Anyone a structural engineer?

[JR719]

Looks like the partition wall I want to take out and replace with the tank is a support wall. Cheapest is beam and pillars, but don't really like the looks. Need to find a way to support from the attic without the cost of a new car. This is going to be an uphill battle.

 

[madkat]

When I was living at home we took out a structural wall that held up the second floor.

We removed the ceiling and added 4/ 2x12's , 2 on each side of the wall above where the ceiling was gonna be. Bolted them together and cut the wall out. That was done in 1991 and still no settling of the second floor.

 

[JR719]

madkat,

Having trouble visualizing.... Were the 2X12's an exposed beam in the room? Or hidden above the ceiling? If above, how were they secured to the rafters? My wall runs perpendicular to the rafters.

What gets me is that it is a penninsula wall. There is a 6 foot gap until there is more support. When looking in the attic, there is nothing extra, nothing different between the supported rafters and the 6 feet of unsupported rafters. I dunno, just told it was a support wall and don't really want to chance my roof joining us in the living room someday.

 

[madkat]

I am no structural engineer so don't take it as gold.

All our stuff happened above the ceiling. Basically, we had 2 2x6 uprights and then the 2x12x24' beams that bolted through the old upright studs 2x4's. then on either side were the double 2x6 new studs and once we cut out the old studs we had a free span of 20' with all the weight resting on each end..

I will try to draw up something and post it.

 

[rhoades]

can you take a picture of your attack above the room you want to work on


i have gotten pretty good at modifying things

 

[JR719]

rhoades,

Won't be able to until sometime tomorrow. I'll take a couple and post.

 

[rhoades]

ok cool

 

[madkat]

JR,

Here is a basic layout of what we did, mind you we free span 20 feet and held up a second floor above this room with this.

 

[JR719]

madkat,

I don't see a pic, only a red X.

 

[JR719]

Alright,

Going to try and upload a couple pics.

this is in the center, over the garage where there is no insulation. It is the same over the wall.

this is just a shot in the attic. The span here is 24 feet across (left to right) The garage is only 20 across

 

[rhoades]

those are trusses so you dont really have load baring walls but i would not take out a wall without doing a header or beefing up the 2*6 if you have any more ? pm me

 

[JR719]

rhoades,

I get the "yes it is" and "no its not". Had a person I trust take a look and said it was. Heck, I don't know anymore. Just seems strange that the wall stops and there is another 6 feet of free span without any extra support anywhere. Just to be safe, I think I'll put a couple long boards up there connected to the center verticals. Does that sound feasable?

 

[rhoades]

it is hard for me to say with out looking at it ( i am a better visual person ) but what i see is trusses that span across the room i would beef up the trusses with 2*8 across them and you should be good make sure to use lag bolts every 16 inch ( galvanized ) to bolt the 2*8 to the 2*6 ( this would be the overkill which makes people sleep better at night )

 

[madkat]

JR,

Here is a basic layout of what we did, mind you we free span 20 feet and held up a second floor above this room with this.

let me try this again

 

[JR719]

Thanks madkat, got it now, makes sense.