Load-bearing Wall
/ ləʊd ˈbeərɪŋ wɔːl /
Also known as: structural wall, bearing wall
Definition
A load-bearing wall is a wall that carries and transfers structural load from above - the weight of floors, roof, or upper walls - down through itself to the foundations below. It is a critical structural element: removing or cutting through a load-bearing wall without adequate temporary support and a permanent structural replacement will cause the structure above to deflect or collapse.
In practice
Identifying load-bearing walls before any alteration is essential. Common indicators include: the wall runs perpendicular to the floor joists in the room above; the wall sits directly over a beam or foundation in the storey below; the wall is at or near mid-span of an upper floor; or it is an external wall. In older houses, many internal walls - including partition walls in terraced housing - are load-bearing.
A structural engineer must confirm whether a wall is load-bearing before any removal begins. Where an opening is created, the load must be temporarily propped during work and permanently transferred by a correctly sized lintel or RSJ. The beam ends must bear on padstones sized to spread the load into the supporting masonry without crushing it.
Building Regulations
Any alteration to a load-bearing wall is notifiable under Building Regulations and requires Building Control sign-off. A structural engineer's calculations demonstrating the adequacy of the replacement beam, its bearings, and temporary support arrangements must be submitted before work begins.
Full Building Regulations guidanceSee also