can anyone let me know how to deduce if a wall(s) is or are supporting walls.

The house was built in late 1800's and are of very thick stone, the walls concerned look as if they are just built up from floor and are in the middle of the house, kitchen area. Everything is of the old type black morter, lathe and plaster. I want to make our kitchen bigger and want to take down two small dividing walls. If anyone has any ideas, please e-mail me and i'll do my best to draw a plan of the house to help along any advice.

many thanks

david

Look upstairs and lift a floorboard to see if the joists are sitting on
it. Its the only way to be sure

dg

"dg" wrote:

Look upstairs and lift a floorboard to see if the joists are sitting on
it. Its the only way to be sure

Even if they are not, could these walls be providing butress support for
others?

Phil

Remove the wall. If anything else falls down - then it was supporting...

On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 16:45:52 +0000, David Blannin
wrote:


can anyone let me know how to deduce if a wall(s) is or are supporting
walls.

The house was built in late 1800's and are of very thick stone, the
walls concerned look as if they are just built up from floor and are in
the middle of the house, kitchen area. Everything is of the old type
black morter, lathe and plaster. I want to make our kitchen bigger and
want to take down two small dividing walls. If anyone has any ideas,
please e-mail me and i'll do my best to draw a plan of the house to
help along any advice.

many thanks

david



Find the top, see whats resting on it - this may me doing some damage
to really see.

Also you may find its butressing some other wall, so look for any
leans on these.

The other clue is the thickness, in my old stone hose, thick walls are
holding something up, thin ones are lathe and plaster, and hold
nothing but themselves.

Rick

In article ,
Rick writes:

The other clue is the thickness, in my old stone hose, thick walls are
holding something up, thin ones are lathe and plaster, and hold
nothing but themselves.

But note that lath and plaster walls _can_ be supporting, so
don't just assume that because it's lath and plaster, it isn't.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In a house of that age I'd expect it to be a supporting wall, I'd also be cautious as the foundations don't really like it when you take a old stone wall out.