Coming Down

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 8:16 am

I've been slowly taking down a wall between my bedroom and a room that was added to the house as part of an addition ten years ago. We've been using the room as storage since it was constructed but with planning on selling the house somewhere within the next five to ten years, it's time to fix-er-up.

Our house was constructed in 1910 so we're talking horse-hair plaster. Gonna be a bit dusty.

I'll post pictures in the second post since Bryn appears to prefer that.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 8:20 am

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:06 am

Can you take a saw to it and remove it in sections?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:10 am

flopstock;1384875 wrote: Can you take a saw to it and remove it in sections?That's an idea. The other side of the wall is the finished plaster side, the white stuff you see in the photos is the plater between the slats. Normally, it's necessary to remove the plaster side first and then the slats. I might just give your idea a try though.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:17 am

If it is a wall that was added some time after construction, I hope it not load bearing, is there an upstairs or even a roof bearing on it?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:44 am

Bruv;1384878 wrote: If it is a wall that was added some time after construction, I hope it not load bearing, is there an upstairs or even a roof bearing on it?Second floor, and yes there is a floor above the bedroom but not the newer room. There is a roof above and it is holding some of it though the majority of the load is tied in with the original floor joists just behind the wall. The reason there's a door is because there was originally a balcony off the room.

To be safe I'll be installing a 3 inch thick LVL beam since the opening will be 16 feet.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:37 am

A Laminated Veneered Lumber beam ?

Just patting myself on the back for working it out.......did I say that out loud ?

We would use an RSJ or Reinforced Steel Joist, at least I have never heard of a LVL over here anyway, which may be because that's not my line.

Sounds like you know what you are doing.

Only question.......how do you 'slowly take down a wall' ?

When I have done that......they come down pretty damn quick.:yh_rotfl

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:45 am

The way this house was constructed, there was lots of wood over those studs in the pictures. The wood leaning against the ladder in the foreground is some of it. Lots and lots of nails, the old heated kind made on-site.

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:51 pm

I want progress photos please.

I love watching other folks accomplish things like this.

I'm good at tiling bathrooms and that's all I'm good at when it comes to home projects... can't even paint walls as well as the daughter can.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 1:35 pm

I'm waiting for warmer weather so I can blow some of the dust out the windows with fans as I work. That door frame is coming out next.