DESIGN : Walls Are Not an Obstacle; What Goes Up Can Always Come Down

There is nothing carved in stone about the position of interior walls in your home.

These partitions were built where they are either to perform some structural duties that would have been too costly to accomplish another way or to suit the interior design fashions of the day.

But, as times change, tastes change, and building methods change too. What was considered convenient and attractive in the 1950s--to say nothing of the 1850s--is often cumbersome when matched with present-day lifestyles.

In the past 20 years, one of the most notable design shifts has been the move toward opening up greater interior space in a home. The clearest example of this is seen in the “great room” concept, where a designer extends the boundaries of a room so it becomes multifunctional.

The most popular candidate has been the kitchen, where buyers of new homes seem to feel that bigger is not only better, but also essential. They want plenty of room for food preparation as well as dining and entertaining.

Owners of older homes can achieve similar results. Frequently, all that’s required is the removal of an interior wall, or part of one. And, depending on the situation, the job can be a good deal easier than many would think.

In fact, the flat archway installed in a home built in the early 1900s had a kitchen with a large adjoining pantry that often had a big window. This room provided a great deal of storage space, but it was inconvenient.

Homeowners were willing to sacrifice the storage space to get a comfortable eating area inside the kitchen and to enjoy the light and view from the window. So the wall was removed. It took only two days for two people to tear out the old wall, install a new header and patch the plaster.

Painting, wallpapering and laying a new floor took longer, but they always do.

Any wall can be moved or removed. The real issue is how many problems you are willing to overcome, and this usually means how much money you are willing to spend.

To decide, you have to discover a couple of things. The first is, what, if any, structural purpose the wall serves. The second is, what, if any, mechanical systems (plumbing, heating, electrical wiring) run through the wall. Solving the structural problem is usually much easier than rerouting plumbing, heating and electrical systems.

To figure the wall’s structural duties, go exploring. This is best done by removing a 16-inch-square section of ceiling next to the wall. It can be repaired later.

Shine a flashlight into this access hole to see how the ceiling joists above the wall are positioned. If they run parallel to the top plate of the wall, then the wall you want to remove bears no weight on its own. It can be removed without disturbing the structure of the house.

If the joists are perpendicular to the wall, you have a load-bearing wall and must replace the support provided by its studs with a new header. Some walls may not be load-bearing even if the joists do run across them, mostly short walls defining closet spaces.

If you can feel or see the end of a joist resting on top of the wall, you know it’s a load-bearing wall.

If you must install a header, you have two options: A dropped header can be installed by a competent do-it-yourselfer; a flush header is a contractor job. A dropped header spans the width of the opening end and is supported on both ends by jack studs like the headers over windows or doors.

Mechanical systems inside the wall usually show on the surfaces in the form of light switches, radiators or registers and faucets or drains. If there are none visible, you could still have lines leading upstairs.

Electrical changes are easier than plumbing or heating. You can take a peek by removing the trim baseboard and wallboard behind it. Use care on quality trim so it can be reused. If you find plumbing or ductwork, call in a contractor for an estimate. If you find nothing but dust and dead air, you can remove it without problems.

Drywall makes less dust and debris, but lath and plaster construction calls for sealing off the room to protect the rest of the house. Use polyethylene sheets and masking tape to seal all doors. Wear gloves and a respirator. Carry out the debris, and vacuum the mess as you go.

You can install a doubled 2-by-10-inch header with a half-inch plywood spacer to span a 10-foot gap without building temporary support walls. Simply turn the studs 90 degrees, which leaves room for one header.

When it’s in place on the jack studs, remove the wall and install the spacer and the doubler. A 12-foot opening calls for doubled 2-by-12s with a similar spacer. A bathroom or heavy furnishings such as a piano or wall-size bookcases above mean you should consult a contractor.

Look along your header stock to spot the crown--slight upward curve--of the 2-by-10. Mark both pieces so this can be installed facing up, which reduces a tendency to sag when the load comes on it. If the header is hard to pry in place on the second jack stud, you can wedge it up with a stud cut half an inch longer than header height. Lay a shingle on the floor under the stud and drive it sideways at the bottom until the header slips in place.

Once it’s set, add the plywood spacer and the second half of the header. Toenail the assembly into the framing. Cover it and patch the walls and ceiling with drywall or plaster to finish the job.