Expansion of door and window openings. Expansion of an opening in a load-bearing wall: maximum dimensions, GOST requirements and work technique Expansion of openings

When working on the reconstruction of buildings and their redevelopment, it often becomes necessary to expand the doorway in brick wall. Today, many are moving away from standard apartment layouts, which were previously built as standard ones.

If earlier we adjusted our furniture to the geometry of existing walls, then in modern conditions, on the contrary, many can afford to tie the layout to our desires and convenience of living.

Many people combine living rooms with kitchens, personal hygiene rooms with toilets, and install more functional doors in order to save useful space - sliding doors, doors are accordions, which is associated with changes in the size of the openings.

In addition, when replacing old doors with new ones, we often want the modern doors to look the same in design and be of a different width. I would also like to add here that existing openings often do not suit us with their location, so it makes sense to lay them and construct them in more convenient places.

Based on all this, let's consider the question of how to correctly widen a doorway in a brick wall, comply with all regulatory documents, and obtain permits to carry out this work.

General provisions

The expansion of a doorway, like the expansion of a window opening in a brick wall, is carried out based on the design of the walls.

According to the nature of the work, walls can be divided into:

• Bearers– in addition to their own weight, they perceive and transmit to the foundation the loads from the structures above (floors, stairs, roof, etc.).
• Self-supporting– rest on the foundation and bear the load only from the own weight of the walls of all floors of the building.
• Non-load bearing– perceive their own weight only within one floor and transfer it floor by floor to other elements of buildings. These include brick partitions.

Before starting work, you should decide on this issue. According to the architectural planning solution, the load-bearing wall can also be located inside the apartment.

Therefore, any redevelopment, like reconstruction, requires an agreed upon project by a design organization, which makes all the necessary calculations and issues a project for you to work on.

This is not discussed, since it is provided for by regulatory documents, and it cannot be done at random, because it can lead to the collapse of the structure of the upper floors, injuries and prosecution.

Now let's move directly to our walls. There can be two options for expanding and further strengthening the opening in the wall:
The first is the expansion of the doorway in the brick load-bearing and the load-bearing wall (the principle is the same).
The second is a non-load-bearing wall or partition made of brick.

Let us dwell in more detail and consider the technology for performing the work of both options.

Step-by-step action plan

First option

Let's consider the most common option - expanding the doorway in a brick wall. Before starting work, a reinforcing metal bridge must be installed above the opening.

We knock off a layer of plaster from the surface in the places where the expansion is designed and above the opening so that the lintel and the masonry above it are visible - 30 cm is enough.

We mark the future opening with chalk, stylus, or other material that leaves a noticeable mark. The width of the opening cannot exceed 2 meters because the redistribution of loads can become dangerous, or, if this occurs, then they install an additional support - a column.

If the lintel (purlin) turns out to be shorter than the width of the opening, it should be supported with racks while the work is being carried out to avoid accidental collapse.

It will absorb part of the load from the overlying structures, and you can work calmly. Its edges must extend beyond the boundaries of the future opening at a distance of at least 250 mm on each side.

Let us now consider the most popular option, when the frame is made of two paired channels No. 14-20, which are tightened together with through pins with washers and nuts.

Before installing a new lintel over the opening in the wall, seats are made - niches on both sides, immediately above the existing lintel.

The depth of the niche for installing the channel should be approximately equal to the size of the channel shelf, so that it does not protrude beyond the plane of the masonry and is subsequently hidden under a layer of plaster.

For reasons of strength, the number of studs should be at least three - with a diameter of 16 mm or more, the distance between the studs should not be more than 400 mm.

When tightening the channels for a uniform fit to the surface of the niche, an M-100 solution is placed under the walls of the channel, which fills the unevenness on the inner surface of the niche.

Holes with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the studs are drilled in the walls of the channels. The holes on both channels must be coaxial. The channel is installed in a niche and through holes are marked in the wall, which are then drilled. After this, the jumpers are installed.

Now you can begin dismantling the masonry to widen the doorway along the markings to the foundation or floor slab.

