Wall Removal Video

Before taking down a wall, be sure it is not a load bearing wall or a supporting wall. There are some clues that will assist you with your decision. But first, the adjoining wall is a bearing load. Why? In the next room, there is a big box on the ceiling. There is probably a big beam behind the beam. Therefore, the wall under the beam should be a load bearing wall.

Back in the other room, the big box covering the beam is not there. So the floor joists are probably running the opposite direct from the room with the beam. But that alone does not mean that the wall to be removed is a non-load bearing wall. Have to do some more checking. Check the floor above the wall to see if there is something on top of it.

In the room above the wall to be removed, there is nothing about that wall. More proof that is probably not a load bearing wall. More checking is still needed. If you have a set of blueprints for your house, check for a structural page, some times marked with an S in the title block. The blueprints will show the direction of the floor joists and the location of that support beam.

Since the floor joists are not located on top of that wall, it is not a support wall and it can be removed. One last check - use a stud finder to be sure the floor joists are running the direction as indicated in the blueprints.

If you are not sure after doing these checks, be sure to call a residential structural engineer. Don’t make a mistake and collapse you house. Check first and be sure.

Featured in the June 5, 2016 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.