Hey everyone! I'm a DIY enthusiast and have tackled various projects around the house, but I'm a bit stumped on this one. I want to create a fun 'secret' reading nook for my daughter by opening up a doorway from her room. There's a stud I've marked in the wall that I want to remove to make the entryway larger. My concern is whether this stud is load bearing since the stairs leading to the second floor are directly above it, but there's no wall on the second floor right above this framing. If it is load bearing, what would be the best way to reinforce the structure to safely remove the stud? I appreciate any insights you might have!
5 Answers
Yes, that stud is holding up a stringer, so it does carry some load. You’ll want to think carefully before removing it.
If you take it out, your stairs might end up with a little bounce. It's not strictly necessary to remove it, so consider adding a header and some extra studs on the side for support before deciding.
You should be okay as long as you don't remove the entire stud. Frame the opening for the door like you would normally do, and let the top part of the stud rest on a new header you install.
It's not technically load bearing, but that stud helps limit deflection. You can cut it out and put a header on two studs adjacent to the opening, and if you're worried about deflection, opt for a double header or a beefier option like a 4x4.
To strengthen it and minimize stair bounce, consider adding a header with king and jack studs on each side of the opening. This might lower the doorway a bit but will give you extra width too.
And it might squeak too!