Things that identify an internal wall as load-bearing

R

richard7761

If a breeze block internal wall sits on floorboards, is that a sign that it is non load-bearing?
 
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No, it could be a sign that the builder was clueless

Look what's on top of it not under it
 
Not necessarily clueless, woody. When I was a carpenter & joiner employed in cottage bumping (spec housing) in the 50's it was normal to have the entire first floor walls (with the exemption of the spine wall) built with 3" breeze blocks on the floor boards.
 

Can you tell from this picture whether the wall is load-bearing or not? If load-bearing or not - why?
 
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No-one replying! :D

Okay, this is not a load-bearing wall, because it's clear it's been built up from the bottom to the ceiling above. And plasterboard is resting on it.
That's my 2 cents.
 
No-one replying! :D

Okay, this is not a load-bearing wall, because it's clear it's been built up from the bottom to the ceiling above. And plasterboard is resting on it.
That's my 2 cents.

Have you actually looked in whatever is above to see if there is anything resting on the wall?
 
No-one replying! :D

Okay, this is not a load-bearing wall, because it's clear it's been built up from the bottom to the ceiling above. And plasterboard is resting on it.
That's my 2 cents.

Have you actually looked in whatever is above to see if there is anything resting on the wall?

What we have is a situation like this:

http://www.ashireporter.org/photos/thumbnails/2010_04/Word-10-purlin.jpg

Where the purlin brace meets the joist needs to be supported.

Now, in my house, two door frames sit under the point where purlin brace meets joint. And these two door frames sit on 2 ceiling joists.

Now my internal wall is in line with the joist, but it's not taking the load, the door frames are. I feel sure.
 
I'm asked to look at the top of the wall, and is there anything resting on the wall.

Well, the wall is in line with a joist.

This is the way I see things:

In your typical house, with down and unstairs rooms, above the upstairs room ceilings will be joists, rather smaller than the joists above the dowstairs room ceilings.

Now it may be typical that in the loft we see a purlin and purlin brace. In fact this is my case. Now in my case 2 of the 15 joists hold purlin braces. And my wall is beneath one of these joists. So that is what is above my wall.

Now, if these joists are part of trusses, which they are, what is above the wall is a roof truss.

Okay, so the question is, do roof trusses require support where the purlin brace meets the joist? Is it typical that there is support at that point? Or, are roof trusses (Fink in my case) self-supporting?

My beam situation where A is joist, B is purlin brace :

 
Without actually seeing the job "in the flesh" no one on here will be able to give you a definate answer. However, for what it is worth, I would think that your truss is what was known as a TDA truss and as such would span the plates and support the purlin and the ceiling beam. I have no idea what your right hand sketch is, I would suspect that it is a DIY bodge to hang something on, it certainly will not support anything structual. To be certain that you can remove the wall you need advice from a structural engineer or an experienced builder.
 
Without actually seeing the job "in the flesh" no one on here will be able to give you a definate answer. However, for what it is worth, I would think that your truss is what was known as a TDA truss and as such would span the plates and support the purlin and the ceiling beam. I have no idea what your right hand sketch is, I would suspect that it is a DIY bodge to hang something on, it certainly will not support anything structual. To be certain that you can remove the wall you need advice from a structural engineer or an experienced builder.

So, the TDA truss itself supports the purlin brace and the joist. That would suggest it's possible to have no support under the truss.

The upper right hand sketch is suppossed to be used with the lower sketch. You get an upright (I) at D2,D4, D9,D13 and D15. You get an upright (H) at D7, D9, D12. And they are not DIY, they are original (1958) build. (I) would be a hanger, (E) binder

I have to get an inspection, just posting to get clued up. :D
 
Remember this: Inspections cost money and are often required even though you may personally know a wall is non-load bearing.

If you can help it, you do not call for an inspecton if you can prior determine that a wall is load-bearing.

If the wall turns out to be load-bearing you then pay your money for inspection and never send the report into the council, because you know you cannot remove the wall.

So, getting opinions, even from experienced DIY people, on whether a wall is load-bearing or not can be very valid objective and practically useful.
 
Okay, just finally: With a TDA truss, the support of the purlin brace is provided by the truss, therefore, there is no other support needed beyond end support of the truss.

If anyone can prove different, I'll eat my hat. :D
 

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