is the bathroom wall structural or weight-bearing (1973 Brave D18)

[perlgurl]

I used my bathroom in the RV for the first time this weekend and found it quite difficult since it is so tiny!  I’m thinking I need to figure out if/how I can trim the doorway to the side by the stove since there is barely room even with just my curtain-for-a-door. 

Does anyone know if the wall between my stove and the bathroom is structural?  I want to trim it about 6 inches since it’s really narrow and it makes it really hard to use to the toilet.  Worst case scenario I start cutting and realize I can’t, but I thought I would see if anyone else had done something like this.

[TerryH]

Looking at your photo,"this wall" appears to sit on rollers on a bottom track. If that is the case it is not bearing. Bearing is achieved from the bottom and then transferred by various methods to the 'roof', which is what you wish to support. If you grasp the wall at the floor level and wiggle it back and forth easily, it is not bearing. I would suspect that 'this wall' is there as a heat diverter for your stove. You should be able to remove it, keeping that in mind.
If you are concerned about the bearing support, remove the wall. If you remove  6", add a 45 deg. brace between the new jamb of the removed wall and the roof. If you remove 6", make your brace (gusset) start and finish at 8", vertically and horizontally.
This will give you what you want to achieve, and also increase the bearing factor.
I can draw it out for you if you wish, but nowhere close to Dave's computer drawings.

[perlgurl]

Hi Terry,

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "...sit on rollers on a bottom track"; the wall in question is fixed to the floor (and ceiling).

I don't have a door on my bathroom; right now there is just a curtain for privacy and it is pulled back into the shower area so I can see out the back for driving. 

[TerryH]

Looking at the bottom of 'This Wall' seems to be resting on pins? rollers? or may be excess paint.
Regardless, you can remove 6" of wall and support it to achieve what you are after quite easily. Additional benefit can be more support than you start with.

[perlgurl]

I think what you are seeing is paint.  The PO painted most of the interior white, which looks great, but they were a little sloppy with that paint.

Based on what you are saying I think I can do what I want. 

[TerryH]

I see that now. You can take out the 6 or so inches easily. It's likely only 1/8 door skin material. An Olfa knife or even drywall handsaw will work. Once both sides are cut, don't have to be perfect, glue in a 1x2 vertically or what is needed depending on the wall thickness. PL adhesive works great. Use a 1x1 or similar wood angle mold on each side back to back to finish. Paint or whatever to finish. It'll end up looking like factory.

[TerryH]

As well if you want to give the wall to floor junction a finish look, check 'screen mold' at your local building supply place. Low profile, thin and inexpensive. You can cut to size, pre paint and then glue in place. Again, can look like factory done.

[perlgurl]

Awesome, thanks for the information! I'm also hoping to install an actual door of some kind after I trim the wall.  It will take me some time since I need to take care of another project first, but I'll be sure to post photos once I get this done

[perlgurl]

Speaking of door, would you know where I might find a folding door to install on this wall?  My local RV place doesn't carry this type of thing.  I might be able to order through them, but wonder if there is another source for such things.

I'm thinking maybe something like this: http://www.amazon.com/LTL-Home-Products-EN3280K-Folding/dp/B001AQ3ITI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_263_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=51-ty9F1MgL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0T7Z1FS81WVBYRQVCZHE

[LJ-TJ]

I'm pretty confident the door is not a load bearing wall and removing 6" won't hurt anything. If it were me I'd go a head. Just be careful there are know wires hidden behind the paneling.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Bi+Fold+Door&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H4.X+Folding+Door.TRS0&_nkw=+Folding+Door&_sacat=0

[M & J]

I agree. Watch for wires.

[perlgurl]

Update: this past weekend we cut the bathroom wall back by about six inches.  So much better!! The wall turned out to be solid at least for the part we cut out so no worries about wires, but it did make it harder to cut the wall and we ended up using a saws-all so the line is perfectly straight, but it's okay with me.

For now I'll just hang the curtain back up for privacy, but the plan is to still need install the accordion door I found at Lowes.

[Rickf1985]

Tight fit for the hubby in there. You know that now you have put him in here for all to see he will get revenge. When you least expect it you will hear the camera click. :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao

[legomybago]

"Big man in a little door"...... i??