MetaChat - Coming out of the closet

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19 February 2009

Coming out of the closet I’d like some advice on reconstructing a closet.→[More:]

Currently, at Swan’s End, there is a kind of pantry closet opening off the kitchen. This closet is located in the space under the stair case, so it’s long and narrow and the closet ceiling slants down at one end. Of course, long and narrow closets are not all that practical. If you install shelves or anything in them so you can store stuff, you won’t have room to walk into the closet to get the said stuff. So my mother suggested that I close up the existing closet doorway in the kitchen and cut a new closet door in the hallway wall. This would create a much-needed hall closet and make the closet more useable in general. I could install a garment bar for coats and a hat shelf above that and still have access to the contents of the closet.

My questions are: Would cutting a new door in the hallway closet wall cause structural support issues for the staircase? I am only planning a small-ish door, since there isn’t room for a full-sized one. And: Is this something I can do myself? I’ve done a little drywall repair and have hung doors on existing frames. And I’m generally handy and good at making sure I do my homework before I launch into a project.

post by: Orange Swan at: 11:39 | 11 comments

For your reference, this staircase is very much like mine. I even have the same kind of railing and newel post and almost all the doors in my house have the lintel the closet door in the picture does. I don't think I have quite so much room at the end of the staircase wall for a door, though.

posted by Orange Swan 19 February | 12:06

Can you see the type of staircase construction? If it's built with a heavy-duty stringer going from top to bottom then the wall that's framed up underneath isn't going to be load-bearing.

To get a good idea of what I'm talking about - look at a wooden stair at a deck where everything is exposed to view. That 2x12 board w/ the stair notches cut into it - that's the structural runner. It will have posts going to the ground every so often. Those are structural also.

Framing in a door is very do-able. Just make darn certain it's not a structural wall. Even if it is structural, you can provide extra posts on each side to carry the load.

posted by mightshould 19 February | 12:10

How can I tell if there are support posts in the wall without cutting into it?

posted by Orange Swan 19 February | 12:47

If you can't see the stringer because the closet is finished inside, tear off the plaster INSIDE the closet to expose the studs. You are going to have to do this anyway.

posted by Ardiril 19 February | 12:51

You only need to tear off the plaster or wallboard where you want the door. If you still can't tell, post a picture online.

posted by Ardiril 19 February | 12:53

You can look for nails in the drywall inside of the closet. Also, investing in a stud finder, which is pretty cheap, seems like a good idea for someone like you, who is always doing SOMETHING on a house.

The stud finder is pretty reliable, and it will help in hanging all sorts of stuff off your walls.

posted by danf 19 February | 12:54

Ah, yes, I can tear off some plaster and have a look-see. The walls inside the closet need resurfacing anyway.

posted by Orange Swan 19 February | 13:16

Thanks for the advice!

posted by Orange Swan 19 February | 13:17

To be sure, fit in a couple of studs each side of the new door frame. In any case, you are unlikely to be removing more than one stud to fit a door in, so are not likely to be drastically affecting the structure. Unless you happen to remove the one stud that's holding up the stairs, which are holding up the floor above, which is holding up the walls, which are holding up the roof ;-)

Best to insert new studs at each side of the proposed door frame before you remove anything - that way you don't have any chance of having your house crash down around your ears - it will also prevent any movement.

posted by dg 19 February | 15:32

I'm hoping I won't have to remove any studs, but I suppose that's not all that likely:-(

posted by Orange Swan 20 February | 08:58

In any case, you are unlikely to be removing more than one stud to fit a door in, so are not likely to be drastically affecting the structure. Unless you happen to remove the one stud that's holding up the stairs, which are holding up the floor above, which is holding up the walls, which are holding up the roof ;-).

This has to be the most comforting advice qualification EVER.

I've just come back to re-read this thread as I'm working on the closet starting today. I've got as far as clearing out the closet and ripping out the awful old kitchen-entry folding door and door way, and I've taken down one shelf. I need to take down the built-in shelves on the hallside wall of the closet before I can rip back some plaster and see where I stand in terms of door placement.

posted by Orange Swan 17 October | 12:42

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