The expansion of an opening in a brick wall is associated with obtaining smooth vertical edges of the opening being broken, which is achieved by sawing out fragments of masonry with a grinder saw with a diamond blade.

Oh, and this is a thankless task - dust is everywhere, wetting with water will not help either. You have to work in a respirator. The cutting is done, it is convenient to disassemble the masonry using a hammer drill.

If the length of the lintel is less than the width of the opening and it seems to “hang” over it, then it must be dismantled.

The next step is to install the side posts that frame the opening and rest their upper end against a metal beam—the lintel. They are made from a corner of 75-100mm. The connection with the beam is fixed by welding in the corners at the junction of the stiffeners.

The racks must be rigidly fixed in the opening, for which they are connected to each other along the thickness of the wall with strip steel, to which pointed pins made of reinforcement with a diameter of 12 mm are welded into the wall.

At the bottom of the opening, a spacer is made from a 45-50mm corner or reinforcement with a diameter of 20-25mm, which is then hidden in the thickness of the floor. All metal elements are welded together, forming a strong metal frame - the so-called “clip”.

It is also possible to expand the doorway in a brick wall with reinforcement of the lintel from two corners No. 100-150. The corners are connected to each other by tightening strips and strips. Then everything is done in the same way as described above.

Second option

With non-load-bearing walls and partitions, everything is much simpler, since this is a structure made within one floor and does not bear the load from the overlying structures. Read more about brick partitions in the article at the link.

Based on the design solution, the thickness of the partitions is taken to be much thinner and is built to the size of a quarter or half a brick. Labor costs when changing the size of the doorway are correspondingly lower.

I will describe the process in less detail, since the technology is the same and all stages are described in detail above.

Step by step and briefly it looks like this:

Marking on the surface of the contour of the future opening.

Dismantling the brickwork above the existing doorway, removing the old lintel.

We install a longer lintel over the widened doorway. Place on top brickwork.

If necessary (for example, when the height of the partition is 4 meters), the newly erected section of the partition is attached to the ceiling with special embedded parts.

Sometimes, in critical structures, the thickness of the masonry is increased to one brick - all according to calculations and the dimensions of the room.

After completing the entire procedure for widening the opening and strengthening it, a hidden work certificate is drawn up, which is signed by a representative of the customer’s technical supervision.

Only after this do they begin plastering. In order for the plaster to adhere firmly and efficiently to the metal, it is covered with a metal mesh “chain-link” with a fine mesh.

During repair work in a country house or in an apartment, as well as when redevelopment is being done, owners are often faced with the need to expand the existing doorway. In general, these works do not belong to the category of complex ones, and therefore both the owner and invited specialists can perform them. It is only important to comply certain rules and know some of the nuances.

We will describe below how to expand a doorway. The procedure itself does not require much time - a maximum of one or two days. In the presence of necessary tools and knowledge, the only problem that you will have to come to terms with is the laboriousness of the process.

Under no circumstances should you forget about the legal side of the issue. In certain situations, such work is regarded as redevelopment, which means that changes will need to be made to the existing technical passport of the residential premises. This will not be possible if you carry out all the work without informing the relevant utility services.

It should be understood that the expansion of a doorway located in a load-bearing wall requires mandatory approval from authorized authorities. Changes being considered in this case are called "partial breakdown". All work must be carried out competently, with preliminary calculations, ensuring that the strength characteristics of the structure are preserved. If you are not confident in your own abilities, it is better to entrust the task to professionals.

Don't forget, it is an offense to overdo it and you may have to pay a fine and have to restore the wall to its original appearance.

By and large, all work is performed in the same way on walls made of the most different materials. The procedure here is as follows:

• mark with a pencil using the level of the border of the new opening;
• Drill with a hammer drill along the contour of the hole;
• we strengthen the structure;
• we cut out or knock out an unnecessary fragment.

In the process you are allowed to use a variety of tools:

• perforator;
• sledgehammer with chisel;
• Bulgarian

The most accurate opening is obtained if you use the last device. If the work is being done on a wall made of foam concrete or gypsum blocks, then the most ordinary hacksaw for wood will suffice.

