Hi
I I do odd handyman and carpentry stuff for people, as time allows and so on, and have a fair amount of experience, with a number of diffrerent arreas. however I could still use some clarification on a number of things relating to this job.
The situation is that its a house that the owners say was built in the 1920s. The customer wants a wall (with an open doorway in it) ripped down between the kitchen andx the living room. at first I thought it would be no more4 than tearing off the sheet rock and ripping out a few studs. Boy was I wrong. I realized but looking at the framing of the cieling that the wall is load bearing. I havent opened up the wall yet but I assume its a beam running across with studs or those older 2 or 3 by six members coming down. also its plaster and lath not drywall. Here are some numbered questions.
1. If they dont want the beam to stay exposed, should the following be done: we cut both the beam and its overlapping joists and put blocking ( same dimensional lumber as joists) across cut ends of joists (on either side of wall) and attach them to joists outside of cut out wall area? Any other suggestions for blocking or support of cut joists?
2. is there some maximum span that can be cut out of a beam and still only use bocking (after which youd have to support by a beam placed above ieling level?)
3. in such supporting walls do the studs themselves bear much or any of the weight or can they pretty much just be cut out?
4. would it be adviseable to have some sort of not only blocking but vertical framing on either end of the wall thats been taken out ( ie. supporting doubled 2 x 4 studs or something even stronger) I realize this depends on whether we are going to cut the beam (if they want it invisible) or not. but even if we didnt cut the beam, would there still be some compensation we should try to make for the removed studs?
Thats all I can think of now. Thanks a lot,
Will
I I do odd handyman and carpentry stuff for people, as time allows and so on, and have a fair amount of experience, with a number of diffrerent arreas. however I could still use some clarification on a number of things relating to this job.
The situation is that its a house that the owners say was built in the 1920s. The customer wants a wall (with an open doorway in it) ripped down between the kitchen andx the living room. at first I thought it would be no more4 than tearing off the sheet rock and ripping out a few studs. Boy was I wrong. I realized but looking at the framing of the cieling that the wall is load bearing. I havent opened up the wall yet but I assume its a beam running across with studs or those older 2 or 3 by six members coming down. also its plaster and lath not drywall. Here are some numbered questions.
1. If they dont want the beam to stay exposed, should the following be done: we cut both the beam and its overlapping joists and put blocking ( same dimensional lumber as joists) across cut ends of joists (on either side of wall) and attach them to joists outside of cut out wall area? Any other suggestions for blocking or support of cut joists?
2. is there some maximum span that can be cut out of a beam and still only use bocking (after which youd have to support by a beam placed above ieling level?)
3. in such supporting walls do the studs themselves bear much or any of the weight or can they pretty much just be cut out?
4. would it be adviseable to have some sort of not only blocking but vertical framing on either end of the wall thats been taken out ( ie. supporting doubled 2 x 4 studs or something even stronger) I realize this depends on whether we are going to cut the beam (if they want it invisible) or not. but even if we didnt cut the beam, would there still be some compensation we should try to make for the removed studs?
Thats all I can think of now. Thanks a lot,
Will