How Much Room Do You Leave on Each Side of a Garage Door Header?

Building a garage translates into additional storage space and protection for your vehicles. Once the walls are up, you can turn your attention to the door opening and installion of the header. It’s not a complicated step, but it is important not to leave any room on either side of the header when you install it. The structural integrity of your opening is enhanced when all the pieces fit together snugly.

Dimensional lumber
Tape measure
Nails
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Begin framing the garage door opening with a king stud on each side. This dimensional lumber should be identical in width to your walls, typically 2-by-4 or 2-by-6 boards. King studs provide the first stage of the vertical support system for your header and the distance between them should exactly match the length of your header. This ensures a snug and stable fit.
- 2
  Nail jack studs (or trimmers) to the king studs. They function as the support pillars that butt under and support the header. Typically, you’ll have at least two jack studs on each side, depending on the weight load and span. Consult your local building code for specific recommendations.
- 3
  Lift the header into the opening, resting it on top of the jack studs. Be sure it is flush. Headers can be heavy -- consider asking a friend to help with this step.
- 4
  Nail through each king stud into the ends of the header. You want a tight fit, with no room between the header and the king studs.
- 5
  Attach additional studs to the king studs, if required by local building codes.

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