On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:36:12 GMT, Wayne Whitney
wrote:

On 2007-08-19, maurice wrote:

It sounds like I should be okay with 2 2x10s plus 2 jack studs, and
if I use 2x12s, all the better. Does this sound right?

I forgot to mention that you need to specify the type of roof system.
Is it conventionally framed with rafters and ceiling joists? If so,
double 2x10s with double jack studs on each side is adequate to span
6'6" in an interior bearing wall supporting one floor in a house 24'
wide, according to the 2006 IBC. If you have a cathedral ceiling with
a structural ridge, or if you have trusses that depend on the bearing
wall, then that is beyond the scope of the IBC prescriptive practices,
to my knowledge.

Cheers, Wayne

You've also got to consider the fact that you are converting load that
was spread evenly over 6'6" (well, fairly evenly) into two point loads
underneath the jack studs. If there's a continuous beam directly
underneath the existing wall, it's probably no issue. But if the
floor joists run perpendicular to the wall on top of the beam below,
then you at least have to make sure there's solid blocking underneath
the jack studs to transfer the load to the beam. Hard to describe,
but you need to make sure the load from the jack studs is transferred
directly to the beam underneath, and not dependent on just the floor
sheathing or bottom wall plate to carry it to a joist or beam nearby.

HTH,

Paul F.