We bought our house (built in 1920) three years ago. These never bothered me but now I'm wanting to open up the space. I assume they're not load-bearing not only because they run parallel with the joists but I can't imagine these columns are supporting much by sitting on such a thin edge of the shelf but my husband isn't confident. Thoughts?
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Jess
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1The dark wood is just for style, not load bearing. – Jon Custer Nov 19 '23 at 17:18
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try a knock test. If a vertical beam is compressed it will feel stiffer, quieter, heavier and less giving than expected. If not compressed, it will feel hollow and a knock in the middle can be felt by the end with little arresting other than the one-half expected. – dandavis Nov 19 '23 at 23:21
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Those aren't load bearing. Note also how the columns aren't centered over the thin edges. In the hypothetical universe where those are load bearing columns, the upper shelving surfaces act as transfer beams, working in bending to move the column load out to the thin edges. In this universe, the thin edges need bracing to prevent them from buckling, so the shelves are necessary structural bracing. This is all nonsense.
That said, there is a pretty stiff load path down one face of the columns down to the thin edges and down to the floor. The system does stiffen a patch of floor upstairs. I suppose there could be a single mutilated floor joist above the system that has been mitigated by this stuff. You never know with old houses. Even in that case, though, floor boards span multiple joists and provide similar mitigation.
popham
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