How to Identify Load Bearing Walls
Load bearing walls are part of the structural system of your home. The weight of the roof and upper flooring, such as in your attic, is distributed downward. Load bearing walls support this weight, transferring it to the foundation. Removing a load bearing wall or otherwise altering its structure may result in damage to the infrastructure of your home. Inspect your home to identify potential load bearing walls if your next project includes removing walls or altering them in any way. Always consult with a structural engineer before proceeding to ensure you do not damage your home. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Go into the basement of your home. Look at the ceiling of the basement and note the direction of the floor joists. Floor joists are the wood planks or beams that are laid on edge and run parallel to one another. The joists may run north to south or east to west.
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Note the location of support columns in the basement. Walls located above these columns are likely to be load bearing walls.
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Go to the main floor of your home. Walls running perpendicular to the floor joists may be load bearing walls. If the floor joists run north to south, walls running east to west may be load bearing walls.
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Check the joists in the attic. These joists should run parallel to the floor joists in the basement. Any wall in the home that is distinctly perpendicular to joists in both the basement and attic is likely a load bearing wall.
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Return to the main floor of your home. Note any architectural beams that run perpendicular to the joists in the basement and attic, such as archways or entryways. Adjacent walls should be considered load bearing walls.
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Look at the walls in the second and third stories of your home. Walls sitting directly above walls on the main floor are likely candidates for load bearing responsibilities.
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Note that some walls that may not fit these basic criteria may also be load bearing walls. They may contain interior support beams or other forms of structure that are integrated into the overall structural support of the house.
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Assume any wall adjacent to the exterior of the home is a load bearing wall. These walls are the "surrounding" walls, the walls which, though interior, back up to the exterior of the home.
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Tips & Warnings
Load bearing walls may be removed if another form of support is used to distribute the weight. Consult a professional for this type of project.
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