Breaking a
load-bearing
wall
is often a crucial step in home renovation or interior design projects.
This allows you to open up a room, install a window or enlarge the space.
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However, before embarking on this business, it is essential to know the
rules
to follow to avoid any risk of collapse or deformation of the structure of the house.
Discover the essential steps to follow to break a load-bearing wall safely.
How do you know if the wall is load-bearing or not?
A load-bearing wall is a wall that is part of the main structure of the house and supports the weight of the roof, framing and upper floors.
Also, before drilling into a wall or demolishing it, determine whether it is load-bearing or not.
Here are 4 signs to check to know if a wall is load-bearing:
Bearing walls are generally thicker than non-bearing walls.
Knock on the wall: if it sounds hollow, it is certainly a partition.
If the noise is duller, the wall is therefore denser and probably load-bearing.
Load-bearing walls are often located in the center of the house, to maintain the structure and on the facade.
Pay more attention to those walls.
Look at the thickness of the wall to be knocked down: if it is greater than 15 cm, it may be a load-bearing wall.
The partitions have an average thickness of 8 cm.
Be careful, however, that it is not a partition with a placo lining.
Finally, the safest tip: check the plan of your home.
Load-bearing walls are represented by thick, continuous lines.
If in doubt
If you are unsure whether the wall is load-bearing or not, call in qualified professionals.
A mason, concrete engineer, architect, or design office can perform a structural assessment of the home to determine if the wall can be removed or if it needs to be reinforced before proceeding with demolition.
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What precautions before breaking a load-bearing wall?
Before opening a load-bearing wall, take certain precautions to ensure the safety of workers and occupants of the house:
Make sure electricity, gas and water are turned off to avoid any risk of fire or explosion.
Protect surrounding areas from dust and debris with plastic sheeting to cover furniture and floors.
Also install fans to ventilate the room and prevent dust from spreading to the rest of the house.
Take the right tools to knock down the wall: a hammer, sledgehammer and shovel may seem like enough, but in reality, it's often necessary to use more powerful tools like a power saw, sander or angle grinder.
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What replaces a load-bearing wall?
When you remove a load-bearing wall, you must replace it with a horizontal beam, or IPN, made of steel, galvanized, or aluminum.
This rests on two vertical columns to support the weight of the house in place of the wall.
It is important to choose the correct size and shape of structural beam or posts to ensure the safety of the house.
The choice of beam will depend on the span of the wall you wish to remove, as well as the weight of the house.
It is the structural engineer who determines the seat of these two columns and the choice of beams to be used.
Read alsoHow to build a brick wall easily?
How to knock down a load-bearing wall?
For more security, it is advisable to call a professional.
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Before starting work for the opening in a load-bearing wall, check the local planning codes to find out if you need a permit or authorization to drill into the load-bearing wall.
If you are in a building, you must also request authorization to knock down a load-bearing wall from the co-ownership trustee and the co-owners.
Call an engineer
Knocking down a load-bearing wall is a complex task that requires extensive construction knowledge.
It is essential that an engineer or qualified construction professional be used to determine if the load-bearing wall can be safely removed.
He verifies the feasibility of your project, and designs a structural reinforcement plan to maintain the integrity of your home.
He will also tell you which type of IPN beam or metal beams to choose.
The steps to create an opening in a load-bearing wall
Develop a demolition plan with the necessary tools, demolition materials, protection of the work area, and the schedule for this work.
Remove all finishes such as drywall, moldings and baseboards from the load-bearing wall.
Make sure the area around the wall is free of any furniture or equipment that could impede the progress of the demolition.
Provide temporary shoring to prevent subsidence during the work (with a metal frame capable of supporting the lowering of the load from the upper floor or from the props).
Begin demolition by removing the top and bottom portions of the wall using a jackhammer or circular saw.
Once the wall has been removed, the structural engineer can install reinforcement elements to ensure that the structure remains stable.
Clean the work area and reinstall the finishes to give the piece a finished look.
Knocking down a load-bearing wall can have a significant impact on the structure of your home.
Therefore, it is essential to hire a qualified professional to ensure that the work is carried out safely and to minimize the risk of structural damage.
