Load Bearing Wall?
Load Bearing Wall?
(OP)
Can someone help me put my mind to rest...?
I am looking to take out a wall. My roof has trusses at 24" OC or so. Each truss, however, has a gusset plate at the CL in the bottom chord. Is this normal? See the attached picture. By the geometry, I cannot figure out how this wall could be load bearing but it has two horizontal 2x4s at the top which makes me a bit concerned. Is this normal for a partition wall?
Thanks for any help!
I am looking to take out a wall. My roof has trusses at 24" OC or so. Each truss, however, has a gusset plate at the CL in the bottom chord. Is this normal? See the attached picture. By the geometry, I cannot figure out how this wall could be load bearing but it has two horizontal 2x4s at the top which makes me a bit concerned. Is this normal for a partition wall?
Thanks for any help!






RE: Load Bearing Wall?
Hate to say it, but best to confirm by hiring a local structural used to residential investigation to check it out. If you're really worried, header off the opening you want with posts and footings down to the foundation.
Good luck!
Please remember: we're not all guys!
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
Dik
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
BA
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
However, if this is a residential truss, I would not expect the truss deflection to be more than 1/4" or so under full load.
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
I would worry about the center joint if it was a site built truss since it takes some engineering to make a wood "gusset" plate work and be reliable. I doubt the person/contractor was able to even get metal plates and used some plywood for the truss connection since truss manufacturers will not sell metal truss plates to contractors because of liability.
When I was involved (partial owner) in a truss plant some years it was automatic to have the center truss plates on both sides of the truss. Obviously, the truss engineers from the plate supplier we used often designed the truss with critical plates on both sides for strength and handling purposes.
I appears the contractor on the site framed the walls with double 2x4s at the top of the interior wall because it was intended for the wall to be carry a significant load due to the truss deflection.
Dick
Engineer and international traveler interested in construction techniques, problems and proper design.
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
I typically just look at the truss and see if the chord, web sizes and spacing seem consistent with other trusses I have reviewed and make a decision based on that.
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
I'm a tunnel structural engineer by trade so I'm almost a bit embarrassed that I couldn't figure this one out right away. Everything online says - "when in doubt consult a PE." But what if you are one? No one can know it all, I guess...
I went up into the attic and there is no blocking immediately at the wall. All the center plates appear to be in good shape. I also ran some analysis too just for fun. I took the wall out this weekend and there was no noticeable sag. Thanks for the help!
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
Balderdash! 99% of interior walls are typically framed with double 2x4 top plates
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
There are certain circumstances where that could be true, but with this configuration there's not much of any kind of load path for this wall to provide significant lateral bracing. That being said, I see people specify lateral bracing in configurations like this all the time while blindly going off the code wall bracing tables.
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Load Bearing Wall?
You may be assuming a diaphragm at the roof level. But in many countries, the effective diaphragm in houses is at the ceiling level, so the internal wall would be on a direct load path.
RE: Load Bearing Wall?