Walls and Ceilings - support wall or not? how to tell?
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bc7
04-03-02, 12:58 PM
I am about to remove a 15 ft. hall wall in order to enlarge a living room. My concern is that this may be a load bearing or support wall. How can I be sure?
BC
BC
woodbadger
04-04-02, 08:45 PM
Step 1: look to see what is under the wall. A support wall must also be supported, so if the wall is sitting in the middle of your floor joists, it is most likely not a suport wall. If there is a wall under the wall of interest, it must also be supported, so you look under that wall. If you are in the basement, the basement wall will be supported by foundation block.
Step 2: look at the roof line. Each part of a roof needs to be supported. If you see that a part of the roof stops under the wall you want to remove, the wall is a bearing wall.
Step 3: remove the ceiling next to the wall (or if you have an attic, go there), if anything sits on top of the wall, it is supporting weight and you will need to put a beam in.
In any case, bearing wall or not, you can remove the wall. The question is do you need to put in a beam or not. The final solution will only be know when you can see the top of the wall and if anything sits on top of it.
Step 2: look at the roof line. Each part of a roof needs to be supported. If you see that a part of the roof stops under the wall you want to remove, the wall is a bearing wall.
Step 3: remove the ceiling next to the wall (or if you have an attic, go there), if anything sits on top of the wall, it is supporting weight and you will need to put a beam in.
In any case, bearing wall or not, you can remove the wall. The question is do you need to put in a beam or not. The final solution will only be know when you can see the top of the wall and if anything sits on top of it.