Why, how and how is an opening in a brick wall reinforced?

During construction or during redevelopment, it is quite often necessary to create new doorways. At first glance, the task seems simple, but upon closer examination, a lot of subtleties and nuances emerge, failure to comply with which can ruin all efforts. Next, we will step by step look at the design of a doorway in a concrete and brick wall, and also talk about what not to do and what such mistakes can lead to.

There are a lot of important nuances in the arrangement of doorways.

Applications of reinforced cage

In order to strengthen the walls and prevent new damage from occurring, you can reinforce the walls.
This can be done using reinforcement cages, metal rods or reinforcing mesh. The simplest option is to carry out reinforcement using reinforcing mesh, in this case, the order of work will be as follows:

• You can fix the reinforcing mesh on the wall either on one side or on both sides;
• before this it is necessary to drill holes;
• To fasten the mesh, through studs are used or this can be done using anchor bolts;
• after attaching the mesh, concrete mortar is applied to it, the grade of which should not be lower than M 100;
• the thickness of the solution layer is usually in the range of 20-40 mm;
• auxiliary metal rods with a diameter of 6 mm are attached along the height of the corners, 25-30 cm retreat from the edge;
• if the mesh is installed on only one side, then studs or anchors with a diameter of 8 mm are used in increments of 60-75 cm;
• if the reinforcing mesh is attached to both sides of the wall, then the diameter of the studs is at least 12 mm and their pitch is 100-120 cm;
• The reinforcing mesh is attached to the anchors or studs using welding or knitting wire.

Stucco molding

Another way is to use stucco. It’s difficult to imagine what it is based on its name, but ideas may arise in your head that it is molded by hand, and these are the right thoughts. This technology was used a long time ago by the Venetian rich, who decorated their palaces and houses with plaster. This method of interior decoration, popular in the past, is still used today. A method, yes, but not a method. Gypsum is no longer used by anyone for these purposes.

Polyurethane stucco

It was taken out of use by a technologically advanced material – polyurethane. And the finishing itself is no longer done by hand. Stores sell ready-made polyurethane products that are mounted on the wall of the opening. The choice of patterns, sizes and colors is large, but the white finish remains the true leader.

Stucco molding is a unique decorative element that needs to be combined with the interior design. Most often, this finish is used in classic styles.

If you are afraid that stucco molding will attract undue attention, use products with small relief. Large drawings and complex patterns add weight to the decor; they are intended for spacious rooms.

Arch decorated with stucco

Possible errors and difficulties in the process

This subsequently leads to problems with thermal insulation and a decrease in the reliability of installation work.

Incorrectly made clearances will need to be redone, and this will lead to higher costs for construction work. To prevent this from happening, you will need to link the openings to the wall.

Particular attention is paid to the top of the slopes; it is checked taking into account the design of the finished floor. It happens that when making openings the required gaps on the sides of the box 30 mm and below 60 mm are not observed

Also, the shape of the opening is often incorrectly executed with violation of the diagonals, when they are not equal to each other.

Incorrect calculations of a reduced double-glazed window: after installing PVC structures, the glazing area becomes insufficient and cannot provide sufficient natural light to the room.

Technology for strengthening the opening with a channel

When making openings, it is best to use diamond cutting technology. Modern tools allow you to carry out work quietly, cleanly and without damaging the rest of the wall. Using an angle grinder or a jackhammer to dismantle the base can lead to collapse. First, the craftsmen install safety supports, which should temporarily distribute the load.

The easiest and most common method of strengthening is a U-shaped channel frame. It is made of vertical shelves and a crossbar. This design is installed along the edges of the opening and secured with special chemical anchor bolts and pieces of reinforcement. Additionally, support heels are fixed to the floor, to which the object is welded with its lower edges. Also, strengthening the opening with a channel means welding at the junction corners of the metal structure parts.

Reliability is ensured by chemical anchors. These are special fasteners that have a capsule with an adhesive base. It is inserted into the prepared hole, where the bolt is then installed. The container breaks, a chemical reaction occurs for some time, after which the fasteners are tightened with a nut. This type of connection can withstand heavy loads. With its help, joint work is ensured to distribute the pressure of the wall and the channel itself. Upon completion of installation, anti-corrosion treatment of the metal structure is carried out.

Process

The arrangement of lintels, with the formation of a unit and taking into account support in the wall, must take place according to the rules described in SNiPs. Since reinforced concrete lintels are used most often in modern buildings, the process of their installation consists of the following nuances:

1. For laying, a ledge is made with a width of at least 25 cm, and on each side of the opening, the length of the structure should exceed this width by 50 cm.
2. For installation, use a truck crane to lift the lintel - it will lift and lower it to the desired support point, onto which uncured concrete mortar has already been applied.
3. With prefabricated options, formwork is arranged, formed along the width of the opening, a reinforcement cage is knitted and the lintels are poured in a monolithic manner, leaving them until completely dry.

Metal jumpers are lightweight. Presented in the form of channels and various forms of rolled steel, their advantage is that during operation they can be cut to the required length.

Brick lintels are mounted to the main wall along the top of the opening, and then connected to each other using a shelf from which hang clamps placed in vertical seams. The clamps reliably reinforce the lintel, and it turns out strong.

Recently, in most cases, builders have placed the professional BAUT reinforcement system into brick lintels.

A simple and reliable way to install a brick lintel - in the video:

Is it always possible to cut into a concrete wall?

