With a window header, the window frame will not have to bear any load after the window is installed.
Window headers are brackets at the top of the window frame. Brackets are typically at least twice as thick as the frame components around the opening. The header will run horizontally across the top of the window frame, providing additional support that prevents the full weight of the wall from resting on the window frame.
Found in residential and commercial buildings, window headers help add stability to the wall by allowing an opening to be inserted for the window frame. A traditional window header will sit next to two joists, beams, or rafters, depending on how the windows are positioned. By placing this thicker and shorter wooden beam below the support beam or joist, but above the window opening, no additional stress is placed on the beam. This means that after the window is installed, the window frame will not have to bear any load to keep the wall section in line with the rest of the wall.
In addition to maintaining even support for the wall components and preventing additional load-bearing stress on the joists and rafters, the window head also helps the overall structure support and distribute the weight of the roof across the walls. internal support as well as on the external walls. The window head allows the wall sections above and around the openings, such as doors and windows, to carry the same amount of load as any other section. As a result, the roof load is supported equally, with no weakened areas to be compensated for elsewhere along the wall. From this perspective, a window lintel can be seen as a good way to maintain the integrity of the entire structure and allow the building to settle properly over the years.
A window lintel is usually constructed from the same types of wood that are used in the design of the wall frame. It’s not uncommon to form a headboard by simply cutting two sections of the frame wood to length and then nailing or gluing them together to form a thicker body.
It is not uncommon for a window lintel to be replaced during part of a home renovation. This is especially true when new window frames are added as part of the renovation project. Once the old frame is removed, the joists or joists can be temporarily supported while the old deck is removed and a new deck is installed.