Create Opening in Non-Load-Bearing Brick Wall

[1971]

I will, after obtaining permission from the housing cooperative, embark on installing a door in a non-load-bearing brick wall in a house built in the 1920s. My question to you is how to carry out this operation in the most appropriate way from start to finish. I have searched the forum but have not found any thread on this specific topic.

Thanks in advance

Jonas

 

[Mats]

You can make the hole with an angle grinder for example. However, this creates an incredible amount of dust. A significantly dust-free and slower alternative is a hammer and chisel.

 

[PjS]

Since the wall is so old, it might be built with lime mortar, making it relatively easy to knock away stones once you've made a small opening in the wall. Just be careful not to remove more than you intended.

The first stones are the hardest to remove; you have to scrape out the joints.
With a drill, you can split the stones, which makes it easier.

 

[Ingenjören]

If you are going to have bricks left over the door (between the frame and the ceiling), you must handle the load so that the bricks do not fall down. A flat steel or angle iron is a common solution depending on the load and the size of the opening.

/Ingenjören

 

[1971]

Thank you for the answers!

PjS: "With a drill, you can split the stones" - do you mean to get a straight edge since the bricks are laid in shifts?

The Engineer: Can you explain a bit more about what you mean with flat steel/angle iron? It would also be interesting to know how to handle the brick above the door while making the opening... The door opening will be of a normal size.

Jonas

 

[Ingenjören]

When creating a new opening in a brick wall, it's common to cut out a bed joint (directly above the intended opening and about a decimeter outside the future opening's side) and insert an angle iron with one flange into the joint and the other pointing upwards outside the wall. For heavy loads or thick walls, this is done from both sides.
If you're only dealing with a few courses up to the ceiling (so they don't fall down due to their own weight), it's sufficient to insert a flat steel, for example, 10x40mm, which avoids anything protruding outside the wall.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture at the moment...

/Ingenjören

 

[1971]

I was thinking of only making an opening for a standard-sized door. I will probably play it safe and use an angle iron on each side.
What dimensions would be appropriate for the angle irons? There will be about 70 cm of wall above the opening.
What's the best way to attach the angle irons?
Jonas

 

[1971]

I would be terribly grateful if I could get help with the appropriate size for the angle irons. If there are more tips, I would be grateful for those as well.
Jonas

 

[Ingenjören]

Hello again!

If you choose an L-angle iron L80x40x8 on each side, it will suffice provided the opening is no more than one meter, and you have 70cm of brick to support. A much smaller one (2 L45x30x4) would also work, but it is not so easy to fit in such small angle irons...

Chip or knock out the mortar from the joint to about 3cm deep and 10cm beyond the future opening. Press the angle irons in with a little mortar and fasten them with screws and plugs at a few points so they stay in place, and then make the opening.

/The Engineer

 

[1971]

Thank you, perfect!
Jonas