A special professional can help you deal with concrete structures. a circular saw, equipped with large diameter diamond discs. Its use allows:

• avoid excessive noise;
• reduce vibration that has a destructive effect on surrounding structures;
• perform cutting with millimeter precision.

Depending on the type of material used in the construction of the wall, the list of works differs. There are also a number of nuances and features.

In particular, expand the passage to concrete wall The following tools will help:

• a hammer drill, a 10 mm drill for it and a blade;
• grinder with a circle for metal;
• sledgehammer or heavy hammer;
• chisel.

The work itself is carried out in the following order:

• new boundaries of the opening are outlined on the wall;
• holes are drilled through the perimeter (step – 50 mm);
• then, using a spatula inserted into a perforator, destroy the integrity of the gaps;
• the reinforcement inside is cut with a grinder;
• The fragment separated from the wall is brought down with a hammer.

As is easy to see, the technology itself is very simple. However, the work takes a lot of effort, and the process is accompanied by strong vibration and big amount dust.

Works in a brick wall

Any wall consisting of masonry materials causes a lot of trouble:

• aerated concrete blocks;
• bricks, etc.

First of all you will need:

• grinder with diamond wheel;
• hammer;
• chisel.

If we're talking about about the supporting structure, you should prepare a mortgage - a steel beam or two wide corners. In other cases, a wooden lintel - a block of hardwood - will suffice. These elements will protect the opening from collapse. Their dimensions should exceed the width of the door by at least 20 centimeters.

The work is done like this:

• a new outline is drawn;
• the plaster is completely knocked down to the brick;
• the old mortgage is cut out using a grinder or a circular saw;
• a new jumper is installed;
• is fixed as securely as possible;
• the remaining voids are filled with brick fragments mixed with concrete mortar.

The next stage is carried out no earlier than the cement hardens. When the mortgage is finally fixed, the unnecessary fragment is cut out. If the wall is too thick, then the pre-cut bricks are knocked out with a hammer and chisel. Then proceed to the next row.

When making an opening in brick or concrete, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment:

• respirator;
• gloves;
• “canned” glasses.

It is also recommended to periodically moisten the wall surface with water - you cannot do without dust completely, but its amount in the air will noticeably decrease. Keep in mind that the latter easily spreads throughout the house, so it is important to properly isolate the room in which the work is being carried out.

About probable risks

When work to expand the opening is carried out independently, the risk of cracking the walls and their subsequent destruction due to loss of strength characteristics increases significantly. If possible, try to avoid generating dangerous vibrations.

When using power tools, extreme care must be taken. In particular, do not, under any circumstances, remove the protection from the angle grinder. Of course, this will allow you to establish a larger circle, but with the slightest careless movement it is not difficult to get a serious injury.

Typically, expansion of openings in the wall is required during the redevelopment process, when replacing doors and sometimes window frames. Also, we do not exclude the case when a large item (furniture, industrial equipment) is not included in the premises. As is customary, there are two methods for solving the listed problems: the impact and unimpact expansion method. In our opinion, perhaps the most effective option work with a diamond tool as indicated in the photo. Its main advantage, unlike an impact hammer, is less noise and dust. In addition, the given size is even, without chips. What does it look like?

Stages of expanding a doorway

To expand the doorway, all work is carried out strictly in stages. There are several approaches. We use the fastest and most efficient, reducing labor costs and, accordingly, the cost of work. And so, in order to competently implement our plans, we act as follows.

• Marking - for accuracy, draw a symmetrical contour around the doorway. It is checked against the required dimensions and if everything is correct, we move on to the next step.
• The process involves a specialist carver using a diamond disc to carefully saw through the marked strips with an accuracy of up to a centimeter. Sometimes it is necessary to make reinforcements.
• Garbage collection - solid household waste is collected in bags, loaded into a container and sent to a special landfill for disposal.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated and no pitfalls. Still, we do not recommend that you try to do this yourself. Especially if you are dealing with a load-bearing wall. This is not only difficult, but also dangerous work. It is better to entrust it to experienced professionals.

