Load Bearing Walls

Dealing with load bearing walls is not uncommon during certain basement renovations.

Example: If you want to turn two small rooms into one bigger room . Then you might have deal with load bearing walls.

Span

The wider the opening span the stronger the beam has to be in order to support the structure above it.

Example: For an 8’, opening you will need a beam made of two 2x12s and a piece of 1/2 inchplywood in between. (Refer to the picture below).

One has to take into consideration what is behind the drywall of load bearing walls or any wall for that matter.

Before starting to remove any walls and after removing the drywall, You might have to re-route the electrical wiring or plumbing lines.

1) Remove the wall surface to expose the framing members.

2) Re-route the electrical wiring and/or plumbing lines as necessary. (Make sure to disconnect the power to the circuit before you work on the electrical wiring).

Building the supporting wall.

Before you remove the suds off the load bearing wall, you must build a supporting wall to avoid the ceiling from sagging or even collapsing.

1) Measure width of planned rough opening and add 4ft.for the supporting beam.

Example: If the rough opening of the load bearing wall is 8ft. The supporting beam should be 12ft. To reach well past the planed rough opening.

2) Measure from the ceiling to the floor and cut seven 2x4s to that measure less 5 inches for the up right studs.

3) Cut three 2x4s by twelve feet long for the top and bottom plates.

4) Nail two top plates to one end of the studs and one bottom plate to the other end. (Place the studs at 24” on center).

5) Cover the top of the top plate with old carpet or rugs to protect the ceiling finish.

6) Raise the wall and place it three feet from the planned rough opening to leave enough working room. Shim the wall at the bottom until it is snug against the ceiling.

7) Remove enough studs to fit a 9ft plus one inch beam and line up the center of the beam to the center of the rough opening with the beam on its edge against the wall. Note: Do not remove the top and bottom plates of the load bearing wall yet.

8) Make a mark on the bottom plate at both ends of the beam. Nail two king studs one on each side of the rough opening so that the beam will fit between these two studs.

9) Measure the distance between the top of the beam and the desired height of the rough opening and add ½’’.

10) Cut two jack studs and nail them to the inside of the king studs so that the beam will rest Level on the jack studs.

11) If the beam is going to fit across the top plate, notch the top corners of the beam to fit between the top plate and the jack studs. (Cut the notch 1/8’’ bigger so that you can fit the beam without having to use a heavy hammer.

12) With a helper, place the beam on top of the jack studs. Level and shim the beam up as needed to snug it against the top plate.

13) Nail the beam to the king stud with a minimum of four nails to each 2x12.

14) Nail three more jack studs to the king stud on each side of the rough opening for good support. Note: After the studs are in place, the rough opening will be eight feet and one inch

15) Toe nail the studs to the beam and bottom plate

16) Cut the bottom plate flush with the last stud on each side.

Finally, refer to “How to hang drywall”. To install the drywall.

Refer to “how to finish drywall” to prepare the wall for paint.

Tom.

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