Recognizing a Load-Bearing Wall
                        
                        
                            
                            
                                Written by Lee Wyatt (last updated March 6, 2020)
                                
                             
                            
                         
                     
                 
                
                
There are all kinds of reasons as to why you may want to knock down a wall or two in your home. However, if you accidentally knock out a load-bearing wall you can easily find yourself in a world of hurt. Load bearing walls are designed to hold the weight and stress of a building or home. If that support is removed, it only makes sense that the over time your home could very easily be susceptible to cracks, damage and warping. Recognizing a load-bearing wall before you begin doing your demolition can help you avoid all of these issues.
- Don't touch the exterior. A good rule of thumb is that exterior walls are going to be load bearing. The reason that this is a safe bet is that in just about every design the exterior walls are designed to hold the weight of the roof. If you do plan on doing any type of work on the exterior walls that requires you to move sections of it, be sure that you apply some additional support before you do the work. 
- Foundations are a good indicator. Go down to your basement and take a look to see if you can find the foundations, any concrete footers, or girders. If you do, look up. Any wall that is located above these items should be considered load bearing.
- Look at the rafters. See if you can find any rafters in your home, and look for any walls that may be underneath them. Of those walls that are underneath, those that run perpendicular to the rafters are going to be load bearing. It is usually done this way to help spread the weight of the roof out a bit more than just on the exterior walls.
- Support beams. Take a close look at the wall you are wondering about and see if there is a support beam either above it or below it. If there is, you may be faced with a load-bearing wall, so you should proceed with caution. 
- Look at the plans. If you can, take a look at the original plans for your home. These plans should have all load bearing walls clearly marked and should be easily identifiable. If you are involved directly with the construction, then ask the contractor to point out the load bearing walls to you.
Keep in mind that these are just guidelines for recognizing a load bearing wall. If you are not sure whether you have correctly identified the wall, or would like a second opinion, then you need to have a professional come and take a look at it for you.
                 
				
                    
                        
Author Bio
                    
                    Lee Wyatt
                    Contributor of numerous Tips.Net articles, Lee Wyatt is quickly becoming a regular "Jack of all trades." He is currently an independent contractor specializing in writing and editing. Contact him today for all of your writing and editing needs! Click here to contact. Learn more about Lee...
                    
                    							
								Removing Dye Stains from Countertops
								If you have ever used any kind of dye, then you know exactly how common it is for little accidents to happen. You also ...
								Discover More
							 							
								Installing Crown Molding
								Crown molding can be a wonderful architectural accent piece for any room. But what do you do if you don't have any, and ...
								Discover More
							 							
								Preparing Emails for Easy Organization
								Email has quickly become an important part of our daily lives, and an even more important part of our work lives. Since ...
								Discover More
							                 	 
                 
                
                
                    
	                    
	                        
More Home Improvement Tips
	                    
                     					
						Building a Glass Block Wall
						For those who would like to add something of a modern element to their homes, then what better way to do it than with a ...
						Discover More
					 					
						Fixing a Hole in a Wall
						Holes in a wall are ugly, nasty, and down right embarrassing. Here is how you can fix those holes, and be proud of your ...
						Discover More
					 					
						Glazing a Wall
						If you are looking to decorate your home and don't want to go with the traditional painting or wallpaper, what are your ...
						Discover More
					                  
					
Comments