FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Framing for Corner Windows

bk73 | Posted in Construction Techniques on January 7, 2008 10:14am

I am going to be framing 2 windows in my kitchen. They will be in the rear corner of the house. I would like to keep each window as close as possible to the corner and minimize unnecessary framing. It is a 2 story house.

Would one 4×4 post in the corner + a king stud for the header on both corners be enough structurally?

I attached a picture I found on the net of what I would like to do.

Thanks.

Brad

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. User avater
    Gene_Davis | Jan 07, 2008 10:28pm | #1

    I've done it with and even without a jack adjacent the corner.

    Are you wanting to do this in 2x4 wall framing, or with 2x6 walls?  Your profile is incomplete and we cannot know your location, so there's no indication of which wall thickness might be used in your locale.

    It would help, also, if we knew the roof structure arrangement above, whether there will be a second floor above, and what the loading is for the roof.  Doing this in Oklahoma City's climate and roof loadings, would be far different from doing it in Lake Tahoe, CA.

  2. User avater
    CapnMac | Jan 07, 2008 10:51pm | #2

    Let me echo Gene, we need to know more about this.

    Like what does your AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) say?  Some places mandate sheer resistance in corners, and if you move the parts used for diagonal/sheer strength, the various AHJ will require different things of you.

    (Like you might need and engineer to sign off on a specific sheer panel on either side window, in some places.)

    With a second floor above, as you stated (I'm presuming that it aligns to the corner), you may not need a king, as you may need to have more than one jack to carry the header above.  Note that some AHJ are not going to pass a solid corner (4x4 or 6x6) under some of the energy codes, even if they pass for structural.  Gets us back to the knowing of things.

    One of the other things that'd be worth knowing is the plate height for the first floor.  If you are framing to 9 or 10 feet, and keeping to a 7' or 6'-8" head height, you might could lap the headers which can make for elegant engineering.  Or not.

    Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
  3. bk73 | Jan 07, 2008 10:56pm | #3

    I am in Long Island.

    I attached a picture of the back of the house.

  4. dovetail97128 | Jan 07, 2008 10:59pm | #4

    I will concur with the others who have posted so far.

    Talk to an Engineer, your BI , or your AHJ.

    You are removing a lot of shear strength from that corner that should be made up in another area of the structure. IMO.

    They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
  5. FHB Editor
    JFink | Jan 08, 2008 12:59am | #5

    I don't know enough about structural matters to give you sound advice here, but I thought you might like to know that Simpson makes hardware to eliminate jack studs - if you ended up with a 4x4 corner post with a king stud, you could probably just attach the header hanger right to it and save an extra 1 1/2". Wait a minute, I guess that wouldn't work if you had a window on either side of the corner...not enough room for the hardware.

    oh well, here's the link anyway, haha.

    here's the link: http://strongtie.com/products/connectors/hh.asp

    Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

    "Everybody wants to know what I’m on...

     

    What I'm on? I’m on my bike, busting my ### 6 hours a day…

     

    ...What are you on?"

     

    - Lance Armstrong

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Guest Suite With a Garden House

This 654-sq.-ft. ADU combines vaulted ceilings, reclaimed materials, and efficient design, offering a flexible guest suite and home office above a new garage.

Featured Video

Video: Build a Fireplace, Brick by Brick

Watch mason Mike Mehaffey construct a traditional-style fireplace that burns well and meets current building codes.

Related Stories

  • From Victorian to Mid-Century Modern: How Unico Fits Any Older Home
  • Designing the Perfect Garden Gate
  • Vintage Sash Windows Get an Energy-Efficient Upgrade
  • Design and Build a Pergola

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data