The walls of houses and apartments perform different functions and experience different loads. Load-bearing walls take on the load not only of their own weight, but also the weight of the ceiling. Having conceived major renovation related to redevelopment, you just need to know how to determine a load-bearing wall.

The load-bearing wall is installed perpendicular to the slab that rests on it. That is, the slab lies with its short side on the wall, giving it a significant part of its mass. Not always used in buildings load-bearing walls. Sometimes columns or beams are installed instead. But basically, load-bearing walls are installed in residential premises during construction, which are easy to determine in some cases, but difficult in others.

We note in advance that operations carried out with load-bearing walls, including internal installation wiring, arrangement of niches and various openings should not be carried out independently without professional skills. About arches, doorways, extended sections or partial demolition are out of the question.

How to determine which wall is load-bearing

Most easy way find a load-bearing wall - get acquainted with the house plan. On it this wall is marked quite clearly. The plan can be found in the local executive committee in the department of capital construction management. You can also use detailed plan apartment, located in the house register or registration certificate. But in this case the owner must have some construction experience and blueprint reading skills.

You can look at such a plan together with your neighbors living on the floor above. Their design should indicate which wall their floor structure rests on. If the apartment is on the top floor, you can climb into the attic and pay attention to how the slabs are laid.

Note! If there is even the slightest bit of uncertainty, do not touch the wall under any circumstances, as this can be very expensive.

If it is impossible to obtain a plan, we will determine the load-bearing wall by characteristic features. The location of a wall can say a lot about its purpose. The walls facing the staircase hall, as well as interior walls, bordering the neighbors’ apartment, are load-bearing. In addition, some external walls bordering environment, can also be load-bearing. They can form the box of a building and take on the entire load.

The next way to determine such a wall is to pay attention to its thickness. If the thickness of the brickwork is 38 centimeters or more, and if reinforced concrete panel has a thickness of more than 14 cm, then these walls are load-bearing. Now about this in more detail.

Brick houses

The width of the brick is 12 cm. The cement joint between the bricks takes an average of 1 cm. Simple math tells us that 38 cm is a masonry of three bricks, in which there are two seams (12+1+12+1+12=38). 51 cm – 4-brick masonry; 64 cm – 5-brick, etc. Interior walls usually no thicker than 18 cm. The thickness of the walls is determined without taking into account the plaster. Therefore, before measuring, it is better to clean the walls of the old finish.

In brick houses built in the 90s and later, the situation is a little more complicated. They were most likely built according to individual project, and the author of the layout will help you determine the load-bearing wall.

Panel houses

In panel or block house It is very difficult to realize your construction ideas, since most of the walls in it are load-bearing. These include inter-apartment, and external and perpendicular to external walls. The walls of the plumbing rooms are also load-bearing.

The partitions between rooms are only 80–100 mm. But there are exceptional cases when in such houses the wall thickness is 12 centimeters wide. Should it be considered load-bearing, or is it just a thickened partition? In this case, you need to turn to competent people for help, who will make a conclusion based on the architectural design of the building. They will decide whether further work can be carried out in the house or not.

Monolithic houses

How to find out a load-bearing wall in monolithic house? In houses whose foundation smoothly merges into the frame of the building, any wall more than 20 cm thick is considered load-bearing. However, in such houses, which are often built not according to the standard, but according to the customer’s design decision, to determine the load-bearing wall, it is not enough to be guided by dimensions alone. A simple partition in a monolithic house can be thicker than 20 cm. And there are houses where there are no load-bearing walls at all. Instead, reliable columns are used. Therefore, a building plan and drawing can be helpful. If for some reason they are not available, then a verdict from authorized persons cannot be avoided.

Permission from relevant authorities.

Many do not want to contact officials and prefer to solve such problems important questions on one's own. But this is fraught with serious mistakes. Don’t be afraid to call specialists into your home for consultation and obtain permission. Moreover, if you find the slightest cracks, a damp or crumbled area on a wall, even if it is not load-bearing, invite an inspector who will assess the extent of the damage and give advice.

Note! Any redevelopment, regardless of the type of apartment, be it Khrushchev or cottage house, requires the consent and written permission of the BTI or other relevant public services. Work on load-bearing walls, even if performed by a professional, also requires a permit.

If you still have to carry out some dismantling work on load-bearing walls, it should be carried out by a competent specialist who knows how to install temporary columns that take on the weight of the slab instead of the wall. Representatives of authorized organizations and engineers licensed for this construction activity must monitor the process and carry out calculations of such columns.

