Temporary support for joists whiler removing load bearing wall
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Temporary support for joists whiler removing load bearing wall
I am enlarging my front door, so I need to temporarily support the joists while I do this. Is there any special things that would need to be done. Its a 2 story house and it has a basement below the area I am supporting. Also I would be supporting the wall on top of tile. Is there any way to spread the weight over the tile so that I dont risk craking any?
#2
Depends. How big is it now, and how much are you enlarging it? Which way do the ceiling joists run? Parallel with the wall the door is in, or perpendicular to it? Is the wall the door is in a gable wall, or are there roof trusses or rafters sitting on the same wall? A little more info would help.
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The door is currently 32 inch and I'm installing a 36inch door. So the headers going to be about 48 inches. The ceiling joints are perpendicular to this wall. It is not a gable wall so the rafters are sitting on the. This is on the first level there is a second level then the attic. Also the house was built in 1920 so it has balloon framing.
#4
Since it has balloon framing, you probably have nothing to worry about... but it would be possible that since the ceiling joists are nailed to the sides of the studs, that they would benefit from some support.
Lay a 2x6 on the tile as a sill plate, and use a 2x4 as a top plate, at a minimum, span the joists that will be alongside any studs you have to cut. You probably only have to use 2 studs to post each end, but 3 won't hurt.
I'm sure that whatever you do will be more substantial than what is currently there. You might find that your trimmer studs (under the header on each side) will be difficult to install if they have nothing to sit on (no sill plate at floor level) and go way down below the floor joists. To get them tight and properly support the header you might need to two-piece them.
Lay a 2x6 on the tile as a sill plate, and use a 2x4 as a top plate, at a minimum, span the joists that will be alongside any studs you have to cut. You probably only have to use 2 studs to post each end, but 3 won't hurt.
I'm sure that whatever you do will be more substantial than what is currently there. You might find that your trimmer studs (under the header on each side) will be difficult to install if they have nothing to sit on (no sill plate at floor level) and go way down below the floor joists. To get them tight and properly support the header you might need to two-piece them.