# Forum Home Renovation Demolition  internal walls under trusses

## bosun

I'm renovating our daughter's bathroom (1985 house, concrete tiled roof, trusses at 900mm centres, timber framed internal stud walls). 
There's a fair bit of water damage/rot in 2 of the bathroom walls at the bottom and I'd like to replace some of the studs and bottom plates. 
Is it safe to rely on the trusses to handle the weight while I pull out the old walls? 
2nd question - would I need a lintel above the new 750mm shaving cabinet (need to cut out 2 studs to get it in the right spot)? 
many thanks 
Bosun

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## Bedford

It would depend on which walls, usually trusses are supported on external walls. 
If the damage is on a wall that is supporting the trusses you'd need to support them with a beam and acro props while you rebuild it.

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## bosun

Thanks Bedford 
The bathroom is virtually in the middle of the house. One of the walls I want to work on is parallel to the trusses, the other is at 90 degrees. The trusses bear on the external timber stud walls (brick veneer house) which are well away from the bathroom. 
cheers 
Bosun

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## Bedford

If they're not supporting the trusses that should be fine. 
Re the shaving cabinet, it doesn't really need a lintel for the 750mm opening, but taking two studs out will mean the space between the remaining studs will be greater. 
If you've got the wall open, why not put new studs in where you need them as you still need something to fix the cabinet to.

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## barney118

the trusses would have been designed to carry load to the external walls as bedford states. As when they are loaded they level out as they are built with a camber. Have a look at the top plate of the internal walls to see if there are any brackets that have slots in them to the truss or it has some join other than being convenient to put the wall where a truss was to fix the top plate.

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## woodchip

There is also the chance it may be a braced wall, have a look at the top plate to see if any straps come up the side of it, or braceboard should also be visible if that was used.
If it is braced you will have to add bracing elsewhere(in the same direction) to compensate it removal.
cheers

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## bosun

Many thanks Bedford, Barney118 and Woodchip for the excellent advice. A good crawl around the ceiling and a careful look shows the trusses to be clear of the walls I want to work on. The steel brace had been previously cut away in the middle for the old shaving cabinet but, on Woodchip's advice I'll bung a new brace/s in to get a full length of support. 
Lots of fun ahead - bottom plates and weetbix flooring badly rotted over the years (including through to other rooms), previous renovations that didn't fix the original leaks, shower door by the bathroom door with floor falling to the hallway, gyprock mangled from water damage at the bottom on the other side of one wall (main bedroom). A very interesting project and one that I'm looking forward to (including the logistics of doing this with a young family, including 2 toddlers, using the house) - a good exercise in "safety-first". 
I'll continue the thread on a couple of other forums as I'm sure there will be some more questions to ask (plumbing and tiling mainly). 
cheers 
Bosun

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