Note! It is impossible to sell an apartment with an illegal redevelopment, and getting a project for an already remodeled apartment will be very difficult and problematic.

There is no need to think that the planned work is insignificant and is not worth calling a team. The slightest mistake can cost the lives of many people, because an unnoticeable microcrack in a load-bearing wall can eventually lead to the collapse of the building.

Work carried out on load-bearing walls

If you decide to carry out work on load-bearing walls, for example, to dig ditches, do it with the utmost caution. If there are sockets or switches on the wall, remember that wiring is hidden inside the wall, which, if the room is not de-energized, can damage the electrical system and cause injury to a worker. If the house is old, there may even be a gas pipe in the wall. Work carefully and, if possible, use a project where all these nuances are noted.

Note! Never forget that you cannot demolish a load-bearing wall, leaving the floor without support.

If your professional skills allow you to undertake partial removal of the wall, do not forget to place a support in the resulting opening, which can be hidden over time with false beams.

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At first glance, it is quite difficult to determine the load-bearing wall in a house. If desired, make adjustments to the layout and design decoration apartment, the owners want to demolish several walls.

The main thing is that the wall does not turn out to be load-bearing. Removing intermediate partitions does not have the same effect on the destruction of the building structure. A load-bearing wall is a support element for the entire structure of the building, which carries the load of the upper floors and distributes it to the lower ones. At the initial stage of redevelopment, it is important to determine which walls can be removed and which need to be preserved.

Before initial stage construction you need to know how to determine a load-bearing wall in an apartment? Global redevelopment of multi-storey buildings entails a lot of consequences and difficulties in design, especially if you carry out all the stages yourself. Redevelopment technology is more complex, requires detailed knowledge and limits the implementation of your own ideas. In panel, monolithic and multi-storey buildings, redevelopment is more difficult to carry out, since it is necessary to obtain permission and coordinate the construction with the BTI authorities.

Only professional craftsmen can correctly determine which wall is load-bearing. The builders of the InnovaStroy company, together with the BTI authorities, carry out the redevelopment of apartments and private houses of any complexity. The company's specialists will make calculations, design and develop a detailed plan for future development. An inspection and determination of the possibility of realizing the client’s wishes are carried out already on the first visit to the site. If nuances arise and there is a need for urgent paperwork, the developers of the InnovaStroy company are also ready to provide support to the client. It is necessary to determine which wall is load-bearing in the apartment at the first stage of registering the property. Redeveloped properties are more difficult to sell. And if there is delay in completing the documents, fines and obligations are imposed on the owner.

There are several ways to determine the load-bearing wall in a house:

1. We determine the load-bearing wall according to the structural plan of the house.

If the document is not on hand, it can be found in the authorities:

• City Capital Construction Department;
• Executive committee.

Knowledge of construction drawings will help the owner understand load-bearing walls and the technical data sheet.

You can determine a load-bearing wall in a house by its characteristics:

• Thickness - the parameter is measured without plaster and internal finishing materials. Masters completely clean the walls before taking measurements or know the exact parameters.

In a house with brick partitions and base, all walls thicker than 38 cm are considered load-bearing. Builders determine the thickness by counting the bricks laid out in a row.

How to determine a load-bearing wall in a brick house?

Brick size – 12 cm;

• 250 mm walls: 2 bricks + joint (10 mm);
• 350 mm walls: 3 bricks + 2 seams;
• 510 mm walls: 4 bricks + 3 seams;
• 640 mm walls: 5 bricks + 4 seams;

Interior partitions built from blocks or bricks are only 12-18 mm. The walls between neighboring apartments not much thicker - 25 mm.

In the building monolithic type Determining the load-bearing wall in a house is somewhat more difficult, since they use different values ​​during construction.
Walls exceeding a thickness of 20 cm are load-bearing. However, the architectural plan of the project will help you understand more precisely, since the nuances modern construction may include various options deviations from standard sizes.

Owners of city apartments often have a question: how to determine the load-bearing wall in a panel house? Only an experienced architectural engineer can answer the question. In a panel-type house, all walls thicker than 12-14 cm are considered load-bearing. Carrying out redevelopment in a panel-type apartment is often much more difficult. The partitions are usually up to 10 cm.

2.Location relative to others;

All external walls are always load-bearing. Besides external walls the buildings make up its box and border on the front side of the building. The main walls of the apartment are those facing the staircase or neighboring dwellings.

3.According to the design of the beam overlap

All load-bearing walls are clearly perpendicular to the main structure of the support slabs. The top slabs rest on the walls with their shortened side.

What do openings in load-bearing walls indicate?