From our archive. Photo

Brickwork

Window hole

Under the gate

How much does it cost to enlarge the opening? Prices

Here you can find out how much it will cost to increase the opening and find out the prices. We never chase ultra-high tariffs in order to earn more. This is not our style. Our own tools, cooperation with manufacturers and many years of experience allow us to work at affordable prices for all clients. With us you will really save.

Price

In some cases, an individual cost calculation is required. We are ready to send our appraiser to you so that he can study the upcoming scope of work and name a specific price. It will take a minimum of time, but you will know exactly how much you will have to spend Money for work.

Why do people order services from us?

There are quite a lot of companies offering these services. However, not all of them do their job efficiently, use modern tools and generally understand the matter 100%. We are a team of qualified experts with whom you will receive maximum benefits:

• Accurate adherence to deadlines. We always follow a clear work plan and guarantee that everything will be completed on the agreed day without force majeure.
• Quality assurance. If you find any defects or defects, we will eliminate them free of charge or compensate you for material damage.
• Really affordable prices. We always monitor the market situation and strive to offer truly favorable conditions.

If the offer is relevant to you, our specialists are ready to begin their work on a convenient day and time. All you have to do is leave a request. After that, we will discuss all the details and begin execution. We guarantee that you will not regret choosing us!

How to submit a request? Very simple!

You can leave us a request in two ways: in simple ways. Call the phone number that is on our website. Or, fill out the feedback form. Also, you can send us a message, ask any question and briefly tell us about the upcoming work. We will call you back within 15 minutes.

Related sections:

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Disk

Today, diamond cutting of concrete products is a popular activity and is in demand among the population.

Drilling

Unit (drill)

You can order from us at an angle and in a difficult accessible places. Don't believe me? Call! Let's prove it in practice.

It will certainly need to be increased. IN interior wall made of lightweight material, you can cut an opening of any shape, while an opening in a load-bearing wall requires some attention.

What are the risks? Documentation

Not all factory doors are suitable for installation in an interior opening, which is especially true for those apartments that were built in Soviet time. Only widening the existing opening will save the situation. New door blocks have standard sizes, which makes them very different from older products that have been standing in place for several decades.

Great options could be height or width. The problem can be solved through functional and decorative arrangement interroom transition. The hole in the wall can be made larger or smaller. Expanding an opening in a load-bearing wall is not always safe. If you plan to restore a partition that is not the functional basis of the building, nothing bad will happen. In this case we are talking about walls made of cellular concrete, plasterboard or any other building material. But the work can be troublesome when it comes to the need to transfer a metal profile.

If you want to increase the passage in a load-bearing wall, then such a reconstruction will be a redevelopment. Work in this case must be carried out in accordance with a separate project, which contains an engineering calculation of the redistribution of loads on the floor after the amount of changes made. When expanding an opening in a load-bearing wall, you should collect some documents that are prescribed by regional requirements. This should include:

• documentation for housing ownership;
• certificate from the local BTI;
• an extract from the house register;
• reconstruction plan from an architectural organization;
• floor plan of the building;
• plan of all stages of work.

In the end, the decision to increase the passage can be a real red tape. This list of documents is not necessary for show, but for the safety of people who live in and around the apartment. If the load-bearing partition is damaged without permission, this can lead to the collapse of the wall and the collapse of part of the house. It is worth avoiding irreparable consequences by strengthening the opening.

Expansion parameter calculations

If you have a door structure that can fit a hole in the wall, you can calculate the exact parameters. You should not cut the opening by eye; it is necessary to make precise markings. You must take measurements of the width and height of the existing door, width and thickness door frame which comes included.

At the next stage, you will need to find out what is the width of the platbands that you plan to install. It is important to choose the right threshold and measure its height. It may not exist. Before you begin to expand the opening in the load-bearing wall, you need to determine the width of the passage, which will be the sum of the thickness of the frame post, the width of the door leaf and 2 cm technological gaps on each side. You can determine the height of the doorway by adding the height of the threshold to the thickness of the frame . The technological gap should be added to the obtained value.

