How to Frame Window and Door Openings

Framing Windows and Framing Doors

Overview: Framing exterior walls for windows and doors is one of the easier tasks in homebuilding. Although it is a relatively easy task, there is still a sequence of steps that should be followed to insure your door openings and window openings are constructed to the correct rough openings. There really is more to framing a wall than just nailing some studs to the plate and standing it up.

Window and door openings should be framed first to facilitate the work.  The reason why it is best to frame these details first is when framing window and door openings nails are driven through the sides of studs into headers, jacks, and sills. If the wall studs are nailed in before the openings are framed there would not be enough room to swing a hammer or use a nail gun. Even if the openings fall 16 inch on center it still would be a little difficult to swing a hammer.

Framing a window opening:

1.    The order of nailing a window opening together is also important. Using a standard eight foot wall as an example, all the headers are 2x12. The first step is to nail the header to the top plate. The header is cut to the width of the window plus three inches to allow for the 2x4 cripples.

2.    The next step is to nail the studs to both ends of the header and to the top plate using 16 penny nails.

3.    Nail the jacks in place. These determine the height of the window. The cripples butt up to the bottom of the header and are nailed to the inside of the studs. The 16 penny nails must be put in at an angle to keep them from coming through the stud causing injury.

4.    The next step is to nail the sill to the bottoms of the cripples. The window framing is completed by adding jack studs beneath the sill.

Framing a door opening:

1.    To frame a door opening use the same procedure except there is no sill. Studs are nailed to each end of the header and then a measurement is taken from the bottom of the header to the bottom plate. This will be the length of your cripples.

2.    The jacks are nailed in just like the window jacks. The bottom plate is cut out later on in the construction stage before the door is set in placed.

3.    Once all the window and door openings are framed, nail in the wall studs to complete the wall. Follow the layout and nail everything on the right side of the line which will be indicated by an "X", this will give you a 16 inch on center spacing.

Now you know how to frame window and door openings and have the wall completely studded, it’s time to stand up the wall and nail it in place on the floor deck. Note: Jacks are often referred to as cripples, however, the term “cripples” is more often used in defining elements of hip roof construction.

Related articles:

Framing Walls | Wall Framing Layout

How to Build Headers

How to Make Door Rough Openings

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