making a wall into a half wall?

Question

I have a paneling wall dividing my kitchen from my livingroom. It is not a supporting wall. I want to turn it into a half wall. Any ideas where I start with this?

Answer 1

If you are sure that it is not a load bearing wall, check to see if there are any electrical wires or pipes in the wall. Remove the paneling carefully to see what is behind it. If you have sheetrock or plaster/lath, you will want to remove at least the top portion. Saw across the wall at the height you want with a circular saw. Once you have the wall covering removed, you can then saw off the studs at the right height.

Answer 2

first check there is no electical wires. draw a line on the wall, both sides . cut it with a saw. take down the top part. check to see how strong it is at this point. if it is strong still just put a new wide board on top, about 7 inches wide(if it is a 2 by4 wall)then put some nice cove moulding underneath. if it is not strong, take one side of the wall down to the open studs and put a new 2 by 4 on angle across all the studs. from the floor on one end, to the top on the other end.then re-panel or drywall , it should be strong.then continue as above....phil

Answer 3

IF your sure its not load bearing the best place to start is tearing the old wall down. When you build the Knee wall it is Ideal to have an L shape or attach cabinet to one side other wise it will fall over. ha ha Im guessing your wall is supporting something so I would cut a coulple squares out of the ceiling near the wall and make sure the wall is parrellel to your ceiling joists if its perpendicular then its holiding a load. You can only span rafters so far and its also possible they are breaking (one ends and anther starts)on the wall. If it load bearing then put a header in.