Estimate header load, header size, bending stress, shear stress, deflection, support reactions, and simplified utilization for door, window, garage, wall, and beam openings. Use this header size calculator for wood headers, LVL headers, built-up headers, and preliminary structural planning.
Load conversion:
The calculator converts dead, live, roof, or snow load into a line load using tributary width, then adds wall load and header self weight.
Header section:
The calculator uses ply width, number of plies, and depth to estimate area, section modulus, and moment of inertia.
Strength checks:
The calculator estimates bending stress and shear stress, then compares them to the entered allowable design values.
Deflection check:
The calculator estimates header deflection and compares it to the selected span limit.
A header size calculator helps estimate whether a header size may be reasonable for a window, door, garage, wall, or beam opening.
It can help compare opening span, tributary load, plies, header depth, line load, bending, shear, deflection, support reactions, and simplified utilization.
Your result shows estimated header size, line load, total load, reactions at each end, maximum moment, bending stress, shear stress, deflection, allowable deflection, and utilization percentages. These are simplified planning estimates only.
A header is a horizontal structural member above an opening that transfers load around the opening to supports, jack studs, posts, or walls.
Multiply the area load in PSF by the tributary width carried by the header, then add wall load, header self weight, and any point loads.
The required header size depends on span, loads, material, number of plies, bearing, deflection limits, and local code. This calculator gives a simplified planning check, not final design.
No. Final header sizing should use approved code span tables, engineered lumber product data, steel tables, local code requirements, connection details, bearing checks, and professional review when needed.