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Cripple studs fill in the space between the sills and the 2x4 nailing plate below; they carry only the weight of the window itself. Sometimes cripples are installed over a window or door to fill in the space between the top of a header and top of a wall. These do carry weight.
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Laminated Lumber
Laminated wood beams. These carefully engineered and manufactured beams look like stacks of long 2x4s or 2x6s. Because depth and strength can be gained by adding layers of 2x4s or 2x6s, these can span distances standard lumber can’t.
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Engineered Lumber
Engineered plywood and composite beams. These come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some look like tall wooden I-beams; others are shaped like conventional lumber but are composed of plywood or oriented strand board. Again, as depth increases, so does strength.
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