Typically, in a single wide mobile home, there are very few load-bearing walls. This doesn't mean, however, that you shouldn't be careful about which walls you remove. The integrity and stability of manufactured homes are derived, most typically, from the roof.
As mentioned, typical single wide mobile homes do not have any load-bearing walls, so if you own one, it should be alright to remove your closet walls. Hence, hiring a professional engineer to double-check if your walls hold any load is always a good idea.
A load bearing wall is one which supports other elements of the building, such as (and most commonly) the: roof - part of the roof structure which would include the ceiling joists within the loft area are sometimes supported from internal walls.
The walls inside your mobile home are built much like the inside walls of all homes to meet the requirements of HUD. They use 2×3″ or 2X4″ studs placed 16″ to 24″ inches apart on center.
The walls of many manufactured homes are made with materials such as drywall and vinyl-covered wallboard. Drywall is the most commonly used for manufactured home walls, but vinyl-covered walls have their benefits as well. Both drywall and vinyl-covered wallboard (or paneling) have their benefits.
Use a Magnet.
Use tape or dental floss with a magnet attached and drag it across the wall to find the stud. This method works because the metal screws used to secure the drywall are typically secured to a stud. Wait until the magnet sticks to the wall and mark the location of the stud—it's that easy.
Look at the Direction of the Ceiling Joists
If the ceiling joists run perpendicular (90 degrees) to the wall, the wall is load-bearing, as it's bearing the weight of the ceiling joists. If the joists run parallel to the wall, the wall may not be load-bearing.
You should always assume that a wall that interfaces directly with a sturdy concrete foundation is load-bearing and therefore not to be touched. While you're in the basement, look for the first floor joists. The walls that run parallel to those joists are non-load-bearing walls.
You can use a reciprocating saw to cut loose the drywall from one side, then push the drywall loose at the opposite side. Knock out bearing wall studs with a sledgehammer. Alternately, you can cut the studs at the middle with a reciprocating saw and then pry out the ends with a pry bar.
But what happens when those walls become damaged and need to be replaced? Replacing the wall panel of a manufactured home is a surprisingly simple process that someone with basic DIY knowledge can accomplish in an afternoon.
What Is A Marriage Line? In a mobile home that has two or more sections, the marriage line is the area where the separate sections are connected to create one multi-section manufactured home. If you have a mobile home with three or more sections, you'll have multiple marriage lines that join each section.
The average cost to remove a load-bearing wall is $5,700 , but most homeowners pay between $1,400 and $10,000 depending on the scope of project.
If a wall has a beam, column or other wall directly below or following its same path, it's a load-bearing wall. Walls more than 6 inches thick are usually load-bearing walls. Walls in the center of a building usually support most of the roof's weight.
However, most homeowners spend an average of $21,600 to renovate a mobile home. Explore the many factors that will impact what you pay for this home improvement project.
Sound: load-bearing walls are solid. One way to identify them is by the sound they make when you hit them: they should dull a thud. If the sound is hollow, it is probably a partition wall.
If the wall is parallel above the joists, it's most likely not a load-bearing wall. Check the foundation — If a wall or beam is directly connected to the foundation of your house, it is a load-bearing wall.
If a wall runs straight through your home from front to rear or side to side, it's probably load-bearing. It has a wall directly above it. If you have a wall in the same place on both your ground floor and your first floor, it's probably load-bearing. It could also be supporting the roof so you should be very careful.
When envisioning a house, one might assume that it consists of several rooms divided by interior walls, all of which contribute to the structural stability of the building. However, this is not always the case. It is possible for a home to have no interior load-bearing walls at all.
These walls are typically made of reinforced concrete, masonry, or wood, and they are strategically placed throughout a house or building to support the weight of the structure. Load-bearing walls are often the exterior walls of a house, but they can also be the interior walls as well.
Load bearing walls often provide support to floors. Removing a load bearing wall without considering the impact on the floor joists can weaken the load-bearing capacity of the floors above. This can lead to excessive deflection, sinking floors, or even structural failure.
It is worth remembering that most load-bearing walls already have a traditional hinged door installed in them, so it is possible to create an opening and install a door in a load-bearing wall. In most cases a 'header' will be installed above the door.
Manufactured homes usually use vinyl-on-gypsum (VOG) wall panels rather than standard drywall. Instead of using tape to cover the seams, as is done with drywall, the joints are covered with batten strips during assembly.
Studs are vertical framing members critical to the structural integrity of any building, manufactured homes included. They are fundamental in providing the necessary support for walls, ceilings, and even the roof.