How do u determine a "load bearing" wall in a house?
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Go into your loft and see where the wooden slats start and finish. If they run straight along the wall underneath without resting on it then it is not a load bearing wall. If however they rest above it and then the next room's wooden slats rest above it then it is a load bearing wall. I can't remember the proper name for the wooden slats, are they joists maybe but you'll know what i meant when you go into your loft.
You need to find the original plans for your house.
They should have been filed with your city when the house was built.
Generally load bearing walls are thicker than non-load bearing.
My advice is to speak to a builder.
Someone asking that probably wants to build a NEW wall, old plans will only tell you the prior loads. Don't take risks on this, ask a civil engineer or build rooms no bigger than what you already have with walls as strong as those you already have.
knock down a wall and if your house collapses in a heap then you have found it congratulations
better get advice from a builder
Knock out the top brick of the wall, if the bricks continue up then it's load bearing, If the brick you knocked out has no bricks above it then it's not.
If your roof falls in can I aver that this advice is not subject to authority other than what was inferred by the reader and the adviser is not responsible for any actions the reader might take heretofore or hereafter the posting of this aforementioned advice. terms and conditions apply. This posting is subject to contract. Thank you .. Good luck.
A load bearing wall ususally has the trussses of the rafters on it.
So if you was to move the wall that is carrying the roof, so to speak, your ceiling will drop some.
Another example:
Non bearing walls which a lot of interoir walls are don't really have anything on top of them. They may be nailed to a truss to keep them plumb, but the only thing they are really holding up is the sheetrock on your walls.
Therefore, look up in the attic to see if the wall you want to move has any real weight on.
But, still get someone that has worked the construction trade a little to look up there for you.
load bearing walls is usually where your fireplace is and if you are planning on removing it you will need lintels put in to support the upper parts.
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