I am remodeling a typical 1960 raised ranch and have a question about the current layout. There are currently 2 hollow wood columns approx 24″ in from the existing columns (1 a lolly column and 1 a bearing wall). The span between the wooden columns is about 11′. The center beam is a tripled 2×10 beam and the floor joists are approx 11′ 2×8 on 16″ center. I will attach the column construction detail in the following pictures, but on the bottom they hit the cement floor and at the top they hit a 1/2″ sheet of plywood then 3/8″ sheetrock then the beam…Are these columns doing anything? I have no idea why they were added, or when.
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Looks like the finish trim of whats left of an otherwise previously finished space.
I doubt that they are load bearing. If they are, they are not installed properly. Get someone with construction knowledge to inspect it.
Yeah, the sheetrock as a structural member was a clue that they weren't functionally load bearing, but at the same time I can't imagine why they would have put them in place since they are in the way at both locations (roughly 2' out from both walls, in the middle of the traffic path). There have been creative people living here in the past as evidenced by many of the fixes I've found but this one confuses me as it isn't just a differences in taste thing, and made the project more difficult so wasn't even a shortcut.
They're purely decorative. They echo a stylistic touch used in expensive homes for centuries. I've seen two, even three, columns on each side of big openings.