Many times in our lives we come across reconstructions of apartments or houses. And often this process is accompanied by the construction of new entrances. But what to do when behind the layout this passage is in a load-bearing wall? This task is not at all easy. If you make a mistake, the structure of the room as a whole may suffer. The situation becomes more complicated if a person decides to do all the work with his own hands, but in no case should you despair. You just need to take into account some of the subtleties of working with a load-bearing wall.
Before starting work, it is necessary to obtain the consent of the relevant authorities. Their answer is influenced by the following factors:
Only after receiving a positive response from the relevant authorities do we proceed to direct work.
The first step in any construction work is to prepare the equipment. Professional builders use a concrete cutter, a tool for working with load-bearing walls with their own hands - a jackhammer, and a hammer drill will also work. In addition to this you will need:
1. Make sure there are no electrical communications behind the wall or turn them off.
2. Mark the outline of the opening. Due to the fact that load-bearing walls are thick, they have to be dismantled from both sides.
3. Drill through holes using a 12mm drill bit in the corners of the outline. They will help you navigate while marking the opening on the other side.
4. Cut the channels to the required length.
The jumper is the most important component in the entire process. The load on the load-bearing walls will be transferred to this part, so the safety of the entire house depends on its correct installation.
To install, first of all we knock down the plaster and knock out a recess along the top line of the opening, we will lay a channel into it. The length of the recess is: the width of the opening plus one meter. The profile must fit tightly into the space prepared for it. We clean the remaining bricks with a wire brush and rinse with water.
For tightening fasteners, we drill holes in the profile in increments of approximately 3 cm (no more). When everything is ready, we wet the surface and apply a cement mortar into which we immerse the channel. We drill through the wall, focusing on the prepared holes. WITH reverse side, thanks to the previous stage of work, we can easily outline and carve out the same niche. We insert the second profile into it (with holes drilled, as in the first one) and tighten both channels with studs (bolts), at the ends of which we put washers and screw in the nuts. We fill the voids in the profiles with concrete or brick.
Another way to install the jumper:
In addition to the above method of installing a jumper, there is a second one. For it we will need two beams with an L-shaped profile. This design is called a precast concrete lintel. Such profiles do not need to be tightened with studs (bolts). After the grooves in the places where the lintel is supported are cleaned, place a thick layer on both sides cement mortar. Next, we proceed to install the reinforced concrete beam. When the solution has dried, we can begin cutting out the opening.
Many people worry about how to make an opening in a brick wall. In fact, among all materials, with brick this process will be the easiest. By removing one row, all the rest will go without problems. The situation is completely different with concrete. You will have to work long and hard with a hammer drill.
We make an opening in a concrete load-bearing wall; to make our work easier, we will proceed as follows:
1. Divide the wall area into several small squares.
2. We cut the concrete along the marked contours using a grinding machine or drill with a hammer drill (this will take more time).
3. Some elements of the wall can be knocked out quite easily with a sledgehammer, but in others you will need to disassemble the reinforcement.
For those who prefer to see how to properly break through a load-bearing wall, the video is at the end of the article.
After the opening is ready, it is necessary to further strengthen it. Between two channels we weld a continuous strip of steel, approximately 6 mm thick. Another option: we weld the plates in increments of 2 cm. We install corners on both sides of the opening, or if they are missing, channels will also do, but they will require niches. We weld them to top crossbar opening. Also, we tie each pair of corners together using steel plates and tighten them with pins (for them, on the corners or channels, you need to drill holes in advance). If this strengthening seems insufficient to you, then to make the load-bearing wall stronger, install a lower horizontal lintel and weld it to the racks.
There are often cases when they plan to make a door in place of a window. This operation won't require much effort.
In order to make a door from a load-bearing wall window with your own hands, we will need:
First of all, we remove the window. There may be remnants of plaster and paint in its old place; we remove them with a sanding machine. Afterwards we get rid of the lower partition, if it is made of brick, then we simply break it with a sledgehammer, if it is concrete, then we cut it out as with a regular opening. If there were metal fragments in the partition, we get rid of them using a grinder. We disassemble the plasterboard partition in parts (the first thing we do is eliminate the screws).
We get rid of the debris and begin to install the jumper. The lintel is installed using the same technology as when creating a doorway from scratch.
Considering that we are making the opening in a load-bearing wall, it is advisable to secure the overlapping structures using long vertical posts along the entire height of the housing.
Sometimes, instead of a doorway, owners put an arch. It looks much nicer. But there are many nuances in working with an arch. For example, it can only be done in a brick house by a professional, since it requires a relationship with the location of the masonry joints. With a panel house the situation is different. This option can be done independently.
