separate the 2×6 studs and install this door. There is only a double top plate over this approximately 4 foot span. I pieced together a header using osb and 2x10s. Now im realizing there is not enough space for both the header and the door. Since there was never a header there to begin with am i ok trimming the height of the header about 3 inches to make my door fit? Or does the door necessitate a full 2×10 header?
Doors – Is it ok to trim a header to make a door fit
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I'm going to take a stab at this one, though I've never tried this for something large like a door frame.
Go get some self-adhesive fiberglass drywall tape and cover the area to be blended. Mud the seam, sand and repeat until smooth and the surface is blended with the wall. Prime and paint to match.
Alternatively, you could try peeling the paper off some scrap drywall and gluing it to the wall, and then doing the same as above with drywall compound.
I think these will help prevent it from cracking. You'll want to make sure the door frame is well secured to minimize any "give" that would crack it.
For high priced custom doors, you deserve to get it right.
The king studs are the primary support on the sides of the door (they go all the way up to the top plate. However, the jack studs are supporting the header over the door and that is supporting the cripple studs over the header. If this is a load bearing wall, these are all supporting members.
If the jack studs are cut down, they probably need to be cut more than 3/4 inch total to accomodate shims to square the door in the opening. If you take out only 1/2 inch on each side, you have reduced the jack stud by 33%. If this is done in place, you are also stressing the remaining structure of studs, header, etc. in sawing out the excess.
It could be that the overall framing is overengineered enough to survive this assualt, but it is risky, violates most building codes and is a bad way to start a good project.
I would insist that they measure thrice (three times instead of the recommended two) and bring a correctly sized door.
P.S. I had a similar problem with a custom tempered glass shower door that I had waited eight weeks for. They played with cludging it for about a minute and then took it back for a correctly sized piece. It hurts but it is worth it.
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Best Answer
I am assuming that the main support beam was properly supported on either side of the staircase before you began this project. If not, you have a bigger problem that may need an engineer, or at least a serious framing contractor. If is is properly supported, read on.
A simple closet door by itself in a partition wall (non-loadbearing) does not need a true structural header. Headers are used to carry and transfer weight where a door interrupts a load bearing structure.
If there was no header in the wall before and it was sound, the only weight being carried is the small amount of framing over the door and the surface covering, such as a small area of drywall. The top plates should be enough to carry this weight.
If you added a 2x10 inch header, you have given it more support than it really needs and trimming 3 inches off that header should be no problem.