Index of Residential Framing, Structure and Foundation Articles

Framing & Structure Projects

On This Page: Framing Basics... Structural Repairs and Improvements... Foundation...

Framing Basics:

Framing A Rough Opening For A Window Or Door

Includes some diagrams to illustrate how window and door openings are typically built.

Cutting A New Doorway Through
An Old Wall

This old house had odd framing, but the methods described here should apply to most houses.

Cutting An Opening In A Plaster Wall For A
New Closet Doorway

While remodeling one room at a time, we decided to add a closet to an already-remodeled bedroom. This meant cutting a hole in the veneer-plaster painted and finished wall.

Cutting an opening for a new closet door.

New rough opening for sliding patio door.

Framing The Rough Opening For A New Sliding Patio Door

The owner of this unfinished utility building wanted to create a family room, so we cut a 6-foot opening in the wall to install a slider door. The job required installing a big double 2z12 header while supporting the roof trusses.

Framing A Short Section Of Wall

Framing a 2x4 wall is easy. The tricky part is anchoring the new wall to the existing framing.

On This Page: Framing Basics... Structural Repairs and Improvements... Foundation... Top of Page...

Structural Repairs & Improvements:

Replacing A Load-Bearing Beam In A Porch Roof

The original beam had been replaced years earlier, but it was too small and the porch roof had developed a sag. So we supported the structure and installed a bigger beam, and returned the trim to the original style.

Replacing Rotted Sill Plates In A Garage

This old garage didn't have pressure-treated sill plates or bottom plates, so after many decades the wood absorbed moisture and rotted. I jacked up the garage and removed the old wood, then replaced it with new treated lumber.

The techniques shown here may also apply to a house built on a slab, or even a house built on a basement.

Straightening A Leaning Garage

This old garage had developed a serious lean, so I bolted some automotive tow hooks to opposite corners and used a winch to pull it straight.

Fixing a leaning garage with a come-along cable winch.

Sistered floor joists increase structural strength and stiffness.

Sistering Floor Joists To
Improve Strength And Reduce Sag

The upstairs floors in this 1907 farmhouse had developed a sag and would bounce badly when somebody walked across the room.

By doubling-up the floor joists we reduced these problems dramatically.

Raising A Slightly Sagging Floor

Some hydraulic jacks and heavy wood beams allowed us to lift the second floor slightly, then the joist sisters and other structural members held the floor level and rock-solid.

Columns and jack used to lift sagging floor.

New wall studs reduce bounce and flex in floor structure.

Reducing Floor Bounce And Sag With A Suspended Partition

While raising the sagging floor, we installed long studs that connected the second-floor joists to a beam built in the attic. Rock solid floor accomplished.