Work to create openings in concrete walls must be carried out in strict compliance with laws, building regulations and sanitary standards, taking into account fire safety. In most cases, when remodeling, it is unacceptable to touch load-bearing walls.

To obtain permission to carry out such work, you should think about how the reconstruction of the apartment does not entail damage to the entire building. To do this, you need to reinforce the opening in the load-bearing wall using metal structures. This applies to the upper floors; on the lower floors, changing the apartment plan may be prohibited.

When obtaining this permit, the following points are taken into account:

• the material from which the house is built;
• apartment layout;
• dimensions of the new opening and supporting structure;
• technical condition of the building and its ceilings;
• pressure exerted on the walls from above;
• wall thickness and condition.

In a private building, it is much easier to create a window or doorway in a concrete wall, since there are no lower or upper floors on which the load could increase. But it is imperative to take into account all aspects and details that may subsequently affect the stability of the floors of the house.

Unprofessional and illiterate redevelopment in a private house can lead to disastrous results, so before breaking through an additional opening, you need to study all the design features of the load-bearing walls of the house and find out the following:

1. House project;
2. the area of ​​the new opening in relation to the area of ​​the load-bearing wall;
3. technical parameters of the house, the condition of its ceilings;
4. thickness and strength of the load-bearing wall.

Preparing for work

Punching an opening in the wall is accompanied by a large amount of dust raised by the tool and the formation of construction debris. Preparing the room consists of covering the furniture with construction film and curtaining the doors with it. Carpets and soft floor coverings should be removed and taken out, or rolled to the middle of the room and covered with film.

The correct location for a new opening will be an area of ​​the wall equidistant from other openings, but not under the connection line of the floor slabs - here the load on the elements that strengthen the doorway will be the least.

What are the difficulties?

An opening can be made in an iron-concrete floor, if the design of the floor itself allows it. In other words, if this is an old house, where the ceiling slabs are narrow and long, then creating an opening will be almost impossible, since an opening of this size will disrupt the design of the slab, and it will have to be strengthened in such a way that, firstly, this will not be agreed upon in the redevelopment, and secondly , this will become very costly.

But in houses with monolithic floors, just now everyone is making openings to accommodate stairs, when creating a transition in two-story or more apartments and private houses. You can even place an elevator in such an opening.

Technically, it is necessary to ensure that the cut part of the slab is supported from below, and then we cut or saw out, drill around the perimeter, and lower the fragment of the ceiling down. Next, we chop it up and take out the trash.

Openings can be of various shapes and sizes.

In some cases, significant strengthening of structures with rolled metal is required.

Special diamond circular saws are used for cutting concrete. You can also use other available tools (a professional large grinder with two handles). Cooling is required during the cutting process.

This video demonstrates stationary cutting of concrete, when the saw is fixedly fixed on the floor of the ceiling using a special frame.

The second video shows a device for drilling holes in the ceiling; there is also reinforcement inside the ceiling..

If the reinforced concrete floor does not have a stiffener rib or the next level, or something heavy is not installed on the floor slab, then you can make an opening, there will be nothing wrong with it, but you must also remember that the reinforced concrete floor itself remains in place as long as there are ribs rigidity or reinforcement in it, if the structure is damaged, the slab may collapse, and even after the opening is made, this ceiling cannot be loaded in other places.

So, for example, if you make an opening in the ceiling a-1 or a-2 from one side to the other, the slab will collapse, the same can happen with slabs a-3 and a-4 if you cut off the stiffening ribs.

The opening itself can be cut in two ways:

1. Drilling through holes along the contour of the opening a few millimeters apart.
2. Cut the opening using a diamond blade.

I like the second option better, since the edges are initially smooth and do not require further processing.

And now ATTENTION!

When you cut an opening, it will fall from a height of at least 1.8 meters, and this is fraught with destruction in the house, since the opening will be very heavy, because it is made of concrete and metal structures. Therefore, before cutting the opening, it is necessary to ensure safety so that the cut piece does not fall.

An opening in a reinforced concrete floor can only be made if you have some experience in construction and have coordinated this type of work with the competent authorities, since during the manufacture of the opening you will weaken the reinforced concrete slab, which can lead to the collapse of the rest of the slab or the destruction of the room, and this can cause damage to health people and even death. Therefore, you should not do this work yourself; use the help of specially trained people with a license (permit) to perform this type of work!

Materials and tools for the device

To install lintels in brick walls, you will need the following consumables and tools:

• construction hammer, hacksaw, electric drill, screwdriver;
• set of installation accessories;
• trowel, putty, brushes, spatulas, bucket for mortar;
• edged boards of the same thickness, with metal or wooden supports;
• metal corners, self-tapping screws, reinforcing mesh or metal rods, nails with wide heads, binding wire;
• polyethylene film, roofing felt;
• composition for concrete in finished form or separately: cement, sand, gravel, water, slag.

Separately, gloves, overalls, rags, brushes and “levelers” for concrete may be useful so that the poured solution is well compacted when distributed, filling the pores of the wall and formwork attached to the surface.

What materials are used?

The technology for strengthening openings depends on the thickness of the wall and the material. Depending on this, channels, racks or corners are used.

Steel channel is more common than other options. The best brands are 10P, 12P and 14P .

Two people are enough to install it. When installing, if necessary, the structure is tightened with threaded ties.

