Load bearing wall(s)

[Hamberg]

1.5 story Cape design, slab on grade home. Scouring the internet and not finding anything definitive on how to determine which (if any) interior walls are bearing.

Floor plan attached, which only serves to muddy which one I would think "should be" load bearing...

 

[Sparky617]

Crawlspace, slab or basement? Which way do the rafters run, or do you have roof trusses? Interior walls that run parallel to the joists are generally non-load bearing walls. If you have a crawlspace or basement, there is likely a center load bearing beam that the first floor joists rest on, the wall above those will be load bearing as well.

 

[Hamberg]

@Sparky617 - slab on grade, no crawlspace. Gabel roof peaks front to back - rafters run front to back. Built in the 50's, stick, no trusses, no center support. I understand this is specific to the Cape style homes I have to think there is something supporting the roof and 2nd floor other than the outer walls!?

 

[Sparky617]

If you can get into the attic, the ceiling joists are likely overlapped on the bearing wall. If your joists run front to back the bearing walls are going to run side to side. Since you house is stick-built and older, you don't likely have trusses so the span of the floor joists is going to be limited 12' or so without a bearing wall or beam.

 

[Hamberg]

@Sparky617 - Cape style home so there isn't an attic (per se). There is access to the eaves, and you can see the roof structure/rafters and the 2nd floor support but cant see were the load is transferred to the 1st floor.

 

[Sparky617]

@Sparky617 - Cape style home so there isn't an attic (per se). There is access to the eaves, and you can see the roof structure/rafters and the 2nd floor support but cant see were the load is transferred to the 1st floor.

Your ceiling/floor joists are likely no longer than 12' depending on the depth of the joists. From your plans it does not appear that there is a wall that runs side to side for the entire width of the house at the midpoint. You may have a flush beam running side to side on your house in line with the closets and the front of your fireplace. I'm not an engineer, and don't play one on TV, but that would be my guess. Assuming you don't have a beam below the ceiling. You could confirm this with a stud finder.

 

[bud16415]

My thoughts are from what I can see in the photos and pick up off the floor plan the original house was built to a rectangle footprint and at some later date the garage and back entry bump out were added along with the covered area.

The structure of the main house roof is load bearing on the outside walls but the second floor load is hard to tell if the floor joists are supported in part by the internal walls.



In the 50s just about anything went and your home could have likely been owner built.

If you are planning on removing and or moving walls I would say you need to remove the plaster/wall board and ceiling covering and see what is going on.

 

[Hamberg]

...If you are planning on removing and or moving walls I would say you need to remove the plaster/wall board and ceiling covering and see what is going on.

All spec homes in this neighborhood that have been added to over the years - this one is stock/original!

Heading over to remove some drywall to get a better look - will keep you posted.

 

[BvilleBound]

Our previous Cape home, era 1950, had two floors plus a walk-out basement. During a remodel, I found two 'king studs' on the first floor that helped to support the upper floor. These king studs were four 2x's nailed together. They were easy to locate because they were directly above steel lolly pole supports in the basement.

 

[Sparky617]

Our previous Cape home, era 1950, had two floors plus a walk-out basement. During a remodel, I found two 'king studs' on the first floor that helped to support the upper floor. These king studs were four 2x's nailed together. They were easy to locate because they were directly above steel lolly pole supports in the basement.

He's on a slab.

 

[Eddie_T]

A bit off topic but with the price of studs three stud corners can save a few bucks.

 

[Sparky617]

A bit off topic but with the price of studs three stud corners can save a few bucks.
View attachment 27480

At the price of lumber these days it could add up.

 

[bud16415]

A bit off topic but with the price of studs three stud corners can save a few bucks.
View attachment 27480

I don’t think many stick frame and build a corner anymore. They build a wall flat and tip it up. Getting corners like you show.