Difference Between Main Wall And Partition Wall

What is the difference between the main wall and a partition wall? A house has two types of walls one bearing or main wall and the other is a partition wall. The partition walls divide the rooms but do not support the weight of the house while the permanent walls support weight and also divide rooms. Let us know the difference between a partition wall and a permanent wall in detail.

What is the main wall?

A wall is what supports the house and its foundation pillar. It not only supports its weight but also the weight of the roof and the house. They are specially made to hold the weight of the house and not fall. The most vital place for the main wall is to be present near the doors and windows.

What is a partition wall?

A partition wall is a wall that only supports its own weight. These walls are used as dividers between floor areas on one single floor. As the name of the wall suggests it is just used as a partition and cannot be counted as the main wall. The walls are not that strong.

Differences between the main wall and partition wall

There are a lot of differences between the main wall and a partition wall. From functioning to thickness both of them are different.

• Weight

One of the main differences between the two is the weight that they carry. A permanent wall carries the weight of the entire house while the partition wall just carries its own weight. The permanent or main walls are the pillars that keep the house standing but this is not the case with a partition. The partition just divides the rooms or areas on a particular floor. They are not as strong as the main wall and hence cannot support an entire house.

• Space

The partition walls take up less space than the permanent walls. The partition walls just demarcate the division between two areas and as they do not have to support anything hence they are thin. As they are thin they do not take enough space in your house and you have more floor area.

This is quite the opposite when it comes to permanent walls as the walls are made thick because they have to support the weight of the entire house. As these walls are thick they cover more area in your house. If these walls are not made thick they may not be able to support the weight of the house properly.

• Material and Cost

The amount of material that a permanent wall consumes is more than that of the partition wall. This is why the permanent wall will cost more than a partition wall. When more material is utilized it becomes costlier. Hence a permanent wall is more expensive than a partition wall.

The permanent wall uses stones and cement while a partition does not have a stone. The permanent wall is made out of strong material as it has to carry the weight of the entire house. Hence stones and cement are chosen for its construction. The partition wall does not have to be very strong as it does not have much work to do. Light-weighted materials are utilized when a partition wall has to be constructed.

How do you differentiate between a permanent wall and a partition wall?

As a property holder, you ought to be able to distinguish between a permanent wall and a partition wall. This knowledge is valuable on the off chance that you’re planning any interior redesigns that include removing a wall or changing its place. If you have the right knowledge then you may even be able to afford the costs that you will incur.

If you are a DIY expert then you may be able to modify the partition wall if it is made of plaster but the problem arises when you have to modify a permanent wall as you do not want to shake the foundation of your home. So you must know how to differentiate between the two walls.

One way to recognize a permanent wall is to take a look at joists within your home. You can find the main walls forming a right angle with the joists. Joists cannot be spread in the entire house hence the builders nail two joists on the midpoint.

The main walls support the joists and are found under the joints that overlap at the right angle. Joist positing is a good way of determining the walls but it could be deceiving sometimes. Mostly they run in a direction but in some houses where they are placed in two different directions.

Another way to find permanent walls is by seeking out back columns within the basement or slither space. The columns ought to be situated specifically under the main walls. In a couple of uncommon cases, the columns can be truant. In some old houses, for instance, there may be main walls that don’t have appropriate support columns below.

This could happen on the off chance that a past proprietor expelled the support columns as they did not realize their importance. In spite of the fact that the house could appear unaffected by this alteration, it is an unsafe condition. Inevitably, the floor will start to sag and that portion of the house may go down.

Difference Between Main Wall And Partition Wall – Conclusion

Now you know the difference between the main wall and a partition wall. There is a huge difference between the two so don’t use any of the walls in place of each other. Both of them have separate roles. You should take the help of a professional while getting a renovation. If the design you have in mind hinders the foundation of your house the professional can come up with an alternative.

With the advancement in technology, the wall is also advancing so they give you a good alternative to your problem. Permanent walls and partition walls are both essential for a house. Getting knowledge about them is also very important!