Which wall type carries the load of the building, including the roof and interior framing?

• A. Curtain wall
• B. Balloon wall
• C. Partition wall
• D. Bearing wall

Answer: (D)

Load-bearing walls are the structural elements that carry the building’s weight—roof, floors, and interior framing—and transfer those loads down to the foundation. The wall that fulfills this role is the bearing wall. Exterior walls often bear roof and upper-floor loads, and interior bearing walls perform the same function inside the building. In contrast, a curtain wall is a non-load-bearing façade attached to the frame, a partition wall is an interior non-structural divider, and balloon framing describes a framing method rather than the wall’s load-bearing function.