Removing or opening load bearing walls...

Didn’t want to hijack Tru_texas36’s House remodel thread...

I have completely removed or opened up several load bearing walls. This is one I did about a year ago for a good friend....

These first three pictures are the laminated beam we placed in the ceiling to remove the wall that was holding up the kitchen ceiling.....you can see we reinforced the vertical supports in the walls to support the additional load....





This is the wall between the formal kitchen and living room...she wanted to open it up. This wall supported the roof structure so we were no able to remove it completely or raise the beam into the attic. We built another beam and placed reinforcement studs under each end...working to not destroy the paneling in the Livingroom forced us to do additional work and all from the dining room side.






This is with everything opened up...the entry wall was non-load bearing so easily removed...now from the entry to the kitchen is opened up plus the additional opening into the dining room makes the entire living/dining/kitchen area more open and welcoming....

I don't have any pictures of the new kitchen and everything finished. I will try to get them next days off and post them....

Loved the blocked paneling. Looks like a judges chambers.

It was a thing back in the 80’s

Looks great! I wish I had more construction knowledge. About all I can build is a decent deer blind!

All you really need to understand in load (physics) and a little geometry....most of it is common sense once you think about it for a couple minutes....

You have a load (weight) and how is the best way to support (carry) it...

And then there's me.

Everything you just said, then build it to hold ten times more than it has to.

That's on the build end....not the remodel end....and I agree 100%

Designed in/built in longevity/flexibility.....