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Can I remove a wall?

3K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  timber 
#1 ·
For someone with framing knowledge; is a wall load-bearing only if it has dual header boards. I'm looking at removing a wall between our kitchen and a den/fireplace room to open it all up. I checked the rafters in the ceiling and they are running perpendicular to the wall over it, their strung on an interior midwall to an outside wall with the wall I want to remove laid in the middle. The wall has a single 2x4 header and it also travels only about 3/4 the way across and then does a 90 degree turn back torwards the outside wall(which is where the door is to go into the fireplace room). Its just a divider wall I think, can someone give me some advive on how to proceed. Thanks!
 
#2 ·
cant tell from just that discription. you can have a loadbearing wall with only 1 top plate, all the rage in green building to add more room for insulation. With truss they probably bear on the ends but you realy can tell someone how to look and see for sure, you have to look at the web design see if htey have bearing points coming down at the wall. In the 1/4 where the wall is not under the trusses are they the same? If so you are on the right track but still get a pro to look. How old is the house and do you have the plans?
 
#3 ·
they definately bear on the ends, but there are no trusses as in a webbed pre-built truss. This house was built in '59, it's an L-shaped ranch with hip roofs. When I go up into the attic I can see that, part of this wall is load-bearing because it holds the ends of the joists in our main living room and is the back of the home. But where the wall comes into the home ( at the inside crotch of the ''L'') this wall continues into the house forming the wall between the kitchen and the fireplace room,but at this point it's no longer holding the ends of the joists, but rather is running underneath a seperate set of joists that extend out to from the fireplace room which has it's own supporting wall at the back of that room being another seperate back of the house. The wall basically at this point is no longer supportive but divisional. Is this making any sense? I haven't found any plans as of yet. I may have to draw a sketch.
 
#7 ·
they don't splice going over the wall. Their single joists spanning 20ft. The wall that I want out is not directly centered under the joists either, it's actually 8ft. from one side and 12ft. (obviously) from the other. And yes I believe the rafters are stick- framed (Terminology?).
 
#8 ·
Even if they were not load bearing originally, they probably are by now due to sag. Looks up a span table and see if the ceiling joist are sized to go the whole width.

Also, is this a crawl space or slab? If crawlspace, go underneath and see if there is post and beam or other foundation below the wall in question.
 
#13 ·
with that wide of a ceiling span the wall is holding the ceiling joist up. If you took it out they would sag and maybe break:eek: I assue they are 2x6. You may be able to may them tie to the roof rafters with a ridge back and 2x4 teis but you are looking at something a pro. needs to see now.
 
#14 ·
Yeah, I'm thinking that span is too much. I'm going to check the size and check the chart, but I think we're going to remove the wall and put in a couple of pillars. We'll still have it open and they'll be functional as well as pretty cool looking. Thanks for all the imput, I did find the chart too, thanks!
 
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