Channel advantages:

1. Budget.
2. Easy to install.

Disadvantages: if the wall size is larger than 1 m, it is necessary to use threaded ties.

If the opening width is more than a meter, then it is also reinforced with a metal clip. It is also used to strengthen damaged brick walls. Metal plates are installed in the lower part, which redistribute the load.

Design advantages:

• more robust design;
• the load is distributed correctly.

With a metal corner you can strengthen the opening along the entire contour or install it as a lintel. It is secured with anchors overlapping along the edges of the opening. The connecting element is a transverse plate, which is welded to the corners.

Metal heels are used as support, which help distribute the load correctly. The thickness must be at least 5 mm, and the dimensions of the shelves must be at least 6 cm by 6 cm.

Advantages of corners:

1. Correct load over the entire area.
2. The cross plate is firmly welded to the corners.

Reinforced concrete lintels are used least often during repairs, since they are too heavy and require special equipment for their installation. It is often installed immediately during the construction of new buildings.

Pros:

• robust construction;
• The jumper is convenient if mounted into the wall of a new building.

Minuses:

• heavy weight;
• you need special equipment.

Before installing any of the structures, it is necessary to treat it with compounds that protect against corrosion.

Instructions for constructing an opening in a load-bearing brick wall

Korovin Sergey Dmitrievich

Master of Architecture, graduated from Samara State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. 11 years of experience in design and construction.

Sometimes, for redevelopment in an apartment or private house, it is necessary to make a new door or window opening. Creating an opening in the load-bearing wall of an apartment brick building is not the easiest task. Things are easier with redevelopment in a private house, here everyone is their own boss.

What is a doorway? This is a hole in the wall intended for installing entrance units. The fixed fixed element in the inter-wall space is called a door frame. Often an arch is made as a decorative element of the interior.

Exterior finishing

After completing the work on forming the opening in the brick load-bearing wall, everything must be decorated decoratively (Fig. 7) . What is needed for this? First of all, you need to decide on the choice of finishing material. Whether it will be wood, plastic or decorative stone – it’s up to you. Next, you need to show a little imagination and create decorative elements in the formed space of the brick wall.

For self-cladding, you should have basic knowledge in the field of finishing work, and you also need to have special tools.

If you need to decorate the space for a door without having one, then you should use additional boards. This will add elegance to your new room decor and add sophistication to the interior. You can create such a cladding yourself.

The opening made in the form of an arch looks beautiful. As a rule, arches come in round or pointed shapes. To decide on the shape of the arch for the client, check out the design catalogs. The most common today is the Byzantine and Greek style. In some cases, the arch can be made with lighting.

How to properly brick a window

brick the window

Sometimes, on the contrary, it is necessary to reduce their number in the house. If the rear ones are made of the building material we specified, you will simply need to fill the opening with bricks. Some technologies will need to be followed:

1. Mix a thick solution. This consistency is needed so that it does not crack.
2. Clean the surface from dirt.
3. The wall is primed.
4. To save money, the brick is placed on the edge.
5. The cracks are sealed with construction foam.
6. Sheets of polystyrene foam are placed on top.
7. The surface is finished.

There is nothing complicated about how to brick a window opening. But any of the above processes is very important: it should be carried out in accordance with the recommendations given. If they are ignored, there is a risk of deformation of the work done and even collapse of the entire building. If you still have questions, we recommend watching the video “how to brick windows”:

Sometimes situations arise when you need to cut in an additional door or window in a house, while making an opening in a blank partition or load-bearing wall. If we talk about buildings owned by the state or any company, then permission for such actions is extremely difficult to obtain, but in your own home you will do this without anyone’s permission, and now we will discuss the technical side of the issue.

Also, the video in this article will help you clearly understand this topic.

Finished section of a window in a brick wall

What to pay attention to when performing work

There are some nuances that professional builders use and that it is advisable to pay attention to when performing construction operations yourself:

• If during redevelopment it is necessary to make new doors or windows, then reinforcement is installed before the dismantling of the wall begins;
• The space for the metal structure is calculated so that the lower border runs along a row of solid bricks. If you put a lintel on the brick halves, the structure will become unreliable and you will have to make repairs again soon;
• Welding work must be performed not pointwise, grabbing parts, but completely along the entire line of contact of metal elements - this will give good rigidity to the structure.

When performing all construction work of this type, it is important to use a level that will help align the frame or corners as level as possible.

Reasons for strengthening

Reinforcement of brickwork is carried out to increase the strength of the structure. Such measures guarantee the preservation of the integrity of the structure during possible redevelopment of the house, displacement of internal partitions, or installation of additional window or door openings. Strengthening a brick wall helps prevent deformation of the building as a whole. At the first signs of a violation of the integrity of the structure, it is recommended to install reinforced walls.

Deformation of masonry occurs under the influence of such factors:

• Incorrectly calculated project. Violation of the standard distance between buildings, uneven distribution of the bearing capacity of elements, excessive loads on the foundation.
• Violation of foundation construction technology. Lack of additional strengthening of loose soil, incorrect foundation depth, use of additives in solutions.
• Poor quality masonry. The incorrect choice of method for constructing window and door openings, cladding with mixtures with a low level of air permeability, the use of low-quality mortar, and the absence of distribution slabs when laying floors.
• Violation of the rules for using walls. Lack of drainpipes and blind areas, leakage of underground communication systems, disruption of hinge connections of load-bearing elements with floors.

