I got a small pantry,it has two walls,how can i tell if they are supporting walls?
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If there is a continuous wall in the area that happens to tie into one of the pantry walls then it could be part of the load bearing system. It sounds like you might want to make the pantry larger or perhaps turn it into a pass through. The good news is that even if it is load bearing, you can install a support header and do as you wish. Of course you should have someone with experience help you with this but I have removed load bearing walls over 16' long using temporary support and installed beams to distribute the load elsewhere with no adverse conditions. Of course there were calculations and permits. Back to your pantry, I seriously doubt that your pantry is supporting much. Load bearing walls are usually continuous and longer than that which one might find in a pantry. If one of them is, it will be part of a longer wall section (and in a two story will have a wall directly over it to carry the load as well) and in that case the shorter wall is probably safe to remove (this refers to length not height).
Get hands on advice from a local contractor with free estimates (you dont have to give him the work just pick his brain) and good luck
see which way the joists are running along the ceiling of downstairs and the supporting walls are the ones that run in the opposite direction
knock em down and listen for creaks.
support walls are brick, interior walls which are non loadbearing are made of palsterboard or breeze blocks...
follow wall upstairs. If the wall above is a concrete wall then it is a supporting wall.
If the wall above it is just plasterboard then it isnt.
Knock them down! Only joking. Check in your bedrom or loft to see which way you joist are laid. if in opposite direction to the walls they are supporting walls.
The one way I know of is to look in the attic and see which way the Joists run, if the wall is running with the joists is not, if the joists rest on the wall in any spot then the wall is supporting it.
Wish there was a way to do diagrams on here
You can also try www.diynetwork.com for your home help
tap the walls.if its hard as rock leave well alone if not knock it down.
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