How to tell if a kitchen wall is load-bearing
Before you plan an open-concept kitchen or price a wall removal, you need to know whether the wall between your kitchen and living room is load-bearing. A few visual checks give you a reasonable first read before any professional assessment.
What you'll learn
- The visual signs that suggest a wall is load-bearing
- How joist direction relates to load-bearing walls
- Why a stacked wall on the floor below is a red flag
- Why this check is a starting point, not a final answer
Step by step
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