Supporting wall or not ?

[David Blannin]

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

walls.

The house was built in late 1800's and are of very thick stone, th walls concerned look as if they are just built up from floor and are i the middle of the house, kitchen area. Everything is of the old typ black morter, lathe and plaster. I want to make our kitchen bigger an 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 t help along any advice.

many thanks

david

[e-mail].u

-- David Blannin

[dg]

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

dg

[TheScullster]

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

Phil

[Phil]

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

[Rick]

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

[Andrew Gabriel]

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.

[vonryan]

In a house of that age I'd expect it to be a supporting wall, I'd als

be cautious as the foundations don't really like it when you take a ol stone wall out

-- vonryan