# Modifying studs below staircase to open up where a closet used to be



## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

If I understand you correctly you just want to get rid of the door and the bolted plate below it, if so than I see no problem with that. If you were removing the little wall to the right I’d want to know if the stairs were actually sitting on top of the landing.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I can't imagine that that closet wall is load bearing--Not built directly beneath the stair stringer--

No framer that I know of would use a stringer as a bearing member inside a structural wall--

That being said---I am just some stranger on the internet!! 

Someone else here may have some insight that I can't see--Let us see who chimes in!!!--Mike--


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## Veisner (Mar 17, 2010)

I'm 99.9999% sure that the stair stringers sit on that landing. We're not going to touch it or the wall studs in that area. We want to remove the door frame (opening furthest to the left) and the middle section's foundation bolt and the beer closet's foundation bolt(section furthest to the right). Sorry if I wasn't clear. Thanks for your thoughts, guys!


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

The short half door is junk--O.k. to remove it and the old bottom plate--Mike--


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## Brad Talent (Mar 15, 2010)

Hello,

First are those bolt or nails with some kind of washer? second do you know that there is a foundation under that wall? And have you opened any other walls in your home before or is there one that can be open, this may just be (for some reason unknow and unneeded) to set the wall. you never know what saw going through the mind of the person that did this. I side with Mike remove the studs and build your mail area.


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## Veisner (Mar 17, 2010)

No question that our foundation sits under those 2 X 4's that we want to remove. And it could be nails, not like any I've ever seen before. The heads are same diameter as a large nail head (5/16") but the head is also kind of thick (1/8'') and ever so slightly roundy on top. This is the only wall we've ever attempted to remove in our home, so unfortunately, no comparisions can be made. Thanks again for your help!

I did inspect that one "bolt" that had a sunshine shape to it. It was a rubbery piece that slipped right over the nail/bolt. Not sure if thats what you call a washer. Now it looks like the other one. I thought they were different bolts/nails on each 2x4. That little mystery is solved.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

It’s a concrete nail shot out of a 22 cal. Hilti or Ramset gun.

Very common and they usually don’t pull that easy, you might have to split the plate apart and cut or grind off the nail.


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## Brad Talent (Mar 15, 2010)

ok maybe I did not see. is this a concret slab? I mean the floor is it concret? if so yes they are just concret nail and you have no problem in removing the wall and framing.


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