framing, expanding wall opening wall - load bearing? - DIY Chatroom

nave · 01-22-2008, 08:44 PM

I am expanding a 4ft opening in a wall to 8ft for a wider pass through. If the wall is not load bearing (as suspected) I'll just frame it in with 2x4's above & below. However, when I took out part of the sheet rock, i found that there is a 2x6 header above the current 4ft opening, however, there are no trim studs supporting it! They are merely just nailed into the king studs.

At first I was worried that the header indicated a load bearing wall but not now since there are no trim studs supporting it. So it can't be load bearing right? Can someone give advise on if this header is an indication of a load bearing wall even though its improperly framed? When I frame in the new opening about 8ft wide I was just going to use a 2x4 with cripple studs across the top.

I haven't looked at the ceiling joists yet, but this wall is an interior wall on middle level of a 3 story townhome and there are no walls above or beneath it, so I do not suspect it is load bearing. - pics attached

redline · 01-22-2008, 09:38 PM

Which way do the ceiling joists run above this section?

redline · 01-22-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nave

... however, there are no trim studs supporting it! They are merely just nailed into the king studs.

There seems to be jack (trim) studs you just have not removed the drywall enough to reveal them.

nave · 01-23-2008, 12:03 AM

thanks for the quick reply redline.
I peeled back the drywall a bit more to see if there were jack studs and attached a new pic. It looks like there are no jack studs supporting that header, which spans about 4 feet. What do you make of that?

In another part of the home, the joists are perpendicular to this wall so I assume they are in this area too. So that doesn't help much in determining if its load bearing or not. But with no jack studs on that header, and no walls above or below this wall on other floors, I'm thinking its not load bearing, and when I expand the window, I can just frame it in with 2x4's.

Thanks for your reply.

**AtlanticWBConst.** · 01-23-2008, 10:02 AM

Please realize, that just because there is no structural header in that location, does not necessarily mean that there shouldn't be.
Houses can be improperly butchered over time, by previous home owners or unqualified people that they hired.

If you are positive that this is not a load bearing wall...then great.

(BTW: The supporting stud in a structural header is called a "Jack Stud")

Good Luck on your project.

nave · 01-23-2008, 05:44 PM

I took off all the drywall to see the header with no jack studs. There are no joists perpendicular to this wall but there are 2x4's running perpendicular to it with angled supports as joists. What are these things???? What is their span?

No jack studs on that header make me think its not load bearing. Plus, no walls above or below it on other levels. But it does run perpendicular to the constructed beams.

Planning on enlarging this window and framing it in simply with 2x4's if its not load bearing. If its load bearing, I'll have to use a proper header.