# What is the max distance for load baring walls in a residence?



## kgcaddesign

I'm a newly graduated cad technician and I'm trying to design a house for a family member.

<edit>
I'm asking for the distance between two load baring walls, not the length of a wall. (I never said length in my question...)
They are supporting a second floor & a roof.

and to answer greg24k & anyone else who thinks they know every condition about the person asking a question: I plan too continue as an architectural engineer, unfortunately I just got my associates as a cad tech. 3 weeks ago. But there is no harm in trying to find the info on my own, before classes start right? In fact, I think professors prefer students who have an active interest in their future profession outside of class as well as during. Plus, I plan on having these plans revised by an Architect I know. But I want as free from error as I can make it so his redlining will be minimal. So yeah, please address the question thank you.


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## Jason Whipple

I like to keep mine no longer than the length of the house.:blink:


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## greg24k

kgcaddesign said:


> I'm a newly graduated cad technician and I'm trying to design a house for a family member.


Hire an Architect or take a few more courses if you have to ask that question...


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## NINZAN STUDIO

kgcaddesign said:


> I'm a newly graduated cad technician and I'm trying to design a house for a family member.


Maybe be a bit more specific. Is it exterior wall, interior wall, is it supporting roof only or floor plus roof?


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## The Coastal Craftsman

kgcaddesign said:


> I'm a newly graduated cad technician and I'm trying to design a house for a family member.


Your gonna need much more info that this.


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## duburban

do you feel qualified?


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## Jason Whipple

Is there honestly a maximum distance that a load bearing wall can be? If I had a 24' long house or a 240' long house and needed a load bearing wall the full distance why would it matter?

I don't build houses or design them but I'm just curious why their would be a limitation on a wall. Openings and span loads I get, but a wall length?


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## NINZAN STUDIO

Jason Whipple said:


> Is there honestly a maximum distance that a load bearing wall can be? If I had a 24' long house or a 240' long house and needed a load bearing wall the full distance why would it matter?
> 
> I don't build houses or design them but I'm just curious why their would be a limitation on a wall. Openings and span loads I get, but a wall length?


Exactly. There really is no limit on length. We need more information from the OP on why he is asking this question. Seems very rudimentary as far as residential structural design is concerned. I've worked for architecture firms and design-build companies for many years designing homes with various kinds of structure (concrete, CMU, wood, steel). If you need a wall to bear continuous load, you simply design it with footings etc the length required.

The question seems very basic to me but let's see what the OP says.


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## Willie T

17,393 feet.


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## TimelessQuality

Willie T said:


> 17,393 feet.


I use 17,000, just for a little safety factor:whistling


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## Jason Whipple

Willie T said:


> 17,393 feet.


And just incase the OP is from Canada, that would be 5301.386 meters.:thumbsup:


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## NINZAN STUDIO

kgcaddesign said:


> I'm a newly graduated cad technician and I'm trying to design a house for a family member.
> 
> <edit>
> I'm asking for the distance between two load baring walls, not the length of a wall. (I never said length in my question...)
> They are supporting a second floor & a roof.
> 
> and to answer greg24k & anyone else who thinks they know every condition about the person asking a question: I plan too continue as an architectural engineer, unfortunately I just got my associates as a cad tech. 3 weeks ago. But there is no harm in trying to find the info on my own, before classes start right? In fact, I think professors prefer students who have an active interest in their future profession outside of class as well as during. Plus, I plan on having these plans revised by an Architect I know. But I want as free from error as I can make it so his redlining will be minimal. So yeah, please address the question thank you.


What is the floor system? Wood joists, prefab trusses, I-Joists? You can look up manufacturer's span charts for certain floor systems. That's a good place to start.

In FL, I use 75 psf (pounds per sq foot) total design load (live as dead load) for floors, 55 psf for roofs. That lets me quickly size up areas and I can see how much load sits on a wall or column etc. using the concept of tributary areas of load, I can break down design loads from the roof down in order to size my foundation / footings.


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## donerightwyo

Kg, pretty much any thing is doable with the proper materials and engineering. Look at these indoor football arena's how far is that between load bearing walls.:blink: It all has to do with materials used, height and width constraints and the load calcs. I doubt there are very few on here that do their own calcs. It is left up to the structural engineer, our floor and truss guy does all of ours. I give it my best guess when designing something and then he tells me right or wrong.:thumbsup:


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## Tinstaafl

Sorry, but this forum is not intended to provide schooling for people unfamiliar with the building trades. Thread closed.


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