First of all, we cut out a U-shaped opening, which we strengthen with profiles; we will fit an arch into it. The next step is to measure the doorway.
After measuring, we begin to create the frame:
1. We make a frame on which in the future we will attach a curved strip; for it we use a 27 by 28 profile.
2. We select metal scissors; it will be most convenient to work with those that have a spring mechanism (with this type, the handles themselves recline back after compression).
3. We cut the profile, 2 sides out of three, it is necessary that it takes on an arched shape (the steeper the bend you plan, the more often we make cuts).
4. Turn the profile clockwise on its side, thereby placing it inside the fixed right front part of the arch (the second one should be on the opposite side).
5. We make cuts on the top and middle parts every 50 mm.
6. The frame is ready, but it needs to be strengthened. We install crossbars made from a 60 by 27 profile, securing them with short self-tapping screws.
7. Install the frame in the opening.
Next we need to make the front parts of the arch. To do this, you can choose any material, but make it yourself the best option will become drywall. The front parts are shaped like a semicircle. To obtain the ideal shape, we will make a “compass” from the things at hand. Take a thread and fasten it in the center of the semicircle, measure the radius (the width of the opening divided by two) and fasten the second end to a pencil. We draw, cut and attach to the frame. Our arch is ready, we can safely plaster or paint it.
A balcony is always built in a load-bearing wall, this is the main problem. It is very difficult to obtain permission to connect it to the room. In addition, it is worth considering that the balcony is a settling area in case of fire. It is easiest to remove a person from him. Therefore, before you decide to take such a step, think carefully.
If the decision has not changed and you have received permission, then begin the next work. The first step is to glaze the balcony. Next, we dismantle the wall, but since it is load-bearing, we must install a lintel that will take on the entire load. Also, during the work it will be necessary to raise the floor on the balcony. The last step will be to insulate the balcony.
It is worth adding that this process is very labor-intensive and for safety it is better to consult a professional.
Very often, after creating a new entrance, the need for the previous one disappears and it must be closed. In the case of an internal partition, it is possible to lay it with a plasterboard sheet, but with an external partition, there are no other options besides a permanent laying. For sealing we use materials such as brick or foam block.
First, let's prepare the hole. We remove the plaster (and if present, then paint) to the very base. We carry out this process along the entire wall, and not just in the slopes. We make indentations in the brick opening that will be needed for bonding with fresh masonry. We remove half a brick in every fourth row. We drill one-sided holes in the ends of the concrete wall and drive metal rods 7-9 mm thick into them. Required condition is that the holes are located in places between the rows of future masonry. We cover the threshold of the opening with waterproofing; roofing material will serve as it.
Before laying each subsequent brick row, it is necessary to stretch the thread in a horizontal position between the two opposite walls of the opening. This will be required to avoid errors during laying. To be completely sure it is also worth building level. We knit the rods peeking out between the rows with reinforcement (masonry mesh is suitable as a replacement).
After filling the opening with bricks, we wait a day and begin plastering. We prime the areas that have been cleared of plaster and the masonry itself. We attach a steel mesh to the primer (for greater strength) and plaster again. How much plaster solution needs to be applied depends on the unevenness of the walls.
Openings in the interior are much easier to seal. First, we install the sheathing (using a profile) on one of the sides of the old passage. Having plastered the first side, you can proceed to installing the sheathing on the opposite side. We lay a sound insulator (a mandatory condition) and cover it with panels. The finishing work will be finishing.
Creating a new doorway in a load-bearing wall can be challenging, but once you look at your updated room, you'll realize it was worth the effort. This process is possible even with your own hands, without the help of professionals. The main thing is to follow all the recommendations for working with load-bearing structures, and you will not have any problems. And always remember, safety comes first in this matter.
Quite often, when you are doing a major renovation of an apartment, there is a desire to move the doorway. This is due not so much to the uniqueness of the apartment design, but to its inconvenience, since in some of our apartment projects there is no logic at all. Therefore, if you want to make an opening in a main wall, or make a door in it, then we would like to consider this issue in this article.
Many apartment owners are wondering: is it possible to make an opening in the load-bearing wall of a panel house. Theoretically, it is possible to make an opening in a load-bearing wall, but there are a lot of “BUTs” here. First, you need to agree on the redevelopment. Why? There is no need to believe that permission and approval of the opening is a purely bureaucratic procedure. It is such because of the officials, and it was created with good intentions, so that with your changes you do not violate the structure of the building and so that the building does not simply begin to collapse, especially an apartment building.
