advice needed: structural/contruction house question

[smokinreefer]

hey all,

i'm wanting to do a litte more renos on my house...

i've got a wall dividing my kitchen, living/dining areas...

i'm hoping i can take most of it down, but unsure if it is a structural support wall...

is there anyhting to look for that would tell me if it is?

or anyone want to swing by and take a look for me?

[Static]

in most of the older rectangular houses there was one bearing wall near the middle of the house running paralle to the longest outside walls.

Some things to look for:

Is there a wall directly underneath it? If there's not then it's very unlikely that it is a bearing wall. Of course if it's on the ground floor then instead of a wall underneath there will be a footing/foundation.

Does the wall run the length of the house. On a bearing wall it will usually run the length of the house, and any openings (doors etc) will have a header (2 2x8's or 2x10's) above it, supporting that span. A non bearing wall will often just have a 2x4 frame around the door.

I'm not a profesional carpenter, but I like diy projects.

Good luck,

Myles

[StirCrazy]

best way to tell is to see what way the rafters above it run, if it runs in the same direction so it isn't supporting the celing beems then it is not a load bearing wall, if it is run so the rafter beams all run across it then it is a load bearing wall and would have to be replaced by a enginered beam to continue to suport the roof.

Steve

[Old Guy]

Hey Shao,

Are you off on Sunday? I could swing by. Give me a call.

Jeff

[smokinreefer]

havent gotten a chance to see the rafters, the attic has loose insulation covering them, i've yet to get some boards that i can use to make a 'walkway' if you get what i mean.

hey jeff, unfortunatly i have to work tomorrow. if by chance i get off early i'll give you a shout.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by smokinreefer

havent gotten a chance to see the rafters, the attic has loose insulation covering them, i've yet to get some boards that i can use to make a 'walkway' if you get what i mean.

if you open the access and take a look at the inside of the roof you will see the way the trusses are laied out.. the roof rafters will run the same way as the truss as they are part of the truses.

if you take a look at this page the bottom part of the truss is your roof rafter. so you will be able to see this with out moving any insulation or even getting any more of your body into the atic than your head.

http://www.cwc.ca/products/trusses/shapes.php

Steve