For many homeowners, opening a load-bearing wall between the kitchen and living room is an effective way to create a more functional space for entertaining, preparing meals and making the most of your home’s footprint.
Envision your remodeled space with these ideas for load-bearing wall removal or as part of your remodel plans.
What Is a Load-Bearing Wall?
Load-bearing walls support the weight of the floor or roof above it. Also known simply as ‘bearing walls,’ these are active structural elements of your home’s architecture. Almost all exterior walls are load-bearing, but some interior walls aren’t integral to a building’s structural integrity. These non-load bearing walls, or partition walls, are less expensive and easier to remove than bearing walls in most cases.
How to Tell If a Wall Is Load-Bearing
There are a few ways to tell if an interior wall is load-bearing without having to take a peek behind the drywall.
- The direction of the floor joists above
- Matching walls or beams on the floor below
- Masonry walls
Floor Joists Alignment
In most cases, a load-bearing wall will run perpendicular to the floor joists above it. If the wall in question aligns at a 90-degree angle to the joists, it’s probably load-bearing. Non-load-bearing walls tend to run parallel or in the same direction as the floor joists above.
As Above, So Below
Another way to determine whether a wall is load-bearing is by checking the floor below for a similar structure. Look for a column, pillar, wall or another structure that extends to the floor below in the same location. If present, the wall is likely load-bearing on each floor of your home and is an essential structural element.
Home building plans sometimes rely on a continuous structure from roof to foundation to provide support in the center of a home, almost like a spine.
Masonry and Brick Walls
Walls made of masonry or brick are usually load-bearing, but not always. Brick walls are often referred to as foundation walls and serve as essential support elements along the home’s exterior and at critical junctions internally. Exterior masonry walls are almost always load-bearing, but interior walls positioned away from the center of the home’s footprint, usually near staircases or fireplaces, may be decorative.
Always consult a home remodeling expert before structurally removing or altering a load-bearing wall.
Use It or Lose It: Removing a Load-Bearing Wall or Making It Work
Opening a load-bearing wall between your kitchen and living room is an excellent way to create space. It’s also a common element of kitchen remodeling projects here in Northern Virginia. However, to maintain the structural integrity of your home, removing a bearing wall requires additional consideration and planning.
Create an Open Concept Kitchen Island With a Load-Bearing Wall
You can still have an open-concept floor plan that connects the kitchen with adjacent living space without completely removing the weight-bearing elements of the wall. In many cases, an expert remodeler can create doorways or shorten the length of interior walls without sacrificing structural integrity.
Reduce the Wall to a Convenient Width
Instead, consider reducing the existing interior wall to a single pillar or column. The remaining structure may need to maintain specific dimensions to serve its purpose, but the result will still provide a more seamless flow between spaces.
Building a Kitchen Island With Load-Bearing Wall
In some cases, converting an existing wall structure to suit your needs is an effective way to achieve more functional space – notably counter space – without the substantial expense of removing a bearing wall entirely. Build necessary cabinetry or countertops into an existing wall. You may also be able to reduce the length of the wall to suit your needs, balancing an open design with functional space.
Complete Load-Bearing Wall Removal – What to Know
Some interior walls are easy to build and just as easy to remove. Non-weight bearing walls, also called partition walls, are usually drywall and 2x4s and used to divide spaces. While DIY homeowners can remove a partition wall in an afternoon, load-bearing wall removal is a complicated process that requires experience, training and vision.
Permits May Be Required
Every municipality is different, but many local building codes require permits before removing walls along with a post-construction inspection. You may even be required to submit plans for the new support system that replaces the wall. Homeowners may also need to obtain permits for any electrical outlets added or removed as a part of their wall removal or kitchen remodeling project.
Choosing Support Replacements
Your remodeling designer will utilize columns or pillars to maintain the support previously offered by the interior wall. Engineered I-beams are more substantial than traditional framing lumber, provide exceptional strength with a minimal footprint and can be altered to match any design aesthetic.
See What’s Possible With Daniels Design & Remodeling
Whether it’s a kitchen remodel that requires taking down a load-bearing wall or reimagining the wall to serve a functional or aesthetic purpose, our team can make your vision come alive. We’ll include a bearing wall inspection as a part of our comprehensive feasibility study and share the results with you.
See what three years of experience can do for your Northern Virginia kitchen remodeling project. Schedule a conversation with us today.