Exterior Bearing Walls with Balcony

[redeyedfly]

Are exterior walls that support only non-combustible balconies (not used as part of the MOE) "bearing walls"?

What's your opinion?

 

[RLGA]

Does the wall meet the conditions per the definition in Chapter 2 (WALL, LOAD-BEARING)? If so, then yes.

 

[redeyedfly]

The definition is lacking, so was my question. I started my question halfway into the conversation. Allow me to back up.

Balconies are typically supported by knife plates instead of ledgers now for simplified flashing. So there isn't a distributed load per foot. It is essentially a point load. There are typically stud packs aligned with the knife plate connections to carry the load. The stud packs seem to be columns. So if you were in a Type IIIB the columns would not need to be rated but a load bearing wall requires 2hr.

 

[redeyedfly]

Gah, 704.10 would require the columns to be 2hr anyway.

 

[SH225]

Type IIIB construction is usually a bearing wall building. Stud packs supporting balconies doesn’t seem to be the deal breaker.

 

[redeyedfly]

Type III are typically designed so that the majority of bearing walls are interior to avoid the 2hr requirement. Usually the only exterior bearing walls are at corners where it can’t be avoided.

I don’t believe hanging noncombustible projections is included in the intent of FRR bearing walls.

 

[SH225]

I’ve heard discussions about avoiding the bearing wall fire rating, but never actually seen the project land on that decision, myself. It has always been five stories of platform framing with the roof trusses all bearing on the exterior wall at the top. Living room floor trusses were usually bearing on that part of the exterior wall, too, so they can be cantilevered to form a balcony.

It’s true the balcony is permitted to be non-rated Type V construction, even on a Type III building.