Price of work per 1 linear meter in the Russian Federation

Depending on the type of walls and the number of channels used, prices in the Russian Federation vary from 4,000 thousand rubles to 11,000 thousand rubles.

Prices include transportation costs within the city without parking costs. Outside the city, transport costs also increase.

Openings in brick walls

You probably understand the danger of removing intermediate bricks from the wall - the situation is similar to the film “Operation Y”, when G. Vitsin took out the bottom pot from a vertical stack. The situation is the same here and not a single instruction will give you guidance on this type of partial dismantling. To figure out how to properly disassemble a wall in order to make an opening in it, you need to understand its design.

Types of brickwork

Names of the sides of the brick

The brick is a volumetric rectangle with three main sides, which, according to GOST 530-2007, are called spoon, poke and bed. In Russia, a single product standard has been adopted, therefore, red brick (ordinary or refractory) has the following dimensions: single - 250x120x65 mm, one-and-a-half - 250x120x88 mm and double - 250x120x103 mm. But the double sand-lime brick M 150 is slightly different and its dimensions are 250x120x138 mm.

Brick size by parts

In construction, the thickness of masonry is usually determined not by the metric system, but by parts of brick or stone. Therefore, the wall can be a full stone (full brick), three quarters of a stone, half a stone, a quarter of a stone, as well as two stones, two stones and a quarter, and so on.

First, a little theory about masonry - at the top you see three methods of tying masonry - spoon, chain and cross. The first method, when the entire brick lies with a spoon facing outwards, indicates that its depth is 120 mm. If in the masonry you see the side called the butt, then the thickness naturally increases to 250 mm, but this is no longer in partitions, but in load-bearing or semi-load-bearing walls (see also Is it possible to build a bathhouse with your own hands from brick).

Brick wall in section. Well masonry

Well masonry is so called because it has wells formed in the cavity between the walls, which are filled with some kind of insulation. In old houses, this is most often slag, which serves as insulation, but sometimes it can just be construction debris and even soil (that’s what the builders were like). In modern buildings, penoizol or urea-formaldehyde foam (CFP) is most often used as thermal insulation in such cases.

Thickened well masonry

But the well masonry does not always consist of two partitions; more often it is reinforced with one more (see photo above) or even two rows of bricks. Naturally, in such a situation the task becomes more complicated due to the depth of the obstacle.

Cutting out the opening

Marking the place for the opening

To make a cut in the wall of a brick house for a door or window, first of all you need to mark this place with chalk. It should be taken into account that the opening must be several centimeters larger than the door frame or window frame, since after installation, foam is blown into this gap, which serves as additional fixation, as well as insulation of the gap.

The upper part of the opening is widened to accommodate the beam

Look at the photo and you will see that the opening is made in the shape of a T, where the crossbar is created for the beam that will support the masonry hanging from above. A wooden beam is used as this beam in partitions, and in semi-load-bearing walls a board 50 mm thick is used, and if you disassemble such structures, this is exactly what you will see there. In load-bearing walls, reinforced concrete beams are used for openings (if you have ever made holes for cornice brackets on a load-bearing wall, then you have seen this for yourself).

First, let's try to make an opening in the partition of half a brick or a quarter brick (this is the usual thickness of partitions). Of course, it is easier to disassemble the partition, but using this example it will be possible to learn how to disassemble more complex (load-bearing and semi-load-bearing) structures. It’s just that on such partitions the principle of removing bricks will be clear. (see also Is it possible to build a tandoor out of brick with your own hands)

Strengthening in case of emergency

It is necessary to install additional reinforcement if the openings in the brick wall have fallen into disrepair over time or under the influence of unfavorable factors, and the thickness of the wall itself differs from the standard one. The wall is mainly affected by temperature differences inside and outside the room.

In some cases, it is enough to supplement the frame with a second channel. Installation of such a structure is carried out in the same way as in a regular brick wall. The channels are fastened together with pins and also welded to metal plates that are installed around the doorway. The metal frame is reinforced on top with an I-beam and secured with anchor bolts. Corners can also be used.

Don't forget about wall treatment. This process is optimally performed with diamond tools.

Each case of redevelopment or repair and restoration work must be considered separately, based not only on the condition of the structure, but also taking into account the economic component. Do not forget that any opening in a brick wall weakens the strength of the structure. It will be very disappointing if in a newly renovated room the walls around doors or windows crack in a short period of time.

Mistakes a newbie can make

There are a large number of stages of work where an inexperienced worker can make a mistake. This often happens when determining the planting depth of the canvas, choosing fasteners, as well as when sealing plastic windows. In order for new window frames to last for a long time, it is necessary to take into account some features:

installation with glazing beads outward is not carried out, since this negatively affects the safety of the structure - such a canvas can be easily dismantled from the street; It is worth paying attention to the depth of the frame - an incorrectly positioned canvas can let in cold air or extraneous noise from the street; leveling the structure is a mandatory stage of installation - if installed incorrectly, the process of opening or closing the glass unit will be disrupted; polyurethane foam must be protected from UV radiation, otherwise it loses its properties and cracks, which breaks the seal; The structure must be secured not only with polyurethane foam - anchor bolts are used to securely fix the canvas.

If you follow the technology for preparing the window opening, the seating depth of the canvas and other installation rules, you will be able to install the structure yourself without fear for the result.

