How to Frame a Doorway
- 1). During construction, measure the rough opening of the door. Make sure it is even on both sides by marking a center point. Measure out from the center point on both sides and mark for the inside edges of your 2-by-4 trimmer studs.
- 2). Place a mark on both sides of the doorway 3 1/2 inches out from the trimmer studs. This mark measures the inside edges of your 2-by-4 king studs. Make sure the king studs are the right length, and nail them with 16-penny nails to the top and bottom plates on both sides of the doorway.
- 3). Attach the trimmer studs to both king studs using 10-penny nails. Space the nails 12 inches apart. Make sure the trimmer studs fit the length of the door's rough opening. The trimmer studs will sit on the bottom plate but will only be as high as your door-frame. These studs will not ascend all the way to the top plate.
- 4). Cut a 2-by-4 header to fit horizontally between the two trimmer studs at the top of your doorway. Nail the header through the tops of the trimmer studs, and through the sides of the king studs.
- 5). Measure two small pieces of 2-by-4 material that will sit vertically between the header and the top plate. Nail these cripples in place using 16-penny nails.
- 6). Use a hand saw and cut out the bottom plate between the two trimmer studs.
Source...