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Hi all, quick question: If a house is balloon framed, does that generally mean that the interior walls — particularly the ones running perpendicular the the floor/ceiling joists — are not load bearing? IOW, does balloon construction mean the house is held up by the exterior walls and roof trusses?
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no.
*NO!
*Brian, Very simply, in baloon framing the wall would run all the way from the bottom plate of the first floor to the top plate of the second floor. There would be no top and double top plate at the first floor ceiling and no 2x10 rim.
*Thanks gents. Maybe you can help shed some light on what this guy means when he said: "The house is balloon framing with floor joists running outward from a center support member", when making the case that a wall that I suspect might be structural is, in his view, not.
*Brian,In balloon framing the outer bearing walls run from sill plate to top plate/roof plane. The second story joists or ceiling joist are usually bearing on a ledger board that is let in to the studs. The ends of the joists are then nailed into the sides of the studs. The joists may overlap (or not) and bear on a center beam and then run out to the ledger board. If a centrally located interior wall runs parallel to the bearing walls then it is likely bearing as well. You could use a stud finder or make a hole and visualize the joist sizing and placement to determine where the interior bearing wall may be.
*Since there is no plate, you also have a fire path to the top floor. Fire code usually requires fire blocks , which would be good to install if walls are open.
*Okay, if all of this is true, then it seems that all but the center bearing wall could be removed, no? Are the center bearing walls usually supported by interior walls toward the center of the span? I know the house is dimensional 2X8 or better on the second floor and 2X6 on the third, and we're talking about taking out a wall on the second floor. The wall we're talking about removing does not run unbroken the length of the house, which makes me think it may not be load bearing in the strict sense. However, with 2X6s supporting an active 3rd floor living area, I wonder if it doesn't provide some integrity.
*BrianI don't think this question can be answered without detailed drawings. No one here can fully understand what might be supported by the wall in question. There are to many possibilities. You need a reputable contractor or a structural engineer to review your plans. Terry
*Brian, the guy, you, or some qualified person should figure out what's what before any walls are taken down. You've got to make sure of what's above and then support any changes all the way down to the foundation if that's a bearing wall. If it's not bearing, then most all you'll have to worry about is electric, plumbing and/or HVAC. Best of luck.
*I agree completely, Calvin. Just looking to get my bearings a bit. I'm going to have a bldg inspector friend of mine have a look at it. Thanks all for your inputs.
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Hi all, quick question: If a house is balloon framed, does that generally mean that the interior walls -- particularly the ones running perpendicular the the floor/ceiling joists -- are not load bearing? IOW, does balloon construction mean the house is held up by the exterior walls and roof trusses?