On Oct 15, 12:42*pm, DanG wrote:
On 10/15/2011 11:21 AM, Gordon Shumway wrote:

The above advice is all good. *One other clue to whether it may be
load bearing wall is does the wall have a top plate AND a cap plate.
If it has both it is a load bearing wall.

Gordon, I would not consider this a true statement. *Many homes are
built with all studs the same length. *The double plate is used to tie
corners and intersections together. *If a wall were installed after the
fact, it could have longer studs with single top and bottom plates.

And even then, it's not uncommon for people adding walls to attach the
upper top plate to the bottom of the joists, build the wall on the
floor with one top and bottom plate, stand it up and shim between the
two top plates.

R