Supporting the existing floor!

[andymason79]

At the house my wife and I have just bought, we are considering knocking down an internal wall.

The joists 195 X 50 run from front to back and are 5.1 metres long. They are supported at 3.6 metres buy a stone wall and carry on for the remaining 1.5 metres. The room behind is so small it seems pointless!

I figure that once the wall is removed (neither the wall nor floor in the room above (4.9 metres) carry any wall) that the joists will need extra support! I do not want an unsightly catnic or steel on view below. I am however considering an Oak beam (200 X 150 span 3 metres) placed at ~2.5 metres, perpendicular to the joists, for support. I figure I could place and fix the Oak beam before I remove the wall, thus removing the need for props, or would I to hold the beam in place till the masonry had set?

I am also considering cutting into the existing joist and placing a 195 X 74 joist at a right angle to the joists and using hangers and nails to fix them. Would this be adequate at the ~ 2.5 metre mark? Would I need to bolt on pieces of timber (same size)? As I can't see how I can join the joists in both sides without precise cutting, and then there wouldn't be enough movement to fix the 195 X 74 into the wall or am I wrong?

If I take the second option I will need props, and the ceiling will move slightly, so I will probably have to renew it all! But then I will be left with a hole where the wall was anyway!

But there will not be an unsightly beam of any description on view below!

Does anyone have advice on how best to do this? How to do it? Has anyone done this before? What method is best?

Thanks

Andy

[Charles Spitzer]

you need a structural engineer to look at it. we could tell you to do this, and if the house falls down, you'd look pretty silly.

[Todd Fatheree]

Dittos to what Charles said. I have a degree in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in strength of materials, and hold a PE license and I wouldn't dream of doing any of this without a signoff from a structural engineer. Even if for no other reason that to make the insurance guys happy should anything ever happen.

todd

[marks542004]

It used to be that if the joists above run parrallel to the wall then the wall is NOT load bearing and you can do whatever you want to it.

I concur with other posters that you need a structural engineer or other experianced builder to check this.

In some areas the local building inspector will arrange to look at your project and provide recommendations.

Identify any wiring, plumbing that may run through the wall.