If you are thinking about renovating your house, you could be thinking about removing a wall or two. It is important to identify a load-bearing wall before you begin your project. At Honest Renovations, we have lots of experience with load-bearing walls, and will explain what a load-bearing wall is, what it does, tips on how you can identify one, and more in this post!

What Are Load-Bearing Walls?

First, a load-bearing wall (also known as a bearing wall) is a wall that is critical to the structural support of the rest of your house. They help transfer the wall load, bearing the weight from the roof, through the walls, and down to the foundation of your house.

Load-bearing walls will exist on every floor of your house, often right on top of one another. This is because loads (the weight) are transferred from one level to another, meaning that the framing posts holding up your room on the top floor are redistributing the weight down to the first floor and foundation of your house.

Removing a load-bearing wall can cause serious structural issues to your home both in the short and long term. To ensure that you do not remove a load-bearing wall, it is important to know how to identify which wall is load-bearing and which is not.

The Structure of Load-Bearing Walls

If you remove a piece of the ceiling or, even better, look at the blueprints to your building, you should be able to see the layout of your walls and floor joists. This provides crucial information to determine what are bearing walls.

When the wall runs parallel to the floor joists above (they run the same way), the load is typically not load-bearing. If the wall runs perpendicular to the floor joists (meaning they run the opposite way), the wall is likely load-bearing and is redistributing the weight from above it.

Another way to tell is by looking at the floor joists. Typically, if the floor joists do not span entirely across the wall, it may be load-bearing. This is not a certain determinant in whether walls are bearing the weight of your house or not. It is best to consult a structural engineer to determine what walls are load-bearing.

Exterior Walls

Exterior walls are the outermost walls of a building. Typically, exterior walls are load-bearing because they support the roof of your house. Think of it this way – what are the first walls that are built during construction? Exterior walls’ posts are always built into the foundation of your home to support the roof that is constructed on top.

While some outer walls may not be completely load-bearing, parts of them are still used to support the structural integrity of your house.

How To Tell If A Wall Is Load Bearing

If you have an interior design or renovation project that you would like to take on, there is a chance you are wondering how to know if a wall is a load-bearing wall or not. Unless you are familiar with home construction and structures, it is a good idea to contact a professional builder or structural engineer. They can easily help you determine which are load-bearing walls and which are not.

Open Your Wall To Inspect The Trusses

A great way to figure out if a wall is load-bearing is to remove the drywall so you can see the wood beams. This may not be possible for everyone, but if you are renovating several rooms in your home.

When the wall is open, you can look at the beams ceiling/floor joists above it are perpendicular to the walls. If the joists are parallel to the wall, then it is non-load bearing and the wall could be removed.

Take a Trip To Your Attic

You can figure out the structure of your walls without needing to tear up your ceiling! If you have an attic, you can easily figure out what point of your wall is structurally important.

Your attic will allow you to look at every beam in your ceiling. This is important because a beam can tell a lot about each wall. If a beam has braces from the rafters of your attic, this is a tell-tale sign that the wall would be holding the weight of your building.

Go Underneath Your Home

You can identify a structurally important wall through your unfinished basement just as you would a ceiling. Visit your basement or crawlspace to inspect your floor’s joists without needing to rip it up. You can see if there is a wall or other supporting infrastructure (beam, column, jack posts, etc) that are directly below and following the wall above.

Just like load-bearing walls, a beam or jack post is bearing wall load sent from your roof to your floor.

Before Opening Up Your Space, Call A Professional

Load-bearing walls play an important role in ensuring that your home is structurally sound, but they can be difficult to point out in your home. If you want to determine if a wall is holding the weight of your home, it may be best to hire a structural engineer’s services. This is especially true if you want to remove a load bearing wall.

When it comes to transforming your home, there are many benefits of a finished basement. An unfinished basement can feel cold and uninviting whereas a fully finished basement can be welcoming and a nice chill space for you and your family. Creating a finished basement can be tricky, but it’s worth it to get that home office, extra bedroom or secondary living room.

For residents in Hamilton, Ontario, homes with finished basements are a hot-ticket item and learning how finishing a basement can positively impact the value of your home can help when it comes to selling. Taking on a project that helps finish your basement can help you lower your living costs and helps you invest your income long-term. The benefits of a finished basement are endless, but these top reasons may make you decide to take the plunge and contact trusted basement finishing professionals.

1. Gives You Extra Space

The main benefit of a fully finished basement is the extra storage space you’ll get. Finishing your basement allows you to use the space in your basement for storing various items you may not use year-round. By finishing your basement, your adding room and creating a functional space in your basement that you’ll want to spend time in. You could even put up walls and add a new bedroom to increase space in your upper levels too, which could help you earn extra income.

2. Reduces Your Energy Bill

Another one of the main benefits of a finished basement is that it adds insulation and warms your cold basement in a short timeframe, which ultimately reduces your overall costs. If you currently have a concrete floor in your basement, consider the benefits of putting tiling, vinyl, laminate, carpeting or other great basement flooring options down. In terms of added insulation, a new floor can help keep you comfortable and lower the energy bill in your home.

3. A Finished Basement is Versatile

Finishing a basement is a great way to add additional rooms in your home that you can use for a multitude of reasons. You could use your new basement as a storage space, workout space, or you could finish your basement and utilize the area as a large new master bedroom. Many people are using the extra space in their finished basement as a home office or a recreation room for their family to spend time in. Finished basements are one of the most versatile spaces in any home and having a space that can transform into a variety of spaces will ultimately add value to your home.

4. A Nice Space To Spend time

When you create a beautiful living space in your finished basement you create a cozy atmosphere and a great place to spend time with your family. Basements are a place people want to watch movies or for children to play. An unfinished basement can get in the way of spending quality time with your family and taking advantage of the added space can help you make the most out of your property. Creating a functional area in your basement that adds value to your home and makes you want to spend time in basements.

5. Increases your Home value

The best benefit of taking on a basement renovation project for homeowners is the value that gets added to your home. Finishing your basement is an easy way to increase the value of your property and many buyers are looking for homes that specifically have finished basements. Completing any renovation is a great investment for homeowners but working to finish your basement or add an extra room may be the best route to take if you’re looking to seriously up the value of your home.

Reaping The Benefits Of A Finished Basement

When it comes to basements, you need trusted professionals who help take your unfinished basement and turn it into a great space by adding high-quality details to transform your living space. Simple things like adding insulation, creating an extra room or building a new storage area can add value to your home and positively impact your life. When it comes to working on your basement, consider what you want the overall outcome to be, and contact trusted professionals to give you an honest quote. Finished basements are in, and it’s time you got in on this trend! 

You have probably watched some home renovation shows, such as “Good Bones,” “Flip or Flop,” “Fixer Upper,” and “Rehab Addict.” These TV shows are about fixing up damaged, old fixer-uppers and transforming them into beautiful homes for a living. After watching a lot of these series, you might be tempted into buying a fixer-upper house. Read more