Hello all you skilled DIY enthusiasts!
I am facing a kitchen renovation and, believe it or not, I want to take down a wall. It's the interior wall between the kitchen and dining room that connects to the exterior wall at one end and to the chimney at the other. Parts of the interior wall near the chimney are built with masonry. The house was built in the 40s with a hipped roof, but the upper floor was expanded and remodeled in the 70s with a gable roof.
Do you know why the part of the interior wall near the chimney is built with masonry? What function does the masonry part serve? I've googled and checked forums and have the following ideas:
1. It is a load-bearing part of the interior wall. (I've doubted this since the wall runs parallel to the roof truss and across the main wall)
2. It has a fire protection function.
3. It supports the chimney.
What do you think? See red markings in the images.
I am facing a kitchen renovation and, believe it or not, I want to take down a wall. It's the interior wall between the kitchen and dining room that connects to the exterior wall at one end and to the chimney at the other. Parts of the interior wall near the chimney are built with masonry. The house was built in the 40s with a hipped roof, but the upper floor was expanded and remodeled in the 70s with a gable roof.
Do you know why the part of the interior wall near the chimney is built with masonry? What function does the masonry part serve? I've googled and checked forums and have the following ideas:
1. It is a load-bearing part of the interior wall. (I've doubted this since the wall runs parallel to the roof truss and across the main wall)
2. It has a fire protection function.
3. It supports the chimney.
What do you think? See red markings in the images.
It may be that even if the main purpose of the brick part is not to have a supporting function on the floor joists for the floor above, it might have been built that way anyway.
But above all, it has probably served a fire protection function for the kitchen stove that was there in the first image.
However, be careful to check that it does not have a supporting function for the chimney and any ventilation duct on the upper floor! If the brick part continues on the upper floor, I wouldn't tear it down...
But above all, it has probably served a fire protection function for the kitchen stove that was there in the first image.
However, be careful to check that it does not have a supporting function for the chimney and any ventilation duct on the upper floor! If the brick part continues on the upper floor, I wouldn't tear it down...
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