Insulated Beams for 4″ and 6″ walls
“Header” is carpenter lingo for any beam that transfers a load away from a door or window or any opening in a wall. It can bear roof and/or floor weight. Any opening on an outside wall of a home requires some degree of header. Depending on what the load to be carried is, the beam needs to be strong enough to handle it. In most cases a variety of dimensional lumber is used (2×10, 2×12. etc.) and is doubled up to carry the load. Span tables and wood species properties must be taken into account to size the beam accordingly.
However, a couple of beams of solid wood do not have the best insulating qualities. A new product on the market is both strong and smart. An insulated header is engineered to provide the necessary bearing while not giving up the heat loss you get from dimensional lumber. The beam is very similar to an I joist in design. It has two webs to give it the ample strength to provide the bearing requirements, and it has block foam insulation to prevent heat loss.
We love using it because it is much lighter than dimensional lumber, is much more stable in humidity changes, and there is no lining up and adjusting that comes with matching up two pieces of lumber.
The header comes in both 3-1/2″ and 5-1/2″ widths for 4″ or 6″ wall applications. This beam should not be used in place of major structural beams like Laminated Beams, but it can do everything a 2×12 can do. We started using this product on both new construction and remodel projects because it enables us to build more efficiently to benefit the homeowner in the long term.