Installation of a horizontal jumper

First you need to make grooves for the channels, which originate from the seam between the masonry. In this case, the length of the metal profile is selected based on the height of the opening, divided by 2, and add 15 cm. During installation, it is worth using concrete mortar to make the reinforcing structure solid. The support area of ​​each channel must be at least 250 mm. As for the depth of the niches, it will be equal to the thickness of the metal profile.

After the grooves are made, you should start strengthening the walls of the brick house with strands. To do this, insert a long drill into the outer holes of the metal profile (on both sides) and use a drill to make through holes in the corners of the opening. After this, another channel is applied to the reverse side so that the holes in it and the wall coincide. Now all that remains is to connect both reinforcing elements with anchor bolts along the pre-drilled holes.

In addition, it is worth connecting both metal profiles with transverse plates by welding. Now the entire load of the floors and walls will be partially taken up by the completed crossbar.

Working with a curtain wall

To avoid the collapse of part of the wall, it must be disassembled starting from the top. If you plan to have an opening up to the ceiling, you need to make markings.

Using a construction hammer and chisel, knock out the top row. While deleting the following

rows, it must be remembered that some bricks can be held loosely without adhesion to the masonry itself. The chisel is held perpendicular to the wall.

Before cutting a hole in the wall, it must be covered with a lintel, which transfers the entire load to the walls evenly on both sides of the doorway. You need to draw an opening taking into account a gap of 3 cm, which should be present between the door frame and the wall (the window is calculated in the same way). Experts advise determining the line of the opening with the line of the brickwork.

Above the opening marking, you need to draw the required size of the lintel, extending 25 cm beyond the vertical line in each direction. You need to start punching the wall from the hole drilled for the lintel.

Since the mark for the bottom of the lintel usually does not coincide with the multiple number of brick rows, it is necessary to cut out the extra row and mount the lintel at the correct and required mark. If the thickness of the required wall is very large, you need to lay two lintels and fill them with mortar.

The gap between the lintel and the brick wall is filled with construction cement mortar. If there is a suspicion that the wall has collapsed, it must be completely dismantled, right up to the ceiling, and laid out again over the lintel.

Work order

First of all, you need to decide where to organize additional space for entry and exit. It all starts with the markup. You need to decide on the width of the hole, and then begin to determine its future location with a pencil. You need to measure the distance from the outer wall and make a mark - from here we begin to draw the outline of the future interior space.

For their exact match, it is necessary to drill several holes according to the pencil markings (Fig. 1). And then on the other side connect all the holes with a pencil line.

The above-described manipulations should be carried out using a building level, a triangle and a ruler.

Since we will create the space in the load-bearing wall of a brick house, it is necessary to take care of auxiliary partitions and lintels in advance (Fig. 2).

Openings in interior partitions

Partitions up to 100–150 mm thick are easier to cut, but careful alignment of the markings is required, because cutting is carried out on both sides. To align the markings, two control points are enough - the upper corners of the opening, in which through holes are drilled. When working, you need to carefully monitor the perpendicular position of the drill.

The control points must be connected with a horizontal line, and two vertical ones on both sides must be dropped using a plumb line. Afterwards, cutting lines are drawn with an indentation of 15–20 mm on both sides of the contour markings. In the room where you plan to remove and disassemble the core, the markings should be 10–15 mm larger to form a wedge-shaped gap.

Along the outer marking lines, a cut is made with a grinder to the entire effective depth of the disc. You can chop the core of the groove with a chisel or even with a hand, hammering it into one of the cuts. To select material from the groove, we can recommend crushing it by drilling 20-24 mm holes in the central part of the cut in increments of 10-15 cm - such fragments are easily removed with a hammer.

A few words about the types of doorways

Often people who are far from the intricacies of construction order craftsmen to create an opening in the wall that they like. In principle, there is nothing bad here, because whoever pays “calls the tune,” but in this case you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to pay an order of magnitude more.

Types of doorways are divided mainly by width and height. You need to focus on what size door you want to install. The width of the door leaf ranges from 60 cm, up to 90 cm is the standard. As for the height, here the average is taken to be 2 m, +/- 100 - 150 mm.

Basic rules for calculating doorways.

If you do not get into the standard, then you will have to make a door block to order, and this is at least 2 times more expensive than the same block made according to GOST. You can find out more about domestic and foreign GOSTs, as well as the rules for calculating doorways with photos and videos, “here”.

Rules for calculating doorways with and without thresholds.

Another option is when at the moment the owners do not plan to install a door at all. But it is not a fact that after some time you will not want to install a door in this place, and then it is better that this opening be standard. By the way, you can find out about the types and methods of finishing doorways without doors “here”.

Varieties of doorways depending on the size of the door according to GOST.

How to strengthen

Often cracks in brick walls occur due to subsidence of the foundation, changes in the base

Repair work aimed at strengthening brick walls must be carried out in a certain sequence. First of all, the basement of the building should be repaired. Due to shrinkage processes, the base of a brick building may become covered with cracks, which in turn will provoke the appearance of similar defects on the wall itself.

Before starting repairs, you should find out the reasons for such changes in the basement of the building. Only after eliminating the cause can you begin to repair the cracks in the base. To do this, use high-strength cement mortar, which is pumped into the cracks.

Narrow defects can be repaired with a strong solution

Repairing and strengthening a brick wall begins with cleaning cracks along their width and depth. Narrow cracks are sealed with a strong mortar, and wide cracks are pre-strengthened with reinforced mesh. This will strengthen the load-bearing capacity of the wall, as well as prevent the formation of cracks during further operation of the building.

