Doors – Is it safe to remove 2 “extra” jack studs to make a 60″ wide door opening wider

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We went to install our new main entrance 60" door (replacing double-door with single door and 2 sidelights). After we received the new door and shaved out more of the sheet rock, we saw that there were 2 jack studs on EACH side supporting the header (so a total of 4 jack studs). To fit the door in, we would have to remove 1 jack stud on each side of the header.

The door "expert" where we ordered the door from said that he had never seen an extra jack stud on either side and that they were probably put there, at some time, to accommodate the installation of the current (smaller door). He thought it would be OK to remove them. The carpenter said he would put a metal corner bracket to ensure stability and load transfer from the header to the a single jack stud on each side.

Does this plan sound like it would compromise the structural integrity of the framing?

Best Answer

The use of two jack studs under each end of the header could have been done for any number of reasons.

  1. If the header supports a lot of weight from above it may have been deemed desirable to have the extra support on each end.
  2. If the header has an long span it is sometimes desirable to add additional support for the header.
  3. As you suggested it is possible that the rough opening was originally made wider than needed for the door that was actually installed.
  4. The original contractor may have wanted there to be extra wide solid wall support at each side of the opening than the normal 3" offered by just one stud + jack stud. It is not at all uncommon to do this for large window openings in professional construction where it is known that drapery hardware will mount beyond the width of any window casings.
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