Stud partition - is it structural?

[justanotherguy]

Some facts:

1) It's upper floor, so if it is supporting, it will be supporting just the roof, not another floor.

2) The neighbouring room is 8 metres long, and 4 metres wide (outside brick wall on one side, party brick wall on other)

3) The roof joists run between the two brick walls

4) The stud wall in question is only 1m from the party wall, and 3m from the outside wall, and separates the bedroom from back staircase.

5) The studs runs perpendicular to the ceiling joists.

6) The studs seem pretty well fixed to the header plate, but I can fit a piece of paper in the gap.

Any ideas how I should approach this? Is a structural engineer the only way?

I am almost certain it's not supporting, but obviously the consequences of being wrong are dire, so even a small doubt bothers me.

Thanks

Marcos

Stud Wall

• justanotherguy
• 13 Oct 2009
• 1

Is this wall likely to be supporting?

 

[^woody^]

If there is nothing on this in the loft, and the ceiling joists span the outer walls, then this is not load bearing

 

[justanotherguy]

Thanks - part of my concern is that it might also be helping with the rigidity of the building, not just load bearing.

Also, while the joists rest on the outside wall, that only rest on a single long beam that is somehow attached to the party wall.

 

[justanotherguy]

Just got home, and on close inspection, I can confirm that the joists on the party wall rest on a beam that is NOT attached to the party wall.

That (fairly narrow) beam appears to rest on the chimney, then a sort of half-brick deep pillar poking out of the party wall, and then finally the end outer wall. The span to the outer wall is much greater than the distance between the pillar and chimney, leading me to think that actually the stud wall DOES hold up the roof.

Question is, how can I support it otherwise?

I'm thinking perhaps a couple of heavy duty brackets supporting the long beam, bolted into the wall?

Untitled

• justanotherguy
• 13 Oct 2009
• 1

 

[^woody^]

It would be very unlikely that the wall is doing anything other than partitioning the landing from the bedroom

 

[justanotherguy]

It would be very unlikely that the wall is doing anything other than partitioning the landing from the bedroom

Even though, as I say, the joists don't insert into, or rest on, the party wall? That means a span of at least 4 metres of a beam that's only 5cm wide supporting a dozen joists...

 

[^woody^]

It would be very unusual for this wall to be supporting any joists.

A photo of the arrangement in the loft at the party wall may help

 

[justanotherguy]

Couple of photos:

1) Bit blury, but photo looking up at the top of the stud wall:

Untitled

• justanotherguy
• 14 Oct 2009
• 1

2) Photo of the chimney and pillar supporting the beam:

Untitled

• justanotherguy
• 14 Oct 2009
• 1

3) Photo of the beam where the door frame was taken out:

Untitled

• justanotherguy
• 14 Oct 2009
• 1

As you can see in that one, the beam that the joists rest on is quite narrow. Also, it is *not* attached to the wall! It only seems to rest on the chimney, that pillar thing, and the end wall.

I'm also starting to think that the door frames themselves were involved in supporting the beam that in turn supports the joists...
Thanks again

Marcos

 

[justanotherguy]

I've given up and instructed a local structural engineer - £450 + VAT for site visit, measuring up, report + designs

 

[ColJack]

can you get photo's of above the ceiling. can't see much from down here..