An Innocent Looking Wall
Here is an interior wall of my own home. Sorry about all of the clutter. As I took the photo, I was standing in the family room looking at the breakfast table and the adjacent window on the outside wall.
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| This load bearing wall has a large opening and a doorway. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter |
The average person would think the interior wall with the large opening and doorway is a standard interior non-load bearing wall. The truth is, that this wall has an enormous load upon it. Directly above the wall is a wall that supports part of the roof of my home. In addition, there is a major beam hidden in the ceiling that runs just above and a little behind the crown molding that you see in the upper left corner of the photograph. This beam carries one entire side of the roof, and one third of the second and third floor loads! The beam rests on a column within the wall about one foot to the left of the large pass-through opening. Above the large pass through and the doorway are triple 2 x 12 beams.
The point is, that there are large concentrated loads at the edges of these two openings. Beneath the floor, I placed blocking that transmits these loads directly to a 12 inch deep 12x31
I beam, that I work directly underneath each and every day.
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Comments
Ronald G. Hansen Sr.
09 Dec 2007, 08:19
Dear sir, Iam a very disabled person. I have a question and I can't get
even close to what I need to know useing the net! I need to build a
retaining wall( Block is th cheapest?)and then I want to attach it to the
house with a deck nailed to the wall. The deck joists attached to the house
foundation buy pouring a footing and j bolting a timber on top of that for
the joists to attach to.Then there is an old deck above that that needs to
be replaced. Eventully I would like to enclose that area, Im basicly bed
bound and I need this area to be able to roll to to get outr of my dark
drury Dungin.The deck would be approx. 15x22 the 22feet is inline with my
home. The deck would go out approx. 15 feet from my home. The wall or top
of grade is about 5 and a half feet tall in order to line up with the
basement door.The wall would be approx. 4and a half feet tall and about 50
feet long. I can't seem to find anything to help show to me how to build
the wall. I have limited funds but, I found a gov. agency to loan me 25
Grand.Would appreciate any help or ideas.Sincerely yours RGH Sr.
AsktheBuilder
09 Dec 2007, 08:41
Ron,
You need to talk with some remodeling contractors. The reason you can't
find what you need on the Internet is that there are many variables that
are job specific to *your* home. I would also see if there are some local
social agencies that assist in matchmaking in situations like this. You
can't possibly be the first challenged person is your area who has needed
remodeling work performed.
Talleon
01 Jan 2008, 13:26
i am going extend my house buy breaking a Load Bearing Wall, i would like
to know how to pin the wall?
AsktheBuilder
01 Jan 2008, 13:55
Talleon,
By building a temporary bearing wall or installing a beam in place of the
wall. You better get a structural engineer on your team before you get in
over your head.
rich griffin
06 Jan 2008, 18:03
Hello....I am remodeling my kitchen and have to remove part of a load
bearing wall. I need to span 8'. This is 2 story home with a basement.
My question is...do I have to transfer the weight directly below my jack
studs to the basement floor. I have a
beam that spans the entire length of the basement for the upstairs load.
And will 2 (two) 2x8 be sufficient for the 8' span? Please let me know...
thanks rich
AsktheBuilder
06 Jan 2008, 18:10
Rich,
I can't answer because you might have left out critical data. Read all of
my bearing-walls columns and you will see the monsters that can be in the
walls. Read about the wall between my family and breakfast rooms.
Debbie Reynolds
06 Mar 2008, 17:10
How can I tell if my wall is load bearing. I have a 2 1/2 story home with a
dining room addition on side that was built same time as house. Would like
to take out wall between kitchen and dining room.
Debbie Reynolds
07 Mar 2008, 13:18
Sorry.....My house is 1 1/2 story...(not 2 1/2). There is foundation
running under center wall and all around outside walls, but no foundation
under addition of dining room where is counnects to house.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
I I
I I
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
I I
I I foundation
I I
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So is wall between kitchen & dining a bearing wall?
AsktheBuilder
09 Mar 2008, 14:08
Debbie,
You need to read all of my columns about Bearing Walls. Then follow my
advice in them, or roll the dice if you are a gambler..... :->
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