Sturctural Load Bearing Walls

Granted there is no for sure answer but...once a wall is exposed to the studs is there a quick way to tell if the wall is Load bering or not..

 

All stick walls look the same. It may look flimsy, but it could be loadbearing.

You must look at the structure above the wall.

Dick

 

If you have a basement with a center support beam and this wall occurs above above that beam, either parallel or perpendicular with the floor joists, it could be load bearing.

If your house is single story, in the attic, if the ceiling joists continue over it, end over it, are spliced over it, or you have roof bracing landing on it, It's a bearing wall. If the ceiling joist are parallel with the wall and you have roof bracing landing on it, It's a bearing wall.

If there is a 2nd floor above the wall, you have two options. You can remove a section of ceiling on both sides of the wall to determine if the 2nd floor, floor joists, cross it or end over it. If so, Its load bearing. Or you can use a stud finder to determine the location and direction of the joists.

Here is a link that should be of assistance;
http://www.awc.org/pdf/WCD1-300.pdf

 

khen1005,

Regardless of the information given, I suggest getting someone who has knowledge of construction to assist you in determining what is or is not load bearing.

This is not time to make guesses or assumptions.

Good Luck!

 

Like Doug said, get a contractor or an inspector to look at it, and tell you for sure. From what you have told us, any answer wheather it is or isn't, would be only a guess. This is no time to guess.