How to know if a wall is structural?
If creating the bathroom of your dreams involves knocking down a wall or two, you will need to figure out whether the wall is load-bearing before you get the big hammer out. Your house’s weight is carried by load-bearing walls, so knocking them down could be disastrous.
How to recognise a load-bearing wall
Every exterior wall is load-bearing, but many of the interior walls can be load-bearing as well, but they can be challenging to locate without the house plans.
Check the noise the wall makes – A non-load-bearing wall will sound hollow, while a load-bearing wall will create a dull thud when you tap on it.
Check the wall’s thickness – Load-bearing walls will typically be thicker than standard walls.
Direction beams and joists – Get into your roof cavity and check the positions of the beams and joists. A load-bearing wall will cross roof beams perpendicularly.
The outer walls are the skeleton of the house holding up much of the weight, but there may be pillars and walls in your home’s internal balancing out the weight as well. Walls nearer the centre of the house are more likely to be load-bearing, and pillars are not always decorative.
Can you tear down a load-bearing wall?
Just because a wall is load-bearing does not mean you are stuck with it forever. Some can be torn down or cut through. However, you should not take on such a project yourself. You will need to consult an architect or structural engineer for solutions.
When your bathroom renovation requires a load-bearing wall to be removed, its load-bearing capacity may need to be replaced with a column or another wall to balance out the weight. Temporary support will be installed to carry the load while the bathroom renovation is ongoing.
Every exterior wall is load-bearing, but many of the interior walls can be load-bearing as well.
Are you ready to discuss your Brisbane bathroom renovation?
Sean and the team at Relianzi are your local Brisbane bathroom renovation experts. Give Relianzi a call today and book a free in-home consultation and quote.
