# Load bearing



## ODDBALLS (Jul 27, 2007)

How do you determine if a wall, post, ect is load bearing. I know that this probably a wide question. But curious about this.


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## woodmagman (Feb 17, 2007)

It is carrying load...simple eh..:thumbsup:


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## firemike (Dec 11, 2005)

Your right, it is a wide question, full of all kinds of possible answers. You didn't say why you want to know, or give any details.

Generally, it will be in line with/on top of the beams in a basement or crawlspace, or over a wall on a lower floor that is also over the beam in the basement. If it is a wall in a single story house with truss roof system, it is probably not loadbearing.

By the way you asked your question, you sound like you are rather inexperianced in framing and house construction (no disrespect intended). This is not something you want to venture into without a good working knowledge of building construction. There are horror stories from all over of houses suffering damage and people being injured from taking out a loadbearing support when they didn't know better. 

When in doubt, consult a professional. Could save yourself a large headache in more ways than one.


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## ODDBALLS (Jul 27, 2007)

No disrespect taken, firemike. I am inexperienced in framing. That is why I am asking the pros. The situation is this. I have a customer that would like to remove a fireplace and put a TV in its place. The fireplace, with blowers on the side, takes up about 6.5'. Then to the right of the fireplace is a place for storage. There is a single 2x4 coming from the top exposed beam, cabin style, down to the floor. On the right side of the 2x4 are some 1/2 plywood shims, then another 2x4 on the side of those. It looks like whoever built this used the 2x4's and plywood shims to match the look and size of the beam on the other side of the fireplace. The customer wants to open it all up and move the "header" for the fireplace and hearth up a couple of inches. Basically make a spot for the TV and some room on the side for DVD, receiver, ect. There are no other ties/2 bys attached to this one running straight down. Thanks for the help guys. I am trying to do it all the right way. Don't need anymore headaches, wife and two kids are enough:laughing:.


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## arctic43 (Sep 22, 2007)

Another quick way to check to see if the joists overlap each on top of a plate. That would give a clue to see if its loadbearing or not. Also to add on what was said early. If your going to be moving headers around or whatever, depending on the framing, you might have to support that load to the ground from the basement. On one of our jobs, we took out a long load bearing wall, and because it supported the 2nd floor and ended up between joists, we had to run lolly columns in the basement underneath the jack studs from up above to supprt everything properly again. This came from our structural engineer. So yeah, its always good to check just in case. Hope that helps


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## tcleve4911 (Mar 26, 2006)

*Load Bearing Walls*

Hello Odd.........
A couple of "rules of thumb" to help you when determining "load bearing" walls.
This section pertains to gable roof framing (Hip roofs make all walls the eave walls)
1 STORY STRUCTURES - 
Exterior eave walls (the wall the rafters sit on) are carrying the roof load (load bearing)
Exterior gable walls are only carrying the weight of the gable (considered non load bearing)
Interior walls can be carrying the weight of non-trussed ceiling joists & collar ties.
2 OR MORE STORIES -
Exterior eave walls are carrying the roof load, and the floor load
Exterior gable walls can now be carrying the floor load, depending on the floor framing configuration and the gable wall weight.
1st floor interior walls can be carrying the 2nd floor, floor system.
2nd floor interior walls are carrying the weight of non-trussed ceiling joists & collar ties.
Hope this helps:thumbsup:


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

just a side note on gable walls. they are almost always non-bearing yes, but if there's a cathedral ceiling abutting the gable wall, there might be a ridge beam that is posted in that gable wall. the wall itself is non-bearing, but the post obviously needs to stay there.


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## A W Smith (Oct 14, 2007)

ODDBALLS said:


> How do you determine if a wall, post, ect is load bearing. I know that this probably a wide question. But curious about this.


 
In New Mexico? that would be the adobe wall that the logs aim at. 

Seriously though. Determine which direction the ceiling joists run in. In some of the more contemporary houses they may change direction in some rooms. like say a back to back dining room and living room on one side. The joists usually run in the short room dimension. I find joists by tapping on the ceiling with the rubber handle of my hammer while my ex partner futzed about with his zircon play thing. (you can find a stud at your sternum if you place the zircon thingy on your chest to impress the ladies) As posted above, bearing walls are usually over the girders in the basement or crawl space.


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