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Had a close call with a load bearing wall demo last week in a 1920s house.
We were opening up a kitchen, thought we had all the supports in. Heard a loud crack from the floor above. Had to scramble and shore up the ceiling joist with a 4x4 post before anything dropped. Anyone ever have a plan look solid but the old lumber just gives out?
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victor_ward1mo ago
Check for hidden notches in the joists from old plumbing or wiring. That old growth timber is tough, but a cut you can't see from below will snap under load. We double up temporary walls on each side now, just in case. That crack is a sound you don't forget.
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vera_lewis28d ago
Victor's right about hidden notches, but doubling up temp walls on each side might be overkill. A single well-built wall with a solid header should carry the load just fine if it's placed right under the bearing point.
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