# Is this a load bearing wall?



## Psanoja (Jun 30, 2017)

Hi. I'm new here. Many thanks for accepting me into this forum. I'm working on a house a just bought. I'm tearing up a wall dividing two bedrooms, but I'm not 100 percent sure it is not a load bearing wall. 
There's not a wall directly underneath it, and it exists only to separate the two bedrooms--it does not continue beyond the room. I opened up the drywall in the wall and ceiling and saw studs in a frame under a beam. Opened up further and saw a perpendicular beam on top. See pictures. Can someone help me out to make a decision?


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## nealtw (Jun 30, 2017)

Welcome to the site.

No wall under is a good hint but not always proof.
The bigger question is what is above. sometimes roof structure can tie into walls even if it is not bearing and that would usually be easily dealt with.
usually the questions is about the floor joists or ceiling joists above if the ends land on this wall or if joists for two rooms join on the wall, then that would be bearing.

If the joists are running the other way you will see other lumber in some configuration that is only there to tie the wall in place and, or to provide backing for drywall.


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## slownsteady (Jun 30, 2017)

The pix are sort of disorienting, since we don't know for sure which way they should be turned...if they need to be turned at all. If you can't rotate them, lets us know which way to go and we will rotate them for you.


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## nealtw (Jun 30, 2017)

slownsteady said:


> The pix are sort of disorienting, since we don't know for sure which way they should be turned...if they need to be turned at all. If you can't rotate them, lets us know which way to go and we will rotate them for you.



click the bottom one one click to the right.


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## Psanoja (Jun 30, 2017)

Thank you for the reply. I don't see two beams joining on top of the wall, but I did see a beam resting (I'm not sure it is supported by the studs) on top of the wall. The roof is funky. It rises slightly from the outer wall to the middle. Then it drops in a 45 degree angle. The beam can be seen in one of the photos. Other than that, there's only insulation material.


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## nealtw (Jun 30, 2017)

Psanoja said:


> Thank you for the reply. I don't see two beams joining on top of the wall, but I did see a beam resting (I'm not sure it is supported by the studs) on top of the wall. The roof is funky. It rises slightly from the outer wall to the middle. Then it drops in a 45 degree angle. The beam can be seen in one of the photos. Other than that, there's only insulation material.



A strange shaped roof, can you get a photo of the attic area above this wall.


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## Psanoja (Jun 30, 2017)

There is no attic.


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## nealtw (Jun 30, 2017)

I think you may want a qualified person to look over your house.
Sorry but you don't know enough to give good answers to the questions. So we could get into big trouble.


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## Psanoja (Jun 30, 2017)

Thank you, anyway


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## slownsteady (Jun 30, 2017)

Neal's suggestion is a good one. But if you open up the ceiling some more and describe where that room is in relation to the house picture, we may be able to get a better idea of the situation


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## Snoonyb (Jul 1, 2017)

In post#1, what you have exposed does not indicate that that wall is bearing.

However, in post#7 where you say there is no attic, is the wall being removed travel from the exterior wall that the low sloped, (shed roof), rests upon, back into the room? If so how far?

Or is it further into the space and below the gable roof, which is behind the shed roof? Traveling across the space, parallel with the rise of the gable roof?


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## Wuzzat? (Jul 4, 2017)

The exterior walls are certainly load-bearing.  

In the space above the ceiling of the wall in question, run a very thin, very strong fishing line between the walls and at right angles to the center of the wall in question.  

If your wall is even partially load-bearing, this will be a high point with sagging on each side.  If no load-bearing, the greatest sag will be mid-span.

You may be looking for sags on the order of 1/32".  Run several lines to get an idea of the shape of this surface, which in no case will be perfectly flat.

The trick is, you don't want to be standing on the surface you're measuring.  Maybe get a small kid to check the sag.


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## slownsteady (Jul 4, 2017)

Wuzzat? said:


> Maybe get a small kid to check the sag.


Maybe get better advice....


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## Wuzzat? (Jul 4, 2017)

Wuzzat? said:


> The exterior walls are certainly load-bearing.
> 
> In the space above the ceiling of the wall in question, run a very thin, very strong fishing line between the walls and at right angles to the center of the wall in question.
> 
> ...




(Edited for palatability and risk-reduction).

You're OK, Slownsteady.  :thbup:
Most of the people I run into are not so OK.


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