House Project - Is this wall Load Bearing or No?

[Angus]

I'm opening up a wall this weekend and I don't believe it's load bearing. Currently, the wall separates the original garage from the rest of the house. Above the garage and this wall is just a pitched roof. I don't have attic access to see, but the second story attic is trusses, i am assuming this section is as well. The wall runs east/west and so do the ceiling joists/trusses.

From the outside, there is no change in roof above the wall, the second story starts about 6 feet over from it. Under the wall is the edge of the basement. (again, this wall separated interior from garage). Above the current door way sized opening in the wall, there is no header above it.

What does the TCG homeowner/framers/architects say?

Here's a pic of the wall in question I had on my phone...

Click to read more...

 

[daturbosix]

strip the drywall off and see whats behind it?!
or you might have to talk to a architect

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

Exactly. you really wont be 100% sure unless you have blueprints or rip off the drywall.

get that hammer out

 

[sickmint79]

make this a poll

let TCG decide whether to knock down this wall or not

 

[ktraver97ss]

I would be extremely hesitant with it originally being an exterior wall. Get someone over there with experience to take a look at it and prob cut some holes to take a look.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

play it safe and knock it down but put up a stripper pole

 

[FESTER665]

I would just frame it out like it were load bearing if you don't want to have someone look at it. I've never thought to myself "man, that wall is too well built!"

 

[Stink Star]

Yea, worst case just throw up a couple of LVLs bolted together and brace the shit out of the ends, that way if it is load bearing it's all good

 

[Blood on Blood]

Agree, this thread needs to have a poll.

 

[Bruce Jibboo]

Poll or not only one way to find out

 

[Pewter-Camaro]

Take down the drywall above that opening and see how that is framed or post pictures of it.

 

[SMRTSS1]

Call an architect and/or a carpenter to be safe. Since you said it separated the original garage from the house there's a chance it does have some load bearing capabilities but you'll have to take out some drywall and investigate to be sure regardless. With the second story being 6 feet away there's a chance it's not load bearing but I doubt having a second floor join the first with a crash is high on your priority list. Even if it is load bearing the worst that you'd need is a beam and a header done and you'll probably need a permit for any work including knocking down the wall.

 

[EmersonHart13]

Need to see framing. My gut is yes

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

When in doubt, cut it out.

 

[Angus]

Got it opened up. The studs are loose, I can just push one out.

 

[Angus]

And that's a return vent in the middle there at the corner of the wall and floor. Just found out that the floor and carpet are cut open for that. Will be an easy plywood patch, but now I have a hole in the carpet to try and figure out.

 

[10thSVT_03]

You can always add a header for piece of mind.

 

[EmersonHart13]

That's a lot of studs, all loose?

 

[LoveSpank]

I would ask an engineer better to be safe than sorry

 

[LoveSpank]

I would ask an engineer better to be safe than sorry

Awful lot of studs for such a short span

I would just frame it out like it were load bearing if you don't want to have someone look at it. I've never thought to myself "man, that wall is too well built!"

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

im going to guess a header runs the whole wayif that was an exterior wall at some point the stud count makes sense. my bet is to the right of that door opening is a column and possibly midway down that wall is probably another duo/trio of studs before youll find the old corner shear panel.

is there a door opening to the right of that door? possibly with about 6-10" between the jambs? shove an awl through and see if you can tink it against steel....if there's a column there its game on, just put a duo/trio at the left end and open er up. if you find the actual header above that upper framing you can clear span it at the cieling without needing the cosmetic dropdown/soffit

 

[FESTER665]

Take out the drywall all the way to the top, want to see if there's a double top plate on it....

Personally I would frame it out like its load bearing just to be sure, especially if you're not concerned with there being a small piece of wall touching the ceiling...

 

[Angus]

Got access (made access...) up into the attic space above. All trusses spanning parallel, both sides of this wall. Top plate runs right along bottom of a truss. There's no weight on it.

Going to put in a 6x header anyways as its the easiest option for framing it with the drywall still hanging from the ceiling.

 

[Primalzer]

 

[Angus]

Take out the drywall all the way to the top, want to see if there's a double top plate on it....

Personally I would frame it out like its load bearing just to be sure, especially if you're not concerned with there being a small piece of wall touching the ceiling...

Single top plate.

Crappy pano from up in the attic. Right below that white wire in the top plate, so you can see the truss this wall runs under.