Once load-bearing walls have been determined, the owner bears full responsibility for damage, deformation or creation of pressure on elements. Creating openings and arches in a load-bearing wall entails a lot of negative impacts on the frame of the building and negatively affects the entire structure. The occurrence of cracks, shrinkage of the house, and destruction of facade elements begins from the impact on the load-bearing wall. Depending on the duration of the building’s existence, the impact on the load-bearing wall can be completely destructive. This especially applies to multi-storey buildings old type: Khrushchev, Stalin, etc.

It is strictly prohibited for the BTI authorities to carry out complete demolition of the load-bearing space. If the redevelopment is caused by the need to replace the supporting structure, it is necessary to design the space using reliable support columns. The cross-section, dimensions and thickness of the columns are calculated by specialists from authorized bodies. The columns must support and systematically distribute the weight of all rising floors.

Typical designs of panel buildings

Before defining a load-bearing wall in a panel house , We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the standard designs of panel buildings, which vary in code. First, you need to determine the series of the structure, and then familiarize yourself with the detailed version of the drawing and its features. The layout of apartments and a detailed plan of supporting structures in the drawings are highlighted using color.

Panel house project code:

• 90-05;
• 90-06;
• 90-07;
• 90-022;
• 90-023;
• 90-031;
• 90-045;

The description of each project code includes the presence of designations of the main load-bearing walls and partitions. How to determine a load-bearing wall on a plan? It is necessary to examine the drawing of the apartment in detail and indicate the thickness of the walls. On paper, load-bearing walls are indicated by denser, solid lines.

Opening or niche in a load-bearing wall?

After determining the load-bearing wall in an apartment, many ask the question of creating an opening or an additional niche in the load-bearing wall. Creating a built-in opening in many apartments in panel houses acceptable. Compliance with the requirements of regulatory authorities is strictly mandatory. It is allowed to perform horizontal and vertical grooves on the walls of the load-bearing structure. Drilling into walls and installing internal dowels is also allowed. Individual design of a house or apartment must be entrusted to professionals who bear full responsibility for dismantling and forming load-bearing surfaces.

Ideas for designing openings in a load-bearing wall

It is prohibited to completely dismantle a load-bearing wall. However, when creating openings, there are options for decorative filling of load-bearing structures. One of the stylish proposals of designers is the formation of an aquarium system on part or the entire wall.

Options for placing aquariums between load-bearing columns:

• Aquarium in the space between the column and additional interior partition It looks stylish and decorates the apartment attractively.
• The addition of furniture with an emphasis on the aquarium system fits harmoniously into the design.
• When expanding an apartment due to the space of a balcony or loggia, window sill systems in the form of aquarium stands are often used. The built-in aquarium looks amazing and captivates the eye with a living picture.
• Built-in aqua systems in niches of load-bearing walls look great in bedrooms and living rooms.

Knowing all the rules, it is easy to determine which wall is load-bearing and planning further design will be easier with the involvement of craftsmen. The InnovaStroy company carries out turnkey repair work of any level of complexity in apartments, houses and offices. Planning and redevelopment of buildings does not cause difficulties for craftsmen. In addition, clients are offered innovative developments and improved comfort of living in an apartment. The company’s specialists make the client’s stay comfortable, and the list repair work does not cause difficulties. When the question arises of how to determine whether a load-bearing wall is or not, it is necessary to determine the type of structure and know its features.

How to determine whether a load-bearing wall is in a Khrushchev building?

• It must be remembered that all the walls of the building box are load-bearing;
• Walls facing staircases, marching openings are also the main ones;
• The partition between the balcony, loggia and kitchen (room) carries a small supporting load, so it can be easily dismantled. However, before carrying out construction demolition of the wall, it is necessary to make sure that the entire space is properly insulated so that the cold flow does not cause damage to other walls of the room.
• You can easily dismantle the interior opening in the bathroom. The thickness of the wall can be 10-12 cm, but does not serve any main purposes.
• Panel houses most unfavorable for demolishing walls.
• Before starting to dismantle any walls, it is important to understand that a supporting structure is required.

To answer the question of how to determine the load-bearing wall in an apartment and how many main walls can be located in the building, we recommend contacting the professional consultants of the InnovaStroy company. How to determine the load-bearing wall in brick house? Using the above methods it will be easier. Note that the main indicators of a brick structure are easily replaced by support beams, metal or stone. When forming decorated aqua systems, there is a possibility of additional pressure on the structure. It is important to realistically assess the fragility of the structure and, if necessary, carry out additional strengthening separate walls building. Installation must be done with caution in an independent way. An error in determining the load capacity of a wall has negative impact on the condition of neighboring apartments and the entire floor. If you are in doubt about how to determine the load-bearing wall on the plan, we recommend that you seek advice from the InnovaStroy company.

