Modifying A Load Bearing Wall.

wall2wall

Have a quick question i have a 11ft wall width with 12ft ceilings that I am modifying currently there is a door opening of 30inches I want to close the opening and put in a opening with bar stools and a counter in the center of that wall.
I have spoke with a lumber yard and they say for the 6ft span im opening to use 2 2x10 headers.
The other situation i have that room and the other room on the other side fo the wall is 8ft ceilings i havent opened the wall so without looking im sure the ceiling is tied into that wall to be supported should i put in a temp support wall in both rooms while i change the opening and how should I support the load going down to the basement currently in the basement there are 2 2x10 headers on a cement cindor block on one side and a metal post on the other so i think that might be good but just want to get some recommendations. Thanks in advance for all your help... Let me know if you need any other info.

genecarp

who is first?

SLSTech

Here we go again same ol again marching down the avenue

Sorry Flashback

borat_borat1950

You should be ok. Just solid block both king studs to the beam as you are adding a point load. if the point load hits in the middle third of the span, I suggest a additional support post under the king stud. Shore up everything beford you break out the sawzall!!!

DrewD

I'm not insulting your skills as a carpenter or anyone who makes suggestions on this forum, but it sounds like you may need to invest in a licensed engineer. Just to play it safe so you arent' held liable, cost of engineer vs. potential catastrophic failure and subsquent lawsuit.

JumboJack

That could very well be the longest sentence in the history of the world.....

...btw...Call a pro.You are in over your head.

maceycon

a licensed engineer for a 6' opening? Pretty common stuff.

Its frustrating when you are having a hard time finding enough work to keep your guys busy and then you read these forum and there are people that have no clue what they are doing asking us how to do the job they probably under bid us on. Every once in awhile you run into something you haven't seen before and its nice to have a place where experienced people can put their heads together, but when you have people wanting to know what size header to use for a 6' opening in a load bearing wall or how to cut crown moldings on a vaulted ceiling or why the roof I just over ventilated has condensation problems. I'm sorry guys just frustrated things are slow and I lose work every day to people who are clueless and underbid me because they do not carry insurance or pay taxes and are not licensed. I feel some of us are helping them here.

wall2wall

I joined this site cause i heard it was good I understand that you guys get annoyed but how is anyone supposed to learn im a insured and licensed contractor looking to learn as much as possible but if no one shows you how are you supposed to learn. I know how to do the job the only thing that concerns me is the other wall tying into it this is the first time ive had to work on something like that. You guys have changed my opinion about this site and most likely i wont be back on here.

maceycon

I wasn't talking about a drivers License. If you really need to know the answer to your question. Look at your code book

Dan_Watson

This may turn into the best thread of '08.

odellconstruct

i guess some people are here becouse of the entertainment .. honestly get a inspector or engineer if your that uncertian .. whe dont have the job in front of us so.can only go off of what you say .. it may sound simple but there could be things that your just not familular with . protect yourself from any future problems and do it right . you wil be glad you did . hope to see you back

Double-A

But that is not what you said in your first post. And don't confuse learning with always getting the answer you want. You just learned that it's not quite as simple a thing as you first thought it should be.

You also asked about load transfer in the basement in your first post. If all you wanted to know about was the 8 foot wall tying into the 12 foot wall, why are you asking about load transfers in the basement.

Step back, think about what you really want to ask, and shoot again. This time, take it a bit slow and use some more punctuation in your writing so its easier for folks to read.

As for the load transfer question, without looking at it, its almost impossible to say that you'll be OK or that you're gonna come crashing down. That is why folks are recommending you get an engineer out to look at it. You've said nothing about what is above this wall. The floor system above it, joist direction, span, additional load, like bathrooms, etc. The attic and roof system, the roofing material and number of layers, etc. Snow and wind loads...

Its not as simple as just popping a 6 foot hole in the wall and slapping some 2x10's in there. I know a lot of folks want it to be, but its just not. That is why framing and engineering are specialties, not also rans.

thom

Wall2Wall, your question creates the frustration. You know some stuff for shure but your question tells us you don't know much of what you don't know.

You think the question is about the size of the headder for the width of the opening but that's not the issue. The issue is the size of the headder for the width of the opening with a specified load. You left out the load part. That tells us you don't understand what you are doing and that's a problem.

The load is a function of the spans of the joists/rafters that rest on the headder and other (point?) loads. The loads imposed on the girder in the basement are a function of the loads imposed by the stuff above along with the specific locations of those loads.

Without seeing the building or plans of the building (or both) the question cannot be properly answered so, what's left is sarchasm.

genecarp

Wall, how do we know you are not a homeowner trying to do a job themselves, that a carpenter should be doing? If you walked into a room, and a group of guys who new each other are standing around and talking, would you walk up, interupt with your question, without so much as an introduction.? how do you think you would be treated. You have done just that here. If you find our manners objectionable, maybe you should look at your own. G

wall2wall

Im not a home owner i have a license to do general contracting. Im also looking to learn many other trades as possible. I keep an open mind and pick up things very fast. I will call a structural engineer to have them come out and take a look. I'm probably making it out to be more then what it is, but i just want to make sure that the way i would do it is the same way someone else would. I do mostly finish work tile work small odds and ends but am looking to open myself to bigger things and grow my company. My main question was about the load. I think there are too many things to gestimate about the other wall tying into the load bearing wall and then transfering the weight to the basement.

MALCO.New.York

Just the Phraseology of this statement is wrong!

"I have a License ......"


A Contractor would, in ALL States of this Country, say, "I am a Licensed Contractor..........."

Anyone who IS Licensed Disagree???????

Dan_Watson

Where are you from?

wall2wall

Central Nj uThis work I'm trying to do is at my sisters house I'm trying to save her some money by not shelling it out to my subs. I have done headers for over doors and windows before which is simple but because of the span across the wall and the room next to it tying into the wall I'm trying to modify I just wanted to get some ideas from others that might have ran into something like this before.

borat_borat1950

wrong snoopy. adding a bar area or an additional opening are simple things.no remodeler or homeowner are going to get an eng. to look at this thing. You guys depend to much on the eng./ arch and have no sense when it comes to these things?

Gold Tie

You're probably gonna have to post some pictures to stand a chance of squeezing an answer out here. I'm still about to go crossed-eyed from trying to read your first post....

Have you tried just asking your framer?? I've answered questions for my gc's that try to tackle a project themselves. Doesn't happen often cause they usually get frustrated and call me in to "just get it done". But other than that, its no biggy just to ask him.