Typically the wall thickness is 75 mm. If other indicators are available, extensions should be added when the walls are wider. An alternative solution would be to purchase a box with a narrow beam. Before you begin to expand the opening in the load-bearing wall, you should take measurements and markings, carrying out the work with high accuracy. If the gaps are taken with a margin, they may not cover the wide platbands when decorative finishing.

Arch calculation according to state standards

If you want to remove the arched vault when transitioning to an adjacent room, there is no way to avoid widening the transition. Before making an arched opening, you should calculate it. The opening can have any type of configuration. The shape of an arched vault can be any, while a curved bend can be attributed to a creative eye.

When constructing an opening in a load-bearing wall, it will be more difficult to make a classically shaped arch with the correct bend of 45 cm, so you need to stock up on certain equipment to carry out calculations on a scale of 1 to 50. Among the available tools and materials, you should highlight paper and a compass.

When calculating, you will need to use the Pythagorean theorem from the school curriculum: R² = L² + (R²-H²). The well-known Pythagorean formula made it possible to derive, and for construction experts to use, a formula for calculating the radius of the circumference of an arch in an opening. You will need to use a calculation based on the following formula: R = L² + H²/2H.

To determine the radius of the arch, you can use simpler, but not entirely accurate, calculations. To do this, a doorway of expanded dimensions is depicted on paper. Previously, a piece of wallpaper was used for this. After this, you should install a compass on the axis of symmetry and, changing the radius, draw several arcs. So you can choose best option, the remaining radii are then erased.

Where to begin

Before constructing an opening in a load-bearing wall, the old door structure must be dismantled and the opening strengthened. If work is carried out in the old panel house, then reinforcement can be done after the concrete cutting is completed. As for brick openings, they require special attention. When manipulating a brick wall, you should prepare certain tools and materials, such as:

• coupling bolts;
• tie channel;
• hairpins;
• metal corners;
• steel plates;
• cement mortar;
• petrol cutter;
• electric drill;
• Bulgarian

The coupling bolts must have a diameter of 20 mm. The diameter of the pins is 16 mm. Steel plates should be made from sheet steel. Instead of a grinder, you can use an electric cutter or a gas cutter. Diamond wheels should be prepared for the angle grinder. You can cut concrete using the most different instruments, but diamond cutting is the most suitable option.

You will need jacks or supports for the duration of the work. When you need to cut a brick wall, you should also prepare a hammer drill. The class of material used for reinforcement and the cross-section of the beam should be determined during preliminary load calculations.

The obtained figures should be included in the design documentation for the redevelopment of the premises. The steel channel profile should fit into the thickness of the brick wall by approximately 25 cm. Its length is selected taking this into account. To install the tightening bolts, holes are made in the channel; there must be at least 3 of them. This will be enough for the opening middle length. The channel ties are located at a distance of 50 cm.

Carrying out dismantling work

Before constructing a doorway in a load-bearing wall, you first need to create markings on the plane. The process will be somewhat easier if you use diamond cutting. An excellent option would be circles that reach a cut depth of up to 10 cm. During operation, the walls are wetted with water, which will reduce dust formation. It is important to remember about safety measures, namely:

• protective suit;
• respirator;
• gloves;
• special glasses.

The construction of a doorway in a load-bearing wall provides for double-sided operation. It will be necessary to cut out from different sides due to the massiveness of the partition. Before dismantling work, the opening is strengthened. The best option To increase the reliability of the load-bearing partition, the use of welded frames, which are tightened with studs through the walls, will be used.

When expanding a doorway in a load-bearing concrete wall, you should work in small areas in the form of squares or rectangles. In brick partitions, a through cut is usually made, while the blocks themselves must be knocked down with a hammer drill, after which you can use a sledgehammer if necessary. If we are talking about concrete, you should not use a hammer drill for it. Vibration effects can be destructive to the panel, which will lead to the formation of microcracks and weaken the entire structure. Brick walls require a different approach.

