It is not superfluous to recall how the removal of a load-bearing wall is a delicate operation. The strength of the house and your own safety depend on it. Also, to carry out this work, it is advisable to take note of a certain number of rules and techniques.
One of the faults of old houses is that they were not all built with a view to optimizing space. They are even sometimes so badly arranged that one tends to feel cramped. To overcome this problem, breaking down the walls is the solution . This saves more space and increases the brightness. Except that some of these walls are said to be "bearing".
Pillars of the house, their role is to support the frame, the roof and the upper floors. Suffice to say that their presence is essential so that your house does not collapse. But how to differentiate a load-bearing wall from a simple partition which is only there to separate the different rooms?
One of the easiest techniques is to identify the thickness of the wall. If it is less than 15 cm, it means it is a single wall. Beyond that, there is a load-bearing wall. Also listen to the sound from the wall. By knocking on it, the noise must be deaf for it to be a load-bearing wall, because a partition emits a more hollow sound.
In reality, talking about "breaking a wall" is not really accurate. It is not a question of breaking, but rather of cutting it. Of course, this does not happen just anyhow. The first step is to properly secure the load-bearing wall to prevent it from collapsing. To do this, you need to shore up. But first, remove the siding from the wall. Then, lay the vertical metal beams that will support the weight of the house.
You must place them on each side of the load-bearing wall as well as at the level of high floors. To avoid damaging your floor covering, install rubber or wooden wedges. During the operation, it is also crucial to install a lintel, also called IPN, which will support the loads on the upper floors. It will be necessary to gradually open the wall on the location of this lintel, before installing it definitively with props and wedges.
Now that your house is perfectly secure, you can start the felling operation. Use a concrete saw, a chainsaw or a large grinder then make a groove, which is a vertical opening of 30 cm, to be made from 1.2 meters from the ground. This operation done, knock down the wall between the beams. Be careful, you should never demolish a load-bearing wall starting at its corner.
Do not forget to ask for the necessary authorizations before the start of the work. If you live in a detached house that you own, a declaration of work with the town hall is necessary. If you are a co-owner, you will not be able to take any action without the authorization of the co-ownership trustee.
