Load Bearing Wall: Features and Types

In your home you have mainly 2 types of walls, one acts as a partition or to segregate space, and the other is used to hold up the house. This important wall is called a load-bearing wall is a wall that supports the weight of a structure so it’s also known as a load bearing structure and a structural wall. They transfer the loads all the way to the foundation or other suitable frame members.

These load-bearing walls are one of the earliest used form of construction, and as they need to be very strong and sturdy, the materials used to build load-bearing walls are concrete, block, or brick. The thickness or width of the load-bearing wall is gauged according to the building type, the number of floors requiring support, the materials used to construct the wall, and any other imposed loads.

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How to Identify a Load-Bearing Structure?

There are six types of load bearing walls or load bearing structures that are used in modern day architecture, the following load bearing structures are what you should be aware of –

There are the six main types of load-bearing wall as given below;

Precast Concrete Wall

As the name suggests, this type of wall is pre-cast meaning it is made at a place with a controlled environment, it is left to cure and then it is transported to the construction site. This type of wall is easy to install, is more durable, is stronger and is also easier to maintain. Apart from this, it is said to be thermal resistant, fire safe and has moisture protection. This type of load bearing structure is one of the top choices, although it might be more expensive for you depending on where you have to transport the wall from.

Retaining Wall

A retaining wall is also known as a breast or revetment wall, this type of load-bearing structure is known to help in reducing erosion and provide support. Unlike most other walls, the retaining wall is meant to withstand the lateral pressure of soil or hold back soil materials. Due to the reason behind why the wall is built, it experiences lateral pressure. A few types of retaining walls are –

• Gravity retaining wall
• Crib retaining wall
• Cantilever retaining wall
• Piled retaining wall, to name a few.

Masonry Wall

This is a types of load bearing structure that is best for architectural freedom. It is not pre-cast and hence can be made any height or length that is needed. It is durable and strong, it does not have too much to do with lateral pressure, it is fire resistant and is good at controlling temperature indoors.

Pre-Panelized Load Bearing Metal Stud Wall

Again, as the name suggests, pre-panelised metal stud walls are made in a controlled environment and then brought to the construction site, these metal stud walls are mostly used for building exterior wall cladding. These load-bearing metal stud walls can be made from metals such as aluminium, stainless steel, or copper. They are strong, durable, and sturdy, perfect for places that are very windy and witness frequent seismic activity.

Engineering Brick Wall

An engineering brick wall as the name suggests, is a wall that is made using engineering brick. This break improves the technical and structural performance of a wall, they also look appealing and hence can even be left bare to add some charm to the structure. These practical walls use double open-ended bond beam blocks through a mould.

These bricks have a smooth finish, they are resistant to water and frost, they are strong, and act well to insulate the inside of a house. The other great things about engineering brick walls are that the engineering brick is easily available, so you won’t face any issues with repairs or even matching new walls while remodelling.

Stone Wall

The stone wall is probably one of the oldest types of walls or load bearing structure. They were used extensively by farmers and primitive people across the world. These walls are like masonry construction, they provide structure and safely enclose an area. They are made from stones and mortar and normally are used for outdoor spaces.