Structural terms

Load-Bearing Wall

A load-bearing wall is a wall that supports weight from the structure above, such as floors, roof elements or other parts of a building, and transfers those loads down through the building.

A load-bearing wall forms part of a building’s structural system rather than simply dividing one room from another. It may support floor joists, roof structures, walls above or other structural loads.

In Edinburgh properties, load-bearing walls can be found in everything from traditional tenement flats and Georgian townhouses to Victorian houses and modern homes. Their construction varies with the age and type of property and may include stone, brick, blockwork or other structural materials.

Removing or substantially altering a load-bearing wall normally requires the loads it carries to be supported in another way, often using a structural beam designed to suit the building. A structural engineer may be involved in determining the loads and specifying the appropriate structural solution.

Identifying whether a wall is load-bearing is therefore an important early step when planning a knock-through, structural opening or open-plan renovation.

Property types

Commonly found in

Georgian Flat Semi-detached House Detached House Georgian Townhouse Tenement Victorian Villa Traditional Cottage

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