Free tool · Load-Bearing Wall Checker
Is This Wall Load-Bearing?
A wall is likely load-bearing if it runs perpendicular to the ceiling or floor joists above it, sits near the middle of the house under the roof ridge, or has another wall or a floor directly above it. Exterior walls are almost always bearing. Answer five questions for a likelihood; only an on-site look at the framing confirms it.
Reviewed by Daniel R. Whitcomb, PE · WA PE 48217
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Result
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Estimated likelihood: {{ pct }}% · {{ answered }} of 5 answered
Why
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Do not cut, notch or remove any wall based on this result. A likelihood is not a structural determination.
How does the checker score a wall?
The checker adds and subtracts points for each answer, starting from a neutral middle. The weights reflect how residential houses in the Puget Sound region are typically framed, and the reasoning behind each one is shown in your result. It cannot see your house, so treat a high score as a reason to have the wall checked and a low score as a reason to still verify before demolition.
| Factor | What raises the likelihood | What lowers it |
|---|---|---|
| Direction of joists above | Wall runs across the joists, so their ends can land on it | Wall runs parallel to the joists |
| Position under the roof | Near the center line of the house, under the ridge | Close to an exterior wall |
| What is above | A second floor, or another wall stacked directly on top | Roof trusses spanning the full width, on a one-story house |
| Number of stories | Two stories or a split-level | One story |
| Age of the house | Older stick-framed ceilings that lap over interior walls | Newer houses framed with trusses |
Assumptions
- The wall is an interior wall. Exterior walls are bearing in nearly every house and are not scored.
- Wood-framed single-family construction, typical of Eastside and Seattle houses.
- Answers describe the framing directly above the wall, not elsewhere in the house.
- "Not sure" answers add nothing either way and lower confidence in the result.
How can you check the framing yourself?
Go into the attic above the wall with a flashlight. If ceiling joists run across the wall and overlap or splice on top of it, it is very likely bearing. If you see roof trusses, triangles of lumber with metal plates, that span from one exterior wall to the other, the wall below is usually not carrying the roof. In the crawlspace or basement, look directly under the wall: a beam, a line of posts or a footing below it suggests it carries load down to the foundation.
The residential building code describes how bearing walls, headers and their support must be framed; the text is available through the ICC code library, with Washington amendments from the State Building Code Council. For a fuller explanation, read Load-bearing walls explained.
Wall checker questions
Questions about identifying bearing walls
Are all walls in the middle of a house load-bearing?
No, but central walls are the most likely to be. In houses with a stick-framed roof, ceiling joists often span from an exterior wall to a central wall and overlap there, so that wall carries part of the roof and ceiling. In truss-framed houses, the trusses usually span the full width and central walls carry little or no load.
Can a wall that runs parallel to the joists still be bearing?
Occasionally. A parallel wall can carry a point load from a beam or post above, support a stair opening, or hold up a second-floor wall stacked directly on it. It can also be a shear wall resisting wind and earthquake forces, which matters even if it carries no vertical load. That is why the checker never returns zero.
Is a wall with a doorway header always load-bearing?
Not always. Builders often install headers over doorways in non-bearing walls by habit. A large header can hint at a bearing wall, but the deciding factor is what sits above the wall: joists landing on it, a wall stacked on it or a beam bearing on it.
What does an engineer check that the tool cannot?
An engineer traces the actual load path: joist direction and laps in the attic, bearing points on the upper floor, posts and beams below, and whether the wall is part of the lateral system. They also check what the wall would need to be replaced with, which is what determines the cost of removing it.
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A site visit, a scope conversation and a written budget range, at no cost.