# Forum Home Renovation Demolition  Load Bearing Wall

## Hawk01

Looking to demolish an internal plaster wall.   How do I tell if it is a load bearing wall?

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## echnidna

Have a look in the roof and see if there are any beams or props on the top plate.

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## Hawk01

echnidna, 
Thanks for the tip.   BTW, if it is a load bearing wall, and I want to remove it, is it possible? 
Cheers,

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## namtrak

Im too lazy to do the search for you, but there have been quite a few posts from people asking exactly that. 
Cheers

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## echnidna

> echnidna, 
> Thanks for the tip.   BTW, if it is a load bearing wall, and I want to remove it, is it possible? 
> Cheers,

  Basically its a matter of fitting beams to carry the loads.
The beams might even need to be supported by larger foundations\stumps\soleplates. It depends on loads and spans etc.

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## journeyman Mick

> Looking to demolish an internal plaster wall.   How do I tell if it is a load bearing wall?

  Step 1: remove wall
Step 2: check to see if anything is sagging/falling down - if it is, then:
Step 3: quickly put wall back :eek:  
Sorry, couldn't resist, just do what Bob said, or if the house is not too old ask at the council for a copy of the plans. These will show any load bearing or bracing walls. 
Mick

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## kva

When Removing The Wall You Might Need To Temporally Support The Existing Roof / Structure Loads First. You Will Also Need The New Beam Size Designed To Take The Existing Loads And Maybe New Double Studs And Footings Directly Underneath At Either End. 
You Might Alo Need A Building Permit As It Is Structural Work.

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## ausdesign

as previously said get up in the roof & see if there are any timbers other than ceiling joists bearing on the wall.
ceiling joists can only span a set distance, so even if they're not joined over the top plate the chances are that a 'hanging beam' will need to be installed to carry them before the wall is removed.
A small point (or maybe not so small if the plaster starts cracking) is that every home has a minimum required number of wall braces - bracing units. In earlier style homes with many individual rooms the total house was generally adequately braced against wind loads but with the shift in designs to large open spaces there is more chance for areas of the structure to be at the minimum. 
In 99 out of a 100 situations this would not be a concern but is wothwhile keeping in the memory banks.

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