Removing a Parlor Floor Wall
The joists are 3X8, but you are right, they are more than sufficient brick to brick. The issues lies in the staircase section where the joists run to stair framing, and that section of the house has sagged the most over time. I want to make sure (as does the engineer) that does not worsen when the wall is removed. We are going for the charming and cozy look, but I am a novice when it comes to laying rooms out correctly. So far trial and error has worked reasonably well…
bkk
in Construction 13 years and 3 months ago
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4 replies
bkk | 13 years and 3 months ago
I have read a couple good posts in the archives on this subject but I thought I would get some more input from everyone. We are planning on removing the wall on the parlor floor that runs parallel to the party walls. This is a 15′ row house so the wall creates a 2’4″ hallway (narrow!) next to the stairs and a small space (small dining room) on the opposite side, which falls between the kitchen and the living room. Both the hallway and dining room are claustrophobicly small, so the idea is opening up that whole space. We are trying to avoid that “blown out” look so the crown mouldings would be left intact and the current standing walls would keep their outline on the ceiling, probably 8-12 inches from the ceiling. Another quandry: We have a two-door entryway to enter the house, which i like very much. The problem is it seriously impedes on the space in the living room. If we were to remove it along with the wall it would give us more room but I fear would uglify the entrance area, and remove much of the original feel to the house. The questions are, what are people’s feelings on removing this wall in a house of this size? and also has anyone removed the 2-door entranceway before to favorable results? FYI, I am working with a structural engineer and we are planning to put a header with a post at both sides to support whatever weight that wall was supporting before.
wyckoff | 13 years and 3 months ago
Definitely Remove the hallway wall, but not sure I understood your point about the moldings – a crown molding in the middle of the ceiling with no wall underneath it is going to look, well, ridiculous… Vestible depends on 1) Do you have another place to put your coats and shoes? 2) Is your entry door drafty / have a mailslot? 3) Can you reconfigure the downstairs layout so Kitchen/Living is together and use the narrow space in the front for dining, or put the kitchen in the front/narrow space and the rest behind that?
bkk | 13 years and 3 months ago
Well based on the fact that the header will probably be 10-12″ below the ceiling there will be room for the moulding as well as 6″ of “wall” below it. Do you still think that will look weird? If I do remove the moulding on the wall that is being removed, I would have to remove it around the entire living room, which I have grown fond of. I know what you are saying with regard to a “floating” moulding, although I have seen it done in a restoration picture and it was not totally disagreeable. 1) No, there wouldn’t be another place for coat and shoes 2) yes door is drafty, but we are planning to replace as it is very old. 3) We are considering exactly that, which is to use the larger space (once wall is removed) as the living room and the dining room would be tucked in the front of the house. The obvious negative of that however is the disconnect of the kitchen and dining area, which my wife has a bigger problem with than I do.
Goatcrapp | 13 years and 3 months ago
I’m surpirsed a 15 foot would even need a support header – you probably have 3×10 (approx) joists going brick to brick with the party wall and that’s plenty strong. But if your engineer says it does, then obviously go that route. Don’t touch those doors – it’ll ruin the character and you’ll probably regret it for other reasons too (the small amount gain wouldn’t be worth the trouble for instance) Instead look into other ways of laying out your rooms. 15 footers are tough but done well, they can be incredibly charming and cosy, and made to feel much larger than their width. don’t square your furniture to the walls exclusively, but use some pieces to create a visual path, for instance.