In the event that serious destructive processes are present, brick walls can be strengthened by installing a monolithic reinforced concrete belt around the entire perimeter of the building. Naturally, for this it will be necessary to dismantle the roof.

If cracks wider than 10 mm occur, it is recommended to install steel brackets

The technology for strengthening brick walls also involves installing brackets made of reinforced steel, provided that the cracks exceed 10 mm.

For wider cracks, staples are installed on both sides, fastened together with through bolts. A hard solution of the required consistency is pumped into the crack.

The main methods of strengthening are indicated in the following table:

Making an opening in a plasterboard partition

To create a doorway in the interior partition made of plasterboard, a frame is first installed. The steel profile structure gives the shape of the wall and also serves as the basis for fixing the gypsum board sheets. Strength is provided by wooden beams installed along the entire perimeter of the passage. The timber is connected to the metal frame posts.

The work begins with the installation of the guide profile on the floor and ceiling. The additional element is attached to the adjacent wall. A rubber band is placed under each profile for shock absorption. Vertical profile posts are fixed to the guides at a distance of up to 40 cm, forming the frame of the wall. The outer posts form the outline of the passage. They are connected to vertical timber beams. A wooden plank is attached to the top.

Cutting methods

In order to make a passage in the main wall, you will need special cutting tools. You cannot use a percussion tool, such as a hammer drill, for such work, because strong vibration will lead to cracks and chipping of the material.

Work on cutting openings is carried out by several types of cutting:

• diamond;
• cold cutting (water jet method);
• laser cutting (oxygen-lance drilling);
• hammer drill and grinder.

Diamond cutting

Diamond cutting is one of the most popular methods of forming a window or door opening. In this way you can make an opening for both a door and a window. To work, you will need a diamond-coated disk attachment and a container of water to immerse the tool in it for cooling and reduce the amount of dust.

The method has the following advantages:

1. due to low vibration, cracks in the walls are excluded;
2. the most accurate cutting along pre-designated lines;
3. low noise level;
4. a small amount of dust and debris.

Despite the large number of advantages, this method has some disadvantages:

• high price of working material (diamond blades);
• regular cooling with water;
• high energy consumption.

Waterjet method

This method is less popular compared to the previous one, because the work uses sand and a jet of water under pressure. The speed of the water jet is 1000 m/s.

Water enters a special tank, where it is mixed with sand, from there the mixture under high pressure through a nozzle with a hole diameter of 0.4 mm is sent to the cutting site. To reduce the residual force of the jet, a water trap is used.

Cutting with water has the following advantages:

1. the cut location comes out precise and even;
2. concrete does not become hot during cutting, so there are no harmful fumes;
3. there is no strong noise or vibration during operation;
4. cutting can be done at any angle;
5. formation of openings of various shapes.

Disadvantages of water cutting:

• not applicable for apartments due to the large size of the fixture and water use;
• high cost of abrasive material.

Oxygen lance drilling or laser cutting

This type of work is carried out using a thick spear made in the shape of a pipe through which oxygen flows. The spear heats up to 1400°, at the end of which the temperature reaches 2000°.

The advantage of this type of cutting is as follows:

• accuracy and high efficiency of the method;
• minimum cutting width;
• maximum smoothness of edges and narrow heating zone;
• no edge deformation;
• Possibility of cutting concrete into different shapes.

Punching with a hammer drill and grinder

If you need to make an opening in a thin concrete wall, you can use a hammer drill and a good grinder. The discs are selected taking into account the thickness of the wall.

The advantages of this method include accessibility and low cost, but the disadvantages are that making an opening in a load-bearing concrete wall will require a lot of effort and time.

Reinforcement with channel profile

When working to strengthen a window or doorway in a brick wall, use:

• wall chaser (a tool in these circumstances is very useful, but expensive, but it can be replaced with a hammer drill or an angle grinder with a diamond wheel with a diameter of at least 200 mm);
• perforator;
• welding machine;
• studs with nuts and wide washers;
• wrenches or wrench;
• marking devices.

Options for strengthening openings with channels.

The outline of the future opening is drawn on the wall. The line of its top crossbar should coincide with the seam of the masonry. You need to drill through holes in the corners of the contour in order to make precise markings on the other side of the partition.

For channels in the wall, it is necessary to cut grooves with a depth and height corresponding to the dimensions of the profiles. The length of the steel crossbar should exceed the width of the opening by 1 m, so the niches for it should protrude beyond its edges by 0.5 m.

First, a groove is made on one side of the partition. A channel with holes drilled for the studs is inserted into it. It should fit tightly into the cavity prepared for it. Additionally, the channel is fixed in it with sand-cement mortar. After the mixture has hardened, the wall must be drilled through the holes in the profile.

Now knock out the groove from the back side. A second channel with holes drilled symmetrically to the holes of the first is inserted into it. The profiles are connected with pins. The nuts are screwed on top of the washers mounted on the fasteners. The second crossbar is also fixed in the cut-out niche with mortar.

After dismantling 2-3 rows of brickwork under the crossbar, steel plates need to be welded between the channels. The lintel, which can withstand the pressure of the structures located above it, is ready. You can continue to disassemble the masonry.

Installation of vertical supports

Door and wide window openings in load-bearing walls need additional reinforcement with vertical posts, which will take part of the load of the structure.

