How do I know if the studs in my shower are load-bearing?

Answer 1

This question seems to come up at least once a week, usually accompanied by incorrect answers. Rather than type it all over, I'll cut and paste my answer from a few days ago....


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The safest was to be absolutely sure is to have an engineer/architect tell you. It is fairly inexpensive, particularly when considering the damage you can cause your home and yourself if you alter a wall you "thought" was not load bearing.

Contrary to the answer above mine, there are many factors involved beyond whether your ceiling joists run parallel to the wall in question.

If your home is built with roof trusses rather than framing, a wall parallel to the joists may not be load bearing.

If your house has a second story, walls that do not run parallel to joists may still be load bearing.

If your home has an addition, an interior wall may actually be a "stealth" bearing wall because it was an exterior wall, and structurally still is.

This question comes up frequently, and each time it does I see answers from people who do not know enough to give an opinion.

This is far too important, and far too dangerous, a matter for anyone to answer without being in your house. Even then, many carpenters and contractors frequently get it wrong.

I reiterate - I strongly suggest you pay an engineer/architect to answer this for you.

Thanks Diver, and your right. I usually manage to mention that, but somehow left it out of my most recent answer.

Answer 2

It depends on what is happening above this wall. If the wood framing or joists above the shower wall (ceiling, roof, or floor joists) are parallel to the wall, it is not load bearing.
If the joists above are perpendicular to the wall it could be load bearing.
If there is an attic above this wall you can check it. Looking in an attic, if any perpendicular joists are spliced or lapped over this wall it is load bearing. If there are no laps or splices over the shower wall, and the span of the perpendicular joist from the next closest bearing walls to the shower wall is short compared to adjacent joists, then it is not load bearing.
If you have access to a crawlspace or basement below this wall, if there is no foundation or beam directly below the shower wall, it is not load bearing.
Without crawlspace or attic access, you can determine joist direction in the ceiling from below with a stud finder, or if the finish is gypsum board, by knocking on the ceiling and listening for the difference between hollow sounds between joists, and the solid sound when knocking at framing. You will need to confirm joist locations by driving a small finish nail through the ceiling finish into the joist, or possibly removing the gypsum board or plaster to view the framing direction.

Answer 3

to determine this- you need to look at EVERY floor or level in your home, no matter what anyone tells you - you can not tell if a perticular wall is load bearing until you have determined that it is not on every level of the home.
look at the floor plan from the basement- in the basement you will find one maybe 2 main beams going across which is holding or transferring the load of every floor above it - you can identify the main beams by seeing which are lying on posts that continue down to the basement floor, or onto peirs if thats what you have. the floor joists will be running in the opposite direction then the main beam. -if that shower wall is run along the same area-even close to that "main" beam -then yes it it load bearing. dont touch it without a carpenter there to help.
if the shower wall runs in the opposite direction as the main beam(s) or in the same direction as the main beam but in a different location - then you need to move into and inspect the floor above it - attic or otherwise, and you need to verify if there is anything laying on top of the wall , depending on how the home is set up - removing the drywall or plaster located above the wall may help- if the shower wall ends at the bathroom ceiling with no other wall above it then it is probley not load bearing, if ANY part of that wall has a verticle column above it in the attic or any floor above it - then it is load bearing.
If you see no load bearing wall below the shower wall- and no wall above the shower wall- then chances are it is not load bearing-BUT that is not a 100% answer becasue the weight the wall handeled may be transferred to another wall or beam through the use of horizontal beams being run across it in the attic. so if you see any addittional walls or large beams or even doubled up 2X4s running across this wall at any point above or below- then its probley load bearing in the way that it transfers the load from one place to another.
and if you can fully expose what your looking at or question it at any time then its time to consult someone familiar with construction. keep in mind even a fully load bearing wall that bears 2,3 or even 10 stories- can be taken out with the proper replacement of a header.

Answer 4

Martin has a good answer. However, let me just add this: If it is an exterior wall, it is always load bearing. Any interior walls, see Martins answer.

Answer 5

if your house has trusses on the floor that your shower is on it most likely is not load bearing

how old is your house go in the attic and look if on the lower floor then does the wall run the length of the House or just short wall

Answer 6

if they go all the way to the ceiling,
there load bearing