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baril_gw

Opening in load-bearing wall

Baril
10 years ago

Hi, I have an interior load-bearing wall splitting my house in two on one half of the main floor (two-story house). The wall is 13 feet long. There is already a doorway cut in it (~3 feet wide) at 4 feet from the exterior wall. I would like to cut a second opening in the remaining 4 feet where my refrigerator will be inserted (and surrounded by walls in the other room).

My question is what size of supporting beam should I use for the header (pine sandwich. 2x8? 2x10?) and if only one jack stud at each end is enough to support it. I know it is best to hire a engineer to do this calculation, and I will, but I'm just curious to get a better idea before he comes.

Upstairs is another supporting wall but which is offset by 2 feet from the one downstair that I am about to cut.

Thanks

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