Jumper diagram with vertical posts.

Installation of vertical profiles is required if the opening width exceeds 1.5 m. In load-bearing brick walls, the racks are pairs of channels connected to each other by threaded fasteners and steel plates. The racks are welded to the channels of the horizontal lintel.

The method of installing vertical channels can be the same as when laying a horizontal crossbar. After they are secured, they begin to dismantle the brickwork within the marked perimeter.

The frame can be mounted differently. The supports are installed after cutting a hole in the wall. Pairs of channels, installed at the vertical parts of the opening, are connected to each other with steel strips. After installing the racks, a solution is placed in the voids between them. If the opening is reinforced in this way, then when calculating its width, the dimensions of the vertical supports should be taken into account. The steel frame will be even stronger if it is made closed. In this case, a jumper is welded between the supports in their lower part.

Methods for strengthening openings in a monolithic or brick house

The strengthening technology is selected depending on the thickness of the wall, what material it is made of, and the size of the hole itself. Several options are used to strengthen brick walls:

1. Reinforced concrete lintel. It is mainly used only during the construction of a facility, with the use of special equipment. Because due to its heavy weight and large size, its installation during repair work is difficult.
2. Steel channel. This method is the most common. It does not require large expenditures; two workers are enough to install it. The steel channel structure is secured with threaded ties. If the opening width is more than 1 m, then it is additionally reinforced with a metal clip.
3. Metal frame (clip). Necessary for deformed, destroyed openings of brick walls. It is a durable structure connected from steel corners. Special supports are attached to its lower part.
4. Metal corners. Installed on all sides of a door or window opening or just as lintels. At the edges of the opening they are fixed with anchors. They are attached to each other by metal plates by welding. Metal “heels” are welded under the supporting elements to evenly distribute the load.

Unlike brick walls, it is much more difficult to make openings in monolithic ones, because there is reinforcement inside the concrete. Here it is necessary to use diamond cutting to cut the metal and also to create a hole without the risk of cracks in the wall.

Since almost all monolithic walls are load-bearing, it is necessary to involve specialists to calculate the location for a new hole in which the strength of the structure will not be compromised. The opening is strengthened with a U-shaped welded metal structure.

Before installing the fasteners, all metal elements must be treated with protective compounds against corrosion.

Door

The design of a door frame is similar to a window frame. The difference is that the horizontal bar below is the threshold. Doors can be external (the openings are located in load-bearing walls) or internal (then a particularly reinforced frame is not necessarily required).

1. To strengthen the holes in the load-bearing walls, high-strength channels are selected, corresponding in size to the thickness of the brick wall. A U-shaped frame is made from them. Then this structure is mounted in the opening and secured with anchors.
2. Internal openings are reinforced with corners. They fit more tightly, which makes finishing work easier in the future, and the openings look neater. First, vertical posts are made that carry the main load, which are then connected with corners. Afterwards, the corners are installed in the upper opening and the entire structure is tightened with studs.

When creating an opening, it is necessary to calculate so that the metal structure borders on a row of solid bricks, otherwise the fastening will be unreliable.

Window

Windows are located in external walls, which are load-bearing and are subject to heavy loads. Therefore, reinforced structures are used for such openings.

Most often used for windows of brick buildings:

1. Channel profile. At the place where it is attached to the opening, a groove is made, into which the channel is then tightly inserted and secured with cement-sand mortar. To connect the profiles, special studs and washers with nuts are used.
2. Vertical supports made of two channels. Installed with wide window openings (more than 1.5 m). Such racks are welded to channels secured along horizontal jumpers.

Welding of the structure is not done spotwise, but along the entire length at the joints - for greater strength.

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Good day. Please consult: There is a private house 8*8 2 floors, the walls are brick (250 mm), the interfloor ceiling is wood. On the ground floor, for new openings 0.9 m and 1.4 m wide, what channel number should be used?

Alexander, unfortunately, they cannot answer your question. First of all, it is necessary to calculate the walls for the redistributed load after the opening is completed. Also take into account the location of the openings so that the brick wall is stable.

Good afternoon, how can I contact you to discuss the issue about jumpers? Now I’m traveling - I can’t always answer right away, but the question is relevant, I need to deal with it

Alexander, you can call me at 8-926-389-49-72 Pavel.

Good afternoon. Opening 1280. According to the project, box reinforcement with channels along the perimeter. Please tell me, is it possible to expand the reinforcement itself - space the pillars 60 cm apart from the boundaries of the opening and, accordingly, lengthen the horizontal part by 120 cm? And the second question: the project contains arches and their reinforcement - is it necessary to re-coordinate the project if the arches are abandoned? Thank you.

Hello, Valery. The possibility of expanding the opening should be determined by the designer who developed the reinforcement project. In a good way, the project needs to be re-coordinated so that the plans with arches do not go to the BTI. Otherwise they will draw their absence in red lines.

Pavel, thank you. This is not about widening the opening, but about increasing the perimeter of the reinforcement. The opening remains 1280. Just attach the racks not along the border of the opening, but wider.

Valery, unfortunately, you can’t do that anyway. The whole point of the reinforcement is that it frames the opening. Only if your calculation designer agrees to this.

Hello, please tell me, I have a 10-story building. Apartment on the 4th floor. The wall is monolithic, the wall thickness is 250 mm. I need to open a doorway 2200x900. How can I strengthen the wall? What materials should I use?

