Doors and Windows - Header Questions for Larger window

We want to replace the bedroom window we have with one that is has LOT lower sill and is bigger than the one in our bedroom now.

How do we go about supporting the new opening and framing it in? I know there will need to be a header addition, or think that there will need to be one... :o

The house is single story, has wood siding and is stick construction, since I know that makes a big difference in techniques.

This is the first time for us doing this sort of thing, so all the help, suggestions and so on will be appreciated.

The present window has the sill at about 5ft 8in above the floor, and the new window will be about 38in above the floor, and 68in wide (the width of the present high up window)

Thanks,
RhainyC
:D

The height of the sill is not important.

A header needs the proper support and framing. If you old header is inadequate for your code, now is the time to correct it. What you have may not be adequate. In Washington, with seismic possibilities, you may have different requirements than the rest of the U.S.

All windows are just holes in the wall.

After the header, the installation and proper flashing are the major points.

Dick

Depending on the age of your home, it's likely that you have a header over your current window. To determine the width of your rough opening, you need to remove the trim or casing on the inside of your window. You should be able to see the trimmer studs back there. Measure the distance from the trimmer stud on the left to the trimmer stud on the right. If that measurement is wider than your new window is, you should not need a new header. It will simply be a matter of lowering the rough sill to the correct height.

The window will be the same width just taller, to lower the sill height for egress and light.

We will hopefully be doing this before winter sets in, but...well you know how projects sometimes have to be put on the back burner. The living room windows are the first priority right now.

Thanks for the help, I will look into our codes for the header so that we can add to it if needs be, since the house was built in 1959, I am not sure how well they did those sorts of things back then.

Best Regards,
RhainyC

You don't add to headers to increase their length. If it's too short, you would pretty much have to remove that section of wall floor to ceiling and rebuild it.

It could be I am confused...

What we are doing is putting in a window, in an existing opening, that has a sill that is way too high. We want to put a larger window in, one that would bring the sill down to a reasonable level for safety, since I will be in a wheelchair in a few years.

There is already a header (I am guessing) for the window that is in there right now. I was concerned that when we put in the new window, the header that is already there, would not be enough support for the larger opening, with the new larger window.

I realize we will have to cut the rough opening bigger, and was trying to figure out if we needed to reinforce the existing header, since the new opening will be much larger that the existing window. AND How to support the opening while we are doing the work of cutting and framing it in...I don't want the wall to fall down when we cut the opening. (maybe I am being paranoid?) ;)

I understand that we will have to cut the studs, siding and so on, to enlarge the opening, and then will need to frame in the new window opening, and that is where the support/framing/header question comes in.

Help? Am I making sense here? Maybe I need to wake up more before asking silly questions? :o

Thanks,
RhainyC

If the hole is going to be the same width as it is now, you don't have to do anything with the header. Just strip off the drywall, cut the 2x4's that are supporting the sill to the correct height, and put in a new sill

That was what I was trying to figure out. Much appreciated! :D

RhainyC
Wanna Be Remodeler ;)

I guess when I said basically the same thing in my original reply, ("you should not need a new header. It will simply be a matter of lowering the rough sill to the correct height.") it must not have been clear enough for you to understand it. Sorry!