Guidelines for a Load-Bearing Wall

Characteristics

• It’s sometimes difficult to identify load-bearing walls, since they’re mostly concealed behind drywall. If your home has a basement, examine the basement ceiling to find a beam or wall that follows the same lines as a wall above it. In such cases, the upstairs wall is probably a load-bearing wall. Walls that support ceiling joists and rafters in an attic are usually load-bearing as well. A load-bearing wall often has floor and ceiling framing running perpendicular to it. Your home’s original blueprints can help you identify load-bearing walls, but don’t rely solely on original blueprints if your home has been remodeled previously.

Modifications

• Consult with an architect or structural engineer before altering load-bearing walls. The walls generally are configured to transfer equal amounts of weight to the ground through wall studs. Cutting an opening into a load-bearing wall disturbs how the weight is distributed. An architect or structural engineer will determine the size of the beams needed to shift the weight above an opening to each side of it to prevent the wall from collapsing. You will probably need that type of information to get a building permit, which is usually required to make structural changes to a home.

Wall Removal

• You may want to remove a load-bearing wall to free up floor space in your home. In such cases, the wall must be replaced with a beam strong enough to carry the same weight as the wall. The beam may be installed below the ceiling or inside of it so that the beam isn’t visible. Temporary support columns must be installed to prevent the ceiling from collapsing during construction.

Materials

• The grade and type of wood or other materials used to build a load-bearing wall affect how the wall is constructed. For example, the span capacity of the lumber used to build a home’s upper level floor joists indicates where load-bearing walls need to be located. The span capacity is the distance that floor joists can safely run without added support beneath them. Lumber suppliers usually have floor joist tables available to help determine span capacity for various types of wood.