Good afternoon. What does it mean to open an opening? Do you mean to create a new opening in a load-bearing wall? The doorway is usually reinforced with a metal frame made of corners. However, you must obtain appropriate permission for this.

Good afternoon. Is it possible to increase a 1000 mm opening in a monolithic wall to 1700 mm, taking it into a frame with 63 corner plates with a pitch of 300-400 mm?

Hello, Sergey. The possibility of expanding the opening in a load-bearing wall is determined by the organization that authored the house project.

Hello! Answer me please! Nine-story panel house. The load-bearing wall on the first floor was demolished. The wall is 4 meters long and 16 cm thick. 3 meters out of 4 were demolished (a meter remained near the window). They reinforced it with channel 20. Is this channel enough? Or sound the alarm, they don’t have documents for redevelopment.

Good afternoon, Anna. It is best to write a complaint to the Housing Inspectorate so that an inspector can come to them for inspection. Demolition of 3 meters of a load-bearing wall out of 4 is very dangerous.

Thank you very much for the quick response. I'll run to write. Our house is also old - 35 years old.

Please tell me, is it possible to increase the height of an existing opening without reinforcement? We are talking about the P-43 series.

Hello. It is impossible to increase the height of an existing opening without reinforcement.

Tell me, is it possible to use channels instead of corners to strengthen the opening?

The use of channels for these purposes is problematic. The corners can be pressed tightly against the wall, while the channel is either greater than the thickness of the wall, or, on the contrary, smaller, which is why it cannot be pressed tightly against the wall.

2 channels, and tighten them with studs. Channel on edge, empty towards itself, and weld scarves.

What you need to know about profile reinforcement

Reinforcement of openings in a brick wall is carried out with a steel profile:

• channels of brands 10P, 12P, 14P;
• corners with shelves of at least 60x60 mm and a thickness of at least 5 mm.

Scheme of finishing an opening in a brick wall with a steel profile.
Corners are recommended to be used to strengthen the openings of small windows (less than 60 cm wide) and in partitions that do not perform a load-bearing function. They are also used to frame the vertical parts of openings.

Reinforcement is carried out on 2 sides of the wall, tightening the profiles of the crossbars and racks with studs from M16 to M24. The fastener spacing should not exceed 0.3 m. In any case, less than 3 studs should not be used to connect both parts of the crossbar. Additionally, the opening is strengthened by welding steel plates with a thickness of at least 5 mm between parallel channels every 0.2 m. It’s even better to weld a continuous strip between the profiles.

The section of wall to be reconstructed is dismantled only after a horizontal crossbar has been secured above the future opening. Before starting work, you must make sure that there are no communications in the thickness of the partition.

When you need to strengthen

If a new house is being built, then when drawing up the project, the most suitable method of strengthening door and window openings and arches is taken into account. But there are situations when it is necessary to strengthen the opening in an existing building.

Cases when it is necessary to strengthen openings:

1. If the walls of the building have become deformed, cracked due to time or mechanical damage. The technical condition of the house needs to be monitored. If cracks appear, the cement bonding layer is destroyed, or bricks fall out, restoration work must be urgently carried out. Timely measures taken will help keep the premises in good condition longer.
2. When redevelopment is carried out, the holes are widened or they are made in other places. In these cases, reinforcements are installed even before new openings are dismantled. First, you need to draw up a project for carrying out the work, after consulting with a specialist, whether it is possible to break through the wall in the chosen place, and whether this will weaken the structure of the building.
3. When replacing windows, you need to check before carrying out the work how strong the opening is, and, if necessary, pre-strengthen it before dismantling the old window.

Do I need permission?

First of all, you need to conduct a survey of the premises, inviting specialists to do this. If the house is already old and multi-storey, then due to its dilapidation it is unlikely to be able to obtain such permission. Another situation is when the neighbors above or below have already done redevelopment. Then the new door can only be made on the same level as the one in their apartment. Because placing openings in one wall at different levels can greatly weaken its load-bearing capacity.

Reinforcement with corner profile

Strengthening the doorway in the interior brick partition is carried out using corners. Holes are first drilled in corresponding pairs of profiles. There is no need to cut out wide niches in the wall for corners. It is enough to make grooves in it, into which the profile shelves will completely fit.

First, a groove is cut from one side of the partition. A corner is inserted into it, through the holes of which marks are placed on the wall. After drilling through holes in it, a groove is made on the other side. A second corner is inserted into it. The crossbar elements are secured with fasteners. As with the installation of channels, the profiles are connected with steel jumpers.

If additional reinforcement of the doorway is necessary, its verticals are also framed with corners. They are connected by welding to the crossbar. Steel plates are welded between pairs of corners. Holes are made in them through which anchors will be inserted into the partition.

Sometimes it may be necessary to reinforce an old opening in the wall. In these cases, the window or doorway is bordered by a frame of channels or corners. She will take on part of the load.

The methods for installing the frame are practically no different from the methods described above for installing channel and angle profiles.

When expanding openings in an apartment or creating new ones in load-bearing walls, they must be strengthened. For this, various metal structures can be used. The most common option is channel reinforcement. It involves creating a frame or straight crossbar. This method is used for load-bearing foundations made of concrete or brick.

The created metal structures take on the load that previously applied to the dismantled part of the wall. Reinforcing the doorway with a channel prevents cracks or destruction of the base.