Load Bearing Wall | Types of Load Bearing Walls
Load Bearing Wall | Types of Load Bearing Walls
What is a Load Bearing Wall
A load-bearing wall can be defined as a wall that is an active structural member of a building and holds the load or weight of the other structural members above it by transferring the load to a foundation structure below it. These Load-bearing walls are one of the traditional types of construction
Types of Load Bearing Walls
Here are the main types of load-bearing walls
Masonry Wall
Masonry is the most common as well as durable part of any building. Masonry allows for numerous architectural designs. They provide strength and support to the structural elements as well as load-bearing role. Masonry walls also assist in controlling the temperature inside the building.
Precast Concrete Wall
This wall is very aesthetic in the building. The precast wall has more robust strength and is known for its durability. It provides an excellent security feature and is relatively easy to install.
Retaining Wall
The retaining wall provides lateral support to the structure. Installing a retaining wall also has many environmental advantages, for instance, reducing erosion and protecting areas from being saturated. Retaining wall is also known as revetment or breast wall.
Pre-Panelized Load Bearing Metal Stud Walls
Pre-Panelized Load Bearing Metal Stud is used for building exterior wall cladding. The used metal can be stainless steel, aluminum, or copper. This type of wall supports seismic, gravity, and wind loading.
Engineering Brick Wall
Engineering brick wall uses double open-ended bond beam blocks. These blocks are built using a mold. Block wall is replaced horizontally.
Stone Wall
The stone wall is treated as a stone structure. The wall provides structural support to a building and also encloses an area. It is a kind of masonry construction.
Features of load-bearing walls:
- Load-bearing walls carry the load of a structure from the upper floors to the roof.
- It transfers all the loads from the building to the foundation or other suitable structural members.
- Load-bearing walls can be used as an exterior or interior wall.
- Load-bearing walls are a structural element.
- Load-bearing walls can support structural members like columns, the slab, and walls on and above floors.
- This kind of wall will often be perpendicular to the floor ridge or joists.
- A wall directly above the beam is known as a load-bearing wall designed to carry the vertical load.
- Load-bearing walls also bear their weight.
- Concrete is an ideal material to support and hold these loads.