Question on wall framing: Load Bearing Wall

[Attic]

Any carpenters or perhaps structural engineers?


I ended up cutting a stud to make room for an in wall tv mount that required a width accommodation. I failed to consider the load bearing status of the wall.


Wondering how to return wall to it's original load bearing design.



Or do I need to run a stud from top to bottom? Total length of studs is 15ft.

 

[Humpy]

The answer is "yes it helps" if the new stud is sufficiently fastened to the existing full stud.

How much it helps is an engineering question.

Does it return the wall to it's original load bearing capacity? No, not likely (unless you were able to sufficiently fasten all three members together, which could be nearly the same as original).

Do you need to add a new full length stud? Depends. If it is of typical residential construction of the type I'm aware of, code and building custom would probably say yes (or add a cripple stud above the fire block to continue the load path), the math would probably say no.

 

[twinrider1]

I am neither a carpenter nor an engineer, but I have decades of experience watching This Old House and Hometime.

I'd frame it like a window opening, with a header and jack studs to carry the load around the opening.

Your drawing...If that's the face of the wall, the new stud may be stiffening the full stud some, but it isn't carrying any load.

 

[Humpy]

Foe some reason I assumed it was still mostly covered by sheetrock. If there is access just make it look like the picture above (more or less, you almost never get perfect spacing like that and there will be little "cripple" studs above the header and jack studs).

Edit: and you don't need those silly sill supports. The sill will be let into and supported by the jack studs.

 

[Attic]

Header solution I had considered, but it's involved for this limited area. Currently either going to leave be or add cripple stud. The three studs as shown in OP are nailed together, which in my limited understanding would help distribute load amongst the area ultimately hitting the sill plate.

Edit: Yes, no sheetrock covering this area yet.

 

[Humpy]

What's this section of the load bearing wall actually supporting? A double top plate will distribute most loads well enough that removing one stud will have very little effect. If there is a point load directly above the former double stud then it matters, i.e. was the double stud built as a post to support a beam.

 

[Attic]

What's this section of the load bearing wall actually supporting? A double top plate will distribute most loads well enough that removing one stud will have very little effect. If there is a point load directly above the former double stud then it matters, i.e. was the double stud built as a post to support a beam.

This load bearing wall is supporting the roof, single story in this area of the home. This entire wall length, not height, is roughly 15ft and has about 7-8 double studs, i removed one portion of stud of one double stud.


No beam above. Roof rafters run over this area (perpendicular to OP image) and distribute weight onto this wall built of double studs at this point. The roof ends on a different wall where weight is also distributed down to the ground at that wall.

It appears that distribution is fairly well dispersed from the double top plate along to the double studs. ie) no specific load bearing beam above the double stud which i modified.

 

[Humpy]

Since there is access, add the little piece above the fire block.

Did you really need to remove the entire section of stud to accommodate the TV? If not add back what you can. If this is interior and insulation and wiring isn't much of an issue you can add a few studs in whatever orientation, nail it all together, and be as good as new.

An actual picture would help, but really I think this is over thinking it a little. Losing one stud isn't much and sounds like it can be compensated for pretty easily.

 

[Attic]

Since there is access, add the little piece above the fire block.

Did you really need to remove the entire section of stud to accommodate the TV? If not add back what you can. If this is interior and insulation and wiring isn't much of an issue you can add a few studs in whatever orientation, nail it all together, and be as good as new.

An actual picture would help, but really I think this is over thinking it a little. Losing one stud isn't much and sounds like it can be compensated for pretty easily.

Initially I thought it was no big deal, but had few folks express concerns to me. Then I went :hmm:

I need basically all the width I gained from removing the section of stud I did, in order to accommodate a really nice recessed TV mount.

I think if I leave as is and nailed together, probably fine. I look at it as a % of the overall wall weight load, of which I removed very little and which I'm certain was not built on the edge.

 

[Elixer]

I think if I leave as is and nailed together, probably fine. I look at it as a % of the overall wall weight load, of which I removed very little and which I'm certain was not built on the edge.

Do you have any actual pics of what you did, I am wondering how you came up with your drawing.

 

[Humpy]

I agree it will be fine. If it was me being paid to fix it I would simply add the piece above the fire blocking and be 100% confident in its integrity.

 

[Attic]

Do you have any actual pics of what you did, I am wondering how you came up with your drawing.

Pic is difficult because the ceiling runs parralell to the fireblock shown in the drawing (area above fireblock is hidden when standing on floor). The area above the fire-block is the attic space, the area below is what will be the exposed wall as view-able by anyone in the house.

The drawing is accurate of what the actual 2x4's in this area are doing.

I agree it will be fine. If it was me being paid to fix it I would simply add the piece above the fire blocking and be 100% confident in its integrity

Agreed here.



Let me go grab a nighttime pic.

 

[Attic]

New stud to resolve the cut stud is the rightmost stud of the three studs dead center of pic. Top of pic is a drywall ceiling that is perpendicular to the wall (not running to the top plate). Drywall ceiling is below the top plate, top plate is 3-4' above the ceiling in the pic. New stud butts up against a fireblock that is between the double studs and roughly equal in height to the ceiling. Between the new stud and fire-block, there is nothing to the top plate.


Edit: For bit more clarity of what's shown.

 

[Humpy]

On such a tall wall what the double stud is mostly doing is providing lateral rigidity, 2x4's are a little floppy. The new stud adds back most of what was lost.

 

[Greenman]

The double studs are to try and control bowing. Cutting out one of them is of no consequence to the load bearing ability of the wall. You should replace the mid span blocks that were removed, that will help prevent the studs from twisting.

 

[us3rnotfound]

Nice amounts of networking cables there. And wow you really did remove all the sheetrock, and insulation/vapor barrior. Get it all done right and only one time, right?