Additional opening requirements and standards

Before you start enlarging the opening in the load-bearing wall, you must understand in which building the work is being carried out. If the building is block or panel, and was not designed by MNIITEP or Mosproekttoul, then the doorway can be made. But certain requirements will be imposed on him.

For example, the opening must be removed from outer wall or from an existing opening in a load-bearing wall to a distance of 1 m. When constructing an opening in a load-bearing wall, craftsmen often wonder what the width of the box should be. Typically this value is 900 mm. Rarely, and in some series, the opening width ranges from 1000 to 1200 mm. However, this value must not be exceeded.

If you started to expand a doorway in a load-bearing wall, and the building was designed by MNIITEP, then such work may be prohibited if the apartment is located on the first or second floor. This is due to the fact that in these cases the remaining sections of the wall will not correspond to the strength calculations under the load from the floors located above. MNIITEP can permit and expand the doorway in a load-bearing wall only in one partition. From this it should be concluded that the possibilities of constructing the opening and its location, as well as its dimensions, will be determined by the organization that is the author of the project.

The property owner will have to obtain a technical opinion on the safety and admissibility of redevelopment. Based on the conclusion and project documentation the appropriate approval authority will issue permission for repairs. When expanding an opening in a brick load-bearing wall, you should use SNiP 3.03.01-87, which specifies the requirements for enclosing and load-bearing structures.

Methods of expansion and features of work

To expand the opening, you can use one of several methods. The method can be crude, in this case the following are used:

• sledgehammer;
• perforator;
• jackhammer.

At the first stage, you need to outline the contours on the wall, and then use tools to knock off the excess material. This process is quite labor-intensive, and microcracks formed due to impact loads can cause a decrease in the strength of the wall. The opening in the load-bearing wall can be enlarged using the dry cutting method. Here you will need a grinder, with which it is quite easy to enlarge the opening along the intended contour. The disadvantage of this process is that the wall must be cut from both sides.

Dry cutting creates a lot of dust, and you will also experience rapid wear on the diamond blade. Cutting can also be wet. This method is accompanied by the use of a spray bottle, with which you can irrigate the surface while working with an angle grinder. It would be more rational to use a construction cutter with a diamond blade. It must have a large diameter. You should also use a water container.

What to consider before starting work

Before enlarging a doorway in a load-bearing wall, you must make sure that there is no partition inside hidden wiring, pipes or fittings. There may be a chimney inside. To obtain detailed information, you should use a metal detector. When any obstacles are found, they can be eliminated by moving the electrical wiring to another location or moving 300 mm away from the chimney. If there are pipes inside, they are dismantled and moved, but this will require the help of a specialist.

The main stages of increasing the opening

Redevelopment of an opening in a load-bearing wall at the first stage involves removing the additions and platbands using a nail puller. It is necessary to remove the canvas from the hinges by lifting it from below with a crowbar. The vertical posts must be cut with a grinder and torn off with a nail puller. If the height of the opening in the load-bearing wall is increased, the top lintel must be torn off. Otherwise, it is left in place.

The magnification contour should be marked around the perimeter. Holes are made along the marking line with an impact drill to simplify dismantling work. The panel needs to be cut on each side. After cutting the reinforcement with blows with a sledgehammer, it is necessary to remove the remains of the wall. The opening should be reinforced with metal corners, pieces of rod or strips.

Finally

Now you know the parameters of the maximum opening in a load-bearing wall. But this is not enough for successful work. For example, if you want to work with a brick wall, then you need to prevent it from collapsing. A floor beam should be installed above the doorway. It can be a reinforced concrete beam or a metal channel. On top of the opening you need to cut a niche, going onto the walls. A beam is laid there. All voids above and below it are filled with concrete mortar.

Once the concrete has hardened, the opening can be expanded. To do this, use a cutter to cut through the brickwork along the contour. The cut opening must be smaller than the beam installed on top. The cutter should be directed perpendicular to the wall. If you want to move an opening in a load-bearing wall, then cutting will have to be done on both sides, because the partition has a thickness of more than 10 cm.