Studio apartment we demolish walls without damage!

In modern designs they are extremely popular small apartments open spaces called studios. This layout is convenient for a family of 2-3 people. Many people want to remodel large apartments in the studio, dividing the interior space with furniture. This option requires complete or partial demolition of the walls, leaving only the box of the apartment.

It is necessary to understand that such redevelopment requires the creation supporting structures to distribute the main weight of the upper floors. Many professionals offer clients the use frame technologies and the creation of decorative columns and built-in niches. This option harmoniously delimits the space and does not violate the requirements higher authorities technical bureaus.

Let us remember that the older the structure, the more significant the fragility of the main walls. In old-type buildings, the main structures are not allowed. Therefore, dismantling is prohibited without additional supports and a detailed calculation of the weight of the floors. Masters recommend seeking help from professional architects who will help resolve the issue of redevelopment without additional costs or violations of requirements.

Renovating old-style apartments is always a difficult task, requiring the involvement of third parties. We do not recommend carrying out large-scale wall demolition activities on your own at one time. Remember that by turning to professionals, you preserve not only your own comfort, but also the comfort of your neighbors.

Load-bearing wall (Fig. 1)- the main load-bearing and enclosing vertical structure of a building, which rests on and transfers the load from the floors and the own weight of the wall to the foundation, separating adjacent rooms in the building and protecting them from impact external environment.

Self-supporting wall (Fig. 2)– external enclosing vertical structure protecting interior spaces building from the influence of the external environment, resting and transferring the load from its own weight to the foundation.

Fig.2. Self-supporting wall (outer wall rests on the foundation, and the ceiling is adjacent to the wall)

Curtain wall (Fig. 3)- an external wall resting on the ceiling within one floor with a floor height of no more than 6 m. (at a higher floor height, these walls are considered self-supporting) and protect the building from the outside from the influence of the external environment.

Partition- an internal vertical enclosing curtain wall resting on the ceiling and separating adjacent rooms in the building.

In buildings with self-supporting and non-load-bearing external walls, loads from coatings, ceilings, etc. transferred to the frame or transverse structures of buildings.

In a house, the walls that stand on the foundation and on which the ceilings rest will be carriers.

And walls standing on a foundation without the ceiling resting on them will be self-supporting.

Fig.3. Curtain wall (external wall rests on the floor slab)

Walls of different structural purposes carry different loads. To provide the necessary bearing capacity For different walls choose a certain wall thickness and the strength of the materials used.

For example, it is recommended to make internal and external load-bearing walls of buildings made of aerated concrete blocks with a height of up to 3 floors inclusive from blocks of classes of compressive strength not lower than B2.5, with glue or mortar of a grade not lower than M75; at a height of up to 2 floors inclusive - not lower than B2 with glue or mortar of a grade not lower than M50.

For self-supporting walls buildings up to 3 floors high, the block class must be at least B2.

9. Walls of civil buildings. Primary requirements. External and internal walls, load-bearing, self-supporting and curtain walls, partitions.

Walls- These are vertical fences that separate rooms from the external environment and from each other. The walls must withstand the loads placed on them, ensure a constant temperature in the room and make it soundproof. In construction, depending on their purpose, walls are classified into external and internal. Depending on the material used, walls are made of artificial materials (concrete, brick, asbestos-cement) and natural (limestone, shell rock, tuff, wood). Depending on the perception of loads from the building, the walls can be self-supporting, self-supporting And non-structural. Bearers walls take loads from other parts of the building (floors, roofs) and, together with their own weight, transfer them to the foundations. Self-supporting The walls rest on foundations, but they carry the load only from their own weight. Non-load bearing(curtain) walls are fences that rest on each floor on other elements of the building (frame) and support their own mass within one floor.

The walls of civil buildings must meet the following requirements: be strong and stable; have durability corresponding to the class of the building; correspond to the degree of fire resistance of the building; be an energy-saving element of the building; have heat transfer resistance in accordance with thermal engineering standards, while ensuring the necessary temperature and humidity comfort in the premises; have sufficient soundproofing properties; have a design that meets modern methods of constructing wall structures; types of walls must be economically justified based on the given architectural and artistic solution, and meet the capabilities of the customer; material intensity (material consumption) should be as minimal as possible, since this greatly helps to reduce labor costs for the construction of walls and general expenses for construction.

