# Modular Home



## Honey Do Steve (Oct 4, 2010)

I have a center wall in a modular home that the customer wants to open up. This is the wall where the two bottom sections were bolted together. Is this considered a bearing wall? There is no wall above this wall on the second floor.


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

Have you opened the wall up yet? If it's framed with 2x, then it is likely a bearing wall, if it's framed with 1x then it's not. 

Another method would be to contact the manufacturer and ask. When you call, have the ID code off the tag that would be located at the "tongue" end of the trailer. Should be nailed right on the side of the house at the trailer frame - bottom of the siding, top of the skirt, if there's no skirt, then about 18" - 24" off the ground.


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## GregWerner (Dec 19, 2006)

I don't know about double wides, but most true modulars use the center wall to support at least the floor load from 2nd floor.


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## modspecialist (Dec 24, 2008)

yes this wall would be considered a bearing wall for at least the second floor load and also for the first floor ceiling load basically all exterior walls on a modular are load bearing this includes the interior center wall called the marriage wall which is considered an exterior wall of the modules and just for the record modulars are NOT doublewides and do not have tongues and tags those are manufactured homes sorry this is just a pet peeve of mine when people say i work on trailers....


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## MikeGC (Dec 6, 2008)

The marriage wall supports the floor joists of the second story or the roof if its a single story ( often they do not use trusses in the design since the roof has to fold down to ship on a trailer) but it can still be opened up with the right design and the right temporary load bracing until you get the new load bearing beam and posts in place. 

The lack of a wall above is irrelevent. The second floor joists and load bears on that marriage wall below


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