I'm looking to expand the opening of my closet door from 26" to 36". The wall runs perpendicular to the floor joists below, so I'm wondering if it's load-bearing. The back and left sides of the closet are staircases, and the right side is the exterior wall, which won't be affected, just needing drywall instead of plaster. I'd love to hear your thoughts before I start any construction!
3 Answers
Have you checked if there's a header above your door? While the direction of the joists matters, it’s not the only factor in determining if a wall is load-bearing. Also, make sure there aren’t any hidden supports or beams underneath that wall.
Just so you know, there’s no beam under the wall, and I’m assuming it’s just the open basement space below. That simplifies things a bit, but always good to double-check!
The key thing to keep in mind is what's above the wall rather than what's below when deciding if it’s load-bearing. Generally, you see 36" doors in load-bearing walls without issues, so it sounds like a doable project! Just remember to install a double 2x6 header to support the structure properly.