Knocking down a basement wall, looking for advice as to whether the wall might be load bearing?
Question:My basement is currently separated into several smaller rooms and I'd like to open it up. Currently, there are 3 support jacks running perpendicular to the floor joists. The wall I want to remove also runs perpendicular (8 feet long). Is there a possibility that the wall may be load bearing? (perhaps actually supported by the 2x4s)? If I remove the drywall is there a way of determining this myself?
Answers:
The beam running down the center of your basement with the support jacks under it is the support. Any walls going sideways to this beam should not be supporting. Any support wall HAS to be made from 2X6 or bigger. When houses are built, all the have is the beam and the jacks in the basement. If all the beam and jacks are there, you should be able to rip out everything else in the basement.
the ones that have the supports are berring; the others may hold some support too so i suggest you get a professional to look so you dont end up with the house on your head
Your best bet is to ask a structural engineer to look at it. It will cost you a little money, but should be well worth it. If the wall is load bearing, then the house may collapse on top of you while you are knowcking it down. Even if there are no injuries, you run the risk of causing a huge amount of damage.
You need to look at which way the floor joists run. If the floor joists run the same way as the wall you wish to remove then it isn't load bearing
If it is load-bearing you will need to get a beam than can span the distance.
You will need to contact your local authorities to find what size it needs to be.
If it is in the middle of the basement it is most likely a support. My basement has the two outside foundation and a support all way down in middle except two doors to go back and forth from one side to the other. the best way to tell, see if it goes strait with the upper floor joists to hold them up. Queen Bee
If it has a wall, or even a wall with doorway on it (on the floor above) it's bearing.
Having said that, I have seen very few basement walls that are not load bearing. I your case, it SOUNDS like extra supports, and the wall that you want to remove, have been added to support a sagging platform. A platform that was insufficiently supported from the get go. Get ye to an architect, or better yet, a home builder. (this case scarcely requires an engineer).
Don't let albertaguy7 work on your house. All load bearing walls are not made of 2x6. There are a lot of load bearing walls made from 2x4s.
Any wall that is running parralel with the joists (running the same way as the joists ) should not be load bearing. About the only exception would be if the wall is located directly under the top of a staircase, then it may be load bearing. Walls that run at right angles to the joists ( accross the joists ) may or may not be load bearing. The beam with the jacks is definately load bearing.
You need to check what you have upstairs directly over the wall. If you have another long wall, the basement wall would be load bearing. If you have a fireplace threashold or a hot tub or something like that, the wall is load bearing. If you have some walls made out of 2x6 or cinder block and some made out of 2x4s, the 2x6 and block walls are probably load bearing and the 2x4 walls probably aren't.
You should check with your local building inspector or someone that knows the building codes in your area. If your joists are 2x8 or 2x10 or 2x12 the weight they can hold accross a span will be different for the size lumber. Someone that knows code should be able to tell you the span for each. Then you just need to measure the span from the outside walls to the supporting beams with jacks. If it's too long then walls inbetween the beam and the outside wall ( running accross the joists ) would be load bearing walls.
More Related Questions & Answers...