Tear apart a load bearing wall for a few feet...pics...

[DKAudio]

I want to change my dinning room to living room wall to make the layout more open. This wall is load bearing, there are rafters down to the top plate in the attic. The wall below it in the basement has a metal I-beam in it. I checked with my stud finder and the wall right now has no beam, just a double top plate and normal studs. As the picture shows, right now the opening is just wood casing. I want to create a 90 degree angle on the left side (hallway to living room) and then make a half wall with a wood top. I white lined the basic opening that I want to create. I assume I will have to create a temporary wall (or is it short enough to not be needed) and then install jack studs and a doubled up 2X8 with 1/2" ply between (to get 3.5" width). I want to do this with minimal drywall damage so it is easier and to finish. The opening will roughly be about 6'

Any tips would be appreciated.

[pushkins]

What is that beam (red) that sits on the wall you want to remove?
Do the ceiling joists or rafters sit on either the red beam or the wall you want to remove?

If the wall is load bearing then your going to have to remove the drywall from the existing door way to where your want the opening to finish. A header will have to be installed, then you can build the knee wall, then reinstall the drywall.

A quicker way of making a headed is to nail a 2x4 to the top and bottom of the two 2x8's or 10's. The 2x4's basically space out the header material, also gives a better surface for attaching drywall.

[DKAudio]

The red "beam" is just an old doubled up top plate from a wall that used to be there (the dinning room used to be a bedroom). The reason I left the doubled up top plate was for some seperation from the dinning room to the hall, it also made it so I didn't have to mess with the ceiling drywall. That wall is not load bearing.

The ceiling joists sit on the wall that I now want to open up, thus it is load bearing. Remember this is only going to be open for about 6'.

[DKAudio]

I think I am going to start this soon (I've been busy installing drywall in my garage).

Would a doubled up 2X8 suffice? What about a single 2X4 jack stud on each side?

Thanks.

[pushkins]

If the only load on that wall is the ceiling joists then your good to go with 2 2x8's either 1/2" ply filled or see my previous post for another effective method.
A single jack stud on either end is all you need to support the new header.
It actually would make it much easier for you to simply remove the entire area of drywall, build your head, install it on the jacks then build your knee wall and install new drywall.
That doorway will have a small header over the top so it will have a jack stud on either side, if you wanted to keep the same headroom as the doorway you could use the jack on the left as it is now left in place.

You will have to build at least 1 probably 2 support walls, one either side of the existing wall, you might want to consider removing the existing top plates all together, install your new header up where they used to be and re nail the ceiling joists to the new header, this will give you another 3" of height. Your going to have the ceiling joists supported with temporary walls, just a little more work to take out the top plates.

[DKAudio]

Sorry to keep bumping this thread...I've been helping friends with their projects lately so haven't started this yet but am planning to this Saturday.

I did some more investigating, let me know how this sounds...
Like we already talked about, the ceiling joists are resting on this wall. I went into the attic and found that there is a 2X6 nailed across the rafters on both sides with 2X4's off of that and angled about 45 degrees down to this wall. I doubt this would add a whole lot of load but I'm sure it adds some. I assume this is to keep the rafters from bowing or flexing down.

The total opening I am planning on is going to be 82" +/- an inch or two. My new plan is to use 2 2X10's with constuction addhesive and nailed together. I will plan on bringing this right up to the top plate and still only using 1 jack stud on each end (how important is having a king stud next to it?) I assume since the wall under this one in my basement has a metal I-Beam and poles that this won't affect anything down there?

[pushkins]

Don't forget that you need to add another 1/2" between those two 2x10's to make up your 3.5". I usually use 1/2" OSB glued between my header material.
3 nails in a row vertical every 12".
The king is VERY important as it locks the header into the top plate and the floor, the jack alone only supports the header load and has absolutely no lateral support, lateral support of headers is very important.
The door way to the left in your picture will have a full length stud in it so just add a jack up against it on that side, on the right side, simply cut your drywall long, slide in the king stud, screw the drywall to it then add you jack with the header on it, when this is done cut back your drywall to the correct length and attach the king to the top plate and floor.