Safety first—always make sure a wall is not load-bearing before removing it
There is nothing quite like opening the door to a spacious and inviting open-concept home—but if you’re looking to open up the layout in your home, you’ll want to know how to tell if a wall is load-bearing.
As you probably already know, not all walls are created equal. Some walls serve a structural function, which could throw a wrench in your remodeling plans. Learn more about load-bearing walls and how to identify them in your home before starting a demolition project.
A load-bearing wall supports the weight of a building and distributes it from the roof, through the floors, and then down to the foundation. In contrast, a non-load-bearing wall is only responsible for holding itself up, which makes removing a non-load-bearing wall (also called a "curtain wall").
Scarily enough, it is possible to bring down the entire house by removing just one load-bearing wall. This is why most professionals would advise against DIY demolition plans, including tearing down walls, if you are unsure whether it’s load-bearing or not.
"If you are removing a load-bearing wall, it’s best to consult with a structural engineer," says Bob Tschudi, Angi Expert Review Board member and general contractor in Raleigh, North Carolina. "They will not only identify structural components to the house, but specify what is needed to support that load, including concrete piers in the crawlspace and the proper support, such as a laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams."
A few different characteristics make a wall load-bearing. If a wall has a beam, column, or other wall directly below it or following its same path or has purlin bracing attached to the top of it, it is a load-bearing wall. Walls that are more than 6 inches thick are typically load-bearing, too.
It is marked with an “S” on the original blueprints
It has a beam, column, or other wall directly below it or following its exact path.
It has purlin bracing attached to it.
If the floor joist boards run perpendicular to each other at a 90-degree angle, it might be load-bearing.
It is likely load-bearing if it is perpendicular to the ceiling joists.
If a wall is thicker than 6 inches, it is likely load-bearing.
Thinking about knocking down a wall to open up a small kitchen or adding a play area in the living room for the kids? While a professional should confirm it, here’s how to tell if a wall is load-bearing.
Spotting a load-bearing wall can be more difficult in some houses than others. If you have the original blueprints, however, you are in luck. Locate walls marked with an "S" on the plans. The "S" stands for structural and indicates a load-bearing wall.
You can also check the blueprints for purlin bracing—horizontal beams used for structural support—attached to the walls.
Floor joists span the length of your foundation or basement walls to support the flooring on your first floor. If you have a second floor, another set of floor joists rests on the first-floor walls to support the above flooring.
Look at the direction of the floor joist boards compared to the wall you wish to remove. The wall is likely not load-bearing if they both run parallel in the same direction. If they run perpendicular to each other at a 90-degree angle, there is a good chance the wall is load-bearing. However, there are exceptions to this rule, so don’t rely 100% on this method.
The structure of a home can be a lot to understand if you’re not a professional. To ensure you know what you’re looking for, you can read up on the difference between joists and beams.
Similar to checking the floor joists, check the direction of the ceiling joists. If there are no floor joists above a room to support the ceiling, ceiling joists exist to support ceiling drywall and lighting.
If the wall in question is perpendicular to the ceiling joists, it is likely load-bearing and provides support for the ceiling joists. If your ceiling joists are covered by drywall, you might be able to view them from inside the attic, or you may need to remove a small portion of your drywall to get a glance.
If the roof of your home is made of trusses, roof rafters take the place of the ceiling joists. Check for walls that sit directly beneath these roof rafters, as they are likely load-bearing walls.
From the basement or crawlspace, which are the closest points to your home’s foundation, notice the load-bearing walls, usually located directly above a foundation or slab and connected to the foundation. You’ll want to look closely at your basement's support beams to help determine if a wall is load-bearing.
"In the middle of the building are several foundational piers. Piers are required to be installed under a structural wall, so this is a good way to determine if a wall is structural," says Tschudi. "The load of the structural wall is supported by a pier, and below that pier is a much wider concrete footing."
More often than not, exterior walls are load-bearing. Exterior walls that make up the perimeter of a home support the walls, floors, and ceilings above. In some cases, the entire wall might not be load-bearing; instead, several spaced-out columns support the weight of the home, but this is very rare.
The wall itself could give clues as to whether or not it is load-bearing, like the material it is made out of. For example, a masonry wall is more than likely load-bearing, as the material is strong and would not be used otherwise.
You can also check directly below the wall in question for a support structure. If there is a framed wall, support columns, or jack posts directly beneath the wall in the basement or crawlspace, it is, without a doubt, load-bearing.
Also, in most cases, load-bearing walls are stacked on top of each from the first floor to the second floor. If a wall is load-bearing on the first floor and another wall is located in the exact location on the second floor, or vice versa, it is likely load-bearing.
A wall’s thickness can also indicate if it is load-bearing. If a wall is thicker than six inches, it is likely load-bearing.
Headers above doors and windows will help support the structure and redistribute weight from the floor above to the window or door. If a substantial header is installed above a door or window, you can usually assume that particular wall is load-bearing.
It's not always possible to recognize a load-bearing wall yourself, especially when floor joists and beams sit behind drywall and are not visible to be assessed, so take the guesswork out of the project and consult with a professional to determine load-bearing walls and inspect your house before any demolition begins. You can hire a local structural engineer to inspect your walls, determine the project's feasibility, and provide a safe work plan for a contractor near you to follow.
A load-bearing wall can usually be removed, but it is a significant undertaking, and you need to educate yourself on how to remove it before approaching the task.
Before you start, consider the maximum opening you can put in a load-bearing wall to ensure you are within the proper range. Then, the load the wall previously held up must be transferred to another structural member. In most cases, a substantial beam is positioned in the location of the load-bearing wall to take on the load.
This beam is not just any beam, however. It needs to be correctly sized by a structural engineer and properly installed to not affect the home's structural integrity.
The project involves building a temporary support wall, removing the load-bearing wall, installing the beam, removing the temporary wall, and fixing drywall and trim along the way. If any mechanical, electrical, or plumbing utilities are in the way of the beam, they must be re-routed.
The cost to remove a load-bearing wall ranges from $1,000 to $3,000 for a single-story home and increases to $3,000 to $10,000 for homes with more than one level. At a minimum, the project will include the cost of labor, removal of the load-bearing wall, and installation of the structural beam. Unforeseen costs can creep in, increasing the overall price, like re-routing utilities, mold removal, repair, etc.
Yes, a one-story house can have a load-bearing wall. The load-bearing walls in a single-story home are usually the exterior walls. If the house has a basement with exposed walls, the arrangement of the beams can help indicate what walls are load-bearing.
Yes, walls on the top floor can be load-bearing if stacked on the floor’s foundation.
Most load-bearing walls are exterior, though they can also be interior.