Partitions are called relatively thin walls that serve to divide the internal space within one floor into separate rooms. The partitions rest on the floors on each floor and do not carry any load other than their own weight.

PARTITIONS. Partitions must be soundproof, nailable, durable, and stable. Partitions are installed on the floor structure before flooring is laid. In places where partitions made of combustible materials adjoin stoves and chimneys, brick cuts should be arranged along the entire height so that the distance from the partition to the inner surface of the stove or chimney is at least 40 cm. FRAME. GYPSUM PARTITIONS. BRICK PARTITIONS. Brick partitions are laid with a thickness of 1/2 brick (12 cm). The basis for partitions can be concrete preparation under ground floor floors or reinforced concrete floors. Due to their significant weight, brick partitions should not be used on wooden floors. A non-load-bearing wall, or partition, can only be internal.

You need to understand what kind of wall is in front of you. Learn how to determine a load-bearing wall inside a home.

Remember that dismantling or partial destruction is strictly prohibited. In some cases it is allowed to do doorway, but everything must be with the permission of the relevant authorities.

Before you start looking for a load-bearing wall, try to find documents with the layout of the building. They contain all the clues pointing to this or that. So, you need to remember how many times the building was reconstructed and whether it was carried out at all. During reconstruction, anyone already questions all previous drawings with the original layout of the building. In addition, sometimes reconstruction involves adding a new façade to the house. Then the old ones can become internal.

Many sites offer redevelopments in houses of one series or another. At the same time, the “creators” of such architectural projects do not always take into account what will be demolished inside the house. Of course, partial destruction of the carrier does not always lead to disastrous consequences. Sometimes 5–10 years pass from the moment of dismantling, after which the floor above begins to become covered with “patterns” of cracks. It all depends on the age of the building and its condition.

In any case, the most simple option How to determine which wall is load-bearing is to contact a professional construction companies. One way or another, there are a number of definitions of load-bearing walls for houses of one type or another. Let's look at them below.

We are looking for a load-bearing structure in a panel house

The most common residential buildings are panel type houses. Depending on the series of the house, the location of the load-bearing structures is different. In any case, there are significantly more of them than partitions. One of the most important determinations is thickness measurement. So, remember that basically its value for partitions in panel houses is 80–100 mm, but load-bearing ones can be 120, 140, 160, 180 and 200. When measuring the thickness, it is worth taking into account and. It must either be removed where the wall was measured, or subtracted from the result obtained.

In 80% of cases, septa panel houses, and their thickness is 80 mm. Thus, we attribute everything that is thinner than 120 to partitions, but if the measurements are higher than the indicated figure, then the walls are load-bearing. Of course, it may happen that the figure turns out to be 120 mm. Then you should use the services of engineers who developed the layout of the house. One way or another, even if you yourself determine that this wall can be dismantled, you will need a technical opinion from engineers. Only on its basis are any redevelopments allowed.

Looking for a carrier in a brick house

Now let's talk about old brick buildings. have different thickness depending on the number of bricks in the masonry. Length standard brick is 120 mm. Seams between brickwork have an indicator of 10 mm. Thus, if it consists of two rows of bricks, then the value will be calculated as follows: 120 + 120 + 10 = 250 mm. According to further calculations, it can be in size: 380 mm (three rows of 120 and two seams of 10), 510 mm (four rows of 120 and three seams of 10), 640 mm (five rows of 120 and four seams of 10).

Now we explain the load-bearing wall in a brick house. And everything is extremely simple: again, by measuring. The walls in such houses separating the apartments are partitions and have a thickness of 250 mm (double masonry). The usual partitions between rooms are either 80 or 120. The remaining walls are load-bearing - they can be 380, 510, 640 and higher.

By the way, there are old houses with wooden floor. They can even be carriers wooden partitions. Initially they did not perform such a function, but later became a support for the floors above.

We are looking for a load-bearing structure in a monolithic house

Monolithic houses have a huge variety of layouts. Here you can only be sure that there is a partition in front of you. Therefore, you will need to find a house design if possible, as well as mandatory consult with an engineer from the developer company.

Although you can again resort to the method of determining load-bearing walls by measuring the thickness. The value can be 200, 250, 300 and higher. Having measured it, do not rush to make hasty conclusions. So, if its thickness is less than 200 mm, then this means by 99% that you have measured the partition. But if this figure, for example, is 200 mm, then this does not always confirm the opposite. The fact is that monolithic houses involve the use of foam blocks, which are special kind partitions.

Conclusion