When working on repairs and redevelopment of premises, it may be necessary to expand the doorway in a brick wall. In some cases, apartment and house owners want to block existing door or window openings and make new ones in more convenient places. Next we will talk about how to properly widen a doorway in compliance with all norms and requirements and how to obtain permits.

The expansion of a window opening in a brick wall, as well as a door opening, is carried out taking into account the design of the walls. Walls are divided into several types. Bearing structures in addition to their own weight, they accept and transfer to the base the weight of ceilings, stairs, roofs, etc.

Self-supporting walls take the weight of the walls of all floors of the house and rest on the base. Non-load-bearing structures are only affected by their own weight, which is transferred floor by floor to other parts of the building. Depending on the layout of the building, the load-bearing wall may also be located inside the apartment, so expanding the entrances may require obtaining permits.

Fulfill construction works without prior approval of the project is prohibited, as they can lead to the destruction of the floors above.

Let's move on to the actual work on expanding the entrances. Such work can be performed using two technologies. The first option is used to expand entrances in self-supporting and load-bearing walls, the second - when working with non-load-bearing walls and brick partitions.

Expansion of openings in load-bearing walls

• To expand the opening you will need the following materials and tools:
• channels;
• jumper;
• studs with nuts;
• Bulgarian;
• perforator;
• metal corners;
• marker;
• steel strips;

welding machine.

Let's consider the most common option of framing the entrance with two paired channels, which are fastened together with studs and nuts. Before installing a new lintel, special niches are made in the wall above the opening. The depth of the niche into which the channel will be installed must correspond to its size so that it does not protrude above the brickwork and remains under the plaster after the work is completed. To fasten channels it is necessary to use at least 3 studs with a diameter of more than 15 mm.

Before tightening the channels, to ensure the greatest strength of the structure, the niches are filled with M-100 concrete mortar, which fills the unevenness. Holes of the appropriate diameter are made in the walls of the channels. The channel is placed in a niche, and the through holes in the wall are marked using a marker. After drilling them, jumpers are installed. Now you can begin to disassemble the brickwork in order to increase the doorway. When expanding door and window openings, it is necessary to form a hole with smooth edges, which is possible when cutting out parts of the masonry with a grinder. Due to the dust generated, all work must be performed in a respirator. After cutting, you can disassemble the bricks with a hammer drill. If the length of the jumper is less than the width of the inlet, then it is removed.

At the next stage, side racks are installed, the upper parts of which are aligned with the lintel. They are made from metal corners 7-10 cm long. At the junction of the stiffening corners, they are welded to the lintel. The racks must be firmly fixed, for which they are connected to each other with steel strips along the thickness of the wall. Reinforcing rods driven into the wall are welded to the strips. A spacer made of reinforcement or metal corners is installed at the bottom of the opening, which will then remain under the floor. All metal parts are welded into a single frame called a frame. It is possible to increase the doorway by strengthening the lintel with corners. They are fastened to each other with tightening steel strips.

Widening openings in non-load-bearing walls

It is much easier to enlarge window openings in brick walls of this nature. Partitions are thinner than load-bearing walls. Accordingly, expanding the entrance to them will require minimal labor costs. The work is carried out using almost the same technology as on load-bearing walls. The outline of the future structure is drawn on the surface of the wall, after which the brickwork is dismantled and the old lintel is dismantled. A longer lintel is installed above the enlarged opening, on top of which brickwork is laid. After the expansion is completed, a hidden work report is drawn up, which must be signed by representatives of technical supervision. After this, you can start plastering the walls. In order for the plaster to adhere to the metal elements of the structure, they are covered with a chain-link mesh.

As a conclusion

It is impossible to widen an opening in a brick wall without prior approval of the project. Unauthorized work can lead to the destruction of the upper floors of the building.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynokibH5Wk0

The brickwork should be disassembled only after installing the lintel and support posts; the opening should be framed using a pair of channels.