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Once the wall is gone and the beam goes in, one visual decision shapes the whole result: does the beam sit flush or dropped? Put simply, a flush beam hides inside the ceiling for a completely flat finish, while a dropped beam hangs below the ceiling line, usually boxed into a bulkhead. This single choice affects the look, the cost and the timeline of your open-concept project — here’s how to decide.
Beam calculators give a rough starting point, but they can’t see your home’s actual load path, the condition of the existing framing, snow loads for your area, or how loads stack from upper floors. Ontario’s building code requires the design to be verified — for a load-bearing wall, that means a structural engineer’s stamped calculation, which is also what the permit requires.
Here’s why generic answers fail. Imagine two homes, each with a 12-foot wall to remove. In the first, the wall carries only a bedroom floor above. In the second, the same-length wall carries a bedroom floor, a bathroom with a tiled floor, and a point load from a post supporting the roof. Same span, wildly different loads — and two very different beams. This is the whole reason the question “what size beam for a 12-foot span?” has no safe universal answer, and why the engineered calculation exists.
Residential wall removals typically use multi-ply LVL, a steel W-beam, or a flitch beam. The engineer selects the specific size (depth × width × plies, or steel section) based on the calculations above.
When the engineer visits, they measure the span, check what the wall carries above (floors, roof, or both), look at the basement to see where the load can land, and note the condition of the existing framing. From that visit they produce the stamped drawings: the exact beam size, the post locations, the footing requirements, and the connection details. Those drawings are what your municipality approves for the permit — and what the crew builds from.
A correctly sized beam still fails if it lands on the wrong thing. The load travels from the beam into the posts, and from the posts down to footings that can carry it. Sometimes an existing foundation wall works; sometimes a new footing has to be poured in the basement. This is why “what size beam do I need?” is really three questions — beam, posts, and footings — and why the engineer answers all three together.
A dropped beam sits below the ceiling, often enclosed in a bulkhead. A flush beam is recessed within the floor structure, creating a flat, seamless ceiling. Flush beams cost more because they require additional structural work.
If a smooth, flat ceiling is a priority, many homeowners find a flush beam worth the investment. If you’re focused on keeping costs down and don’t mind a bulkhead, a dropped beam is a reliable and more affordable option.
Not always. It depends on the floor structure above, the required beam size, and the structural load. Your structural engineer will determine whether a flush beam is suitable for your project.
A dropped beam creates a visible bulkhead across the opening. While some homeowners notice it, others don’t. It can also be finished with drywall or integrated lighting to make it part of the room’s design.
A dropped beam is usually quicker because it installs below the existing joists with less structural modification. A flush beam requires cutting and re-supporting the joists, making installation more time-consuming and costly.
Get a free consultation on your load bearing wall removal project in Toronto or anywhere across the GTA. We’ll assess your wall, explain the process, and give you a clear, no-obligation quote.
