(Garage) Building question

[Don W]

Long story short, garage package, no blueprints.
2 questions.
20 ' long wall, 16' garage door, height of wall is 9'. My plan is to build the short walls and place in a 2x12 header. Is it o.k. to break the top plate over the king stud (will be less than 2' long). I'll be putting in cripples over the header and a cap plate.
2nd. question.
Stud walls, sheath walls & truss? -or- stud walls, truss & sheath? (Metal rafter tie on the top plates or over the sheathing?)
Thanks.

[RBRenos]

To answer your first question, its been my experince to build the entire wall as one solid wall. The problem of building two seperate small walls and placing the door lintel in place is the ends of the wall may not be straight and weaker where the lintel ties into the walls.If you have enough lumber I would lay out your bottom and top plates the same as any other wall. Even though you dont need the bottom plate though the door it makes it easier to stand the wall and helps to ensure that the wall is straight all the way. Also by buliding the entire wall as one you ensure that where the door lintel is secured at either end over the jack studs you have the added strength of solid continuos plates holding every thing together.
I am sorry I dont fulling understand what you are asking with your second question.

[Don W]

RB Renos,
Thank you for replying. As far as my second question: Stud walls, sheath walls & truss? -or- stud walls, truss & sheath? (Metal rafter tie on the top plates or over the sheathing?)
Is it recomended to sheath the walls and then set your trusses, or do you set the trusses and then sheath the entire structure. I was wondering where the metal truss tie was going to end up, either on top of the sheathing or below it. (How that would affect the siding if it would at all, bumpy or wavy at those points).

[Jack the Contractor]

Good Morning: Question 1. First of all since you bought a package, I am sure that they did not give you enough material to have a double top plate.
You should always have a double top plate. Also did they give you enough studs for 4 stud corners ? You probably should buy a little more lumber. Now since you have a 20' wall with a 16' wide door, you only have 2' on each side of the door. Now I am going to describe exactly how I have built these for 35 years with no failures. build each 2' end section separetly. Lay down your 2' mud(botton) sill. You should already have your adjacent walls framed and up. Now set the sill in the corner where it is going and lay or mark out studs as described. From the door side mark back onto the sill 3"(you are going to have 2 jack studs), next add a full stud (you have now used 4 1/2 inches)
Now go to the corner and mark in for 2 studs (3"). Now the distance between the inside of your studs from each end should be 16 1/2". So put in a stud at 8", or 8 1/4" whatever. Do the same for the other end. Put the framed walls up and bolt them down using 2 conc bolts for each. Then build your header. Your header should sit on 2 jack studs on each end. When building your header used 2-2x12's with a piece of 1/2" material between them to get your 3 1/2" width. You will need help setting the header, probably 2 others. Very heavy. Once your header is up and secured, put on your top sill and in your case, I would use 2- 10 ' pieces and meet over the center of the header. Question 2: Your rafter ties go on the INSIDE of your garage from the bottom side of the trusses into the double top plate. Use Pekoe nails. If they did not give you any buy some. Garages are fun. Good Luck

[Hellrazor]

Always sheath the walls before you do the roof structure. The plywood holds the framing square. The rafter ties are nailed into the double top plate of the wall. A quick cheat for installing the trusses, figure out what your span is (16 or 24" center) and cut pieces of 2x4 to set inbetween each truss. So when you slide the truss against the 2x4, its where it belongs for nailing it. 14.5" 2x4 spacer for 16OC.

[RBRenos]

Your way works as well, but in Don W's case his walls are 9' not the standard 8'. So even after he installs his header he still has to install his cripples above the header to reach his 9' hieght (assuming his overhead door is a standard height door) and this I think is always easier to do while the wall is on the ground then trying to do everything from step ladders I feel. I would also put a bottom plate on the cripples so I would not have to toe nail each cripple to the header, just nail the plate with the attached cripples straight to the header. Then the attach the top plate to the whole wall to stand it. Now Don W. just as there are many colors to the rainbow there are ways to building things. Both Jack's way and my way will work but we are not there and do not know how many helping or experienced hands you have for standing the wall. We have explained what needs to be done now you have to figure out what works best for you to build it.

Good luck

[Jack the Contractor]

As stated below, both Reno's and my way will work just fine. Like he said we are not there and do not know what kind of experienced help you have. That garage door wall is going to be wobbly putting it up. So alot of care must be taken. Which ever way you do it, I would not try to tip up the wall with the header in it. Put up the wall, secure it then put in the header. Have a fun day. Thanks guys for all the good tips.