There are two types of homemade opening in the wall: illegal and legal. Their differences are as follows: a legalized layout is a guarantee of quality and safety, you will be sure that you have not caused any harm to the supporting structures of the house and the opening itself will be made in accordance with all the rules. An illegal opening in the wall will help you avoid the procedure for legalizing redevelopment at the initial stage, but if the fact of redevelopment in the future is established, you will be obliged to block the opening or require its legalization, and with the payment of a fine. Therefore, the website builders strongly advise you to do everything legally, in addition, the permitting documentation will include a clear and detailed redevelopment plan, which will simplify the procedure for making an opening.
When everything is agreed upon, you hire a team of builders, or make the opening yourself, using special equipment. Before making an opening in a concrete wall, it must be cleaned of paint and wallpaper, after which you need to mark the opening on the wall on one side. When the marking is applied, we transfer it to another wall, this can be done using beacons, that is, on the side where the marking is located, you make through holes, based on them you will transfer the opening marking to the other side of the wall. This must be done because the opening will be cut on both sides and so that the “contours” of the opening are smooth and symmetrical.
Attention! To make an opening in a wall, never use impact tools such as a jackhammer. Due to the high degree of impact, cracks and other damage may appear on the wall.
In order to make an opening you will need a 12 mm drill, an angle grinder and a diamond-coated disk for it. The opening is made in parts, divide the opening space into parts, approximately 40 by 40 cm, and cut it out in such pieces. To do this, make through holes with a drill in increments of 3-4 cm, then cut out this part with a grinder. While cutting, use a construction vacuum cleaner to collect all the dust. When you pull out the cut parts of the wall, make a flooring from wood materials so as not to damage the floor.
The next stage of work is the so-called strapping. It is necessary for strengthening. The strapping is done using metal corners, plates and reinforced rods. More details about the installation of the strapping, the width and length of the corners, as well as other nuances, will be described in the project documentation.
The walls are different. Therefore, when remodeling, you need to find out in advance what you can do with them and what not. What is a load-bearing wall, brick, concrete, etc. More on this below in the article.
The topic of openings when remodeling apartments is relevant for capital or current repairs. Improving living conditions or adjusting the apartment space is an understandable desire of every owner. For example, studio apartments are directly related to the organization of new doorways and the dismantling of partitions.
In order to understand which walls are allowed to be dismantled and which are only suitable for punching new door or window openings, you need to know the definition - what is a “load-bearing wall”. If you ask a professional builder such a question, he will explain this complex concept in two words: these are walls supporting floor slabs and or attic coverings. The word “load-bearing” literally reflects the main function - to carry the load from higher wall and slab elements. In some cases, this role is partially performed by beams and free-standing columns.
The main function of load-bearing walls is to create and maintain the integrity of the building structure.
If you carry out the redevelopment incorrectly and break through an arch in a load-bearing wall without carrying out work to ensure the integrity of the building, this can lead to big problems- deformation cracks begin to open in supporting structures, or ceilings collapse.
To competently rebuild an apartment you need to know:
Before deciding to construct an opening in load-bearing walls, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the technology for constructing the main types of load-bearing walls,
A popular building material, brick is strong and durable and is considered the most popular type of materials in the construction of buildings and structures. The construction of load-bearing brick walls has its own characteristics, which are taken into account when making new openings:
Openings in the brickwork of walls under load from above are framed by a load-bearing reinforced concrete lintel, which takes the load from the weight of the overlying brickwork.
A building with monolithic concrete walls belongs to the category of the most durable structures, capable of withstanding soil vibrations with small amplitude.
Just a few decades ago, monolithic construction was used for the construction of serious industrial facilities and for multi-storey construction.
With the development of monolithic house-building technology and the use of affordable prefabricated panel formwork, concrete walls began to be used for private suburban construction.
After the concrete mixture has hardened, the formwork is carefully disassembled and transferred to further section erection of walls. The thickness of concrete walls depends on the calculated temperature indicators of the outside air.
External load-bearing walls are made with a thickness of 350-450 mm, and internal walls are allowed to be made with a thickness of 250 mm.
The problem of arranging a new opening in load-bearing walls worries owners of apartments and private households. It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to this question without taking into account the totality of factors influencing the solution of this problem:
Permission or prohibition to construct an opening in load-bearing structures is accepted by special housing services on the basis of engineering technical calculations that take into account all of the above factors.
In order to carry out a technically correct and competent redevelopment of housing or to make an opening in load-bearing walls, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the subtleties and nuances of the process:
Unfortunately, the process of approval and drafting design solution may take 2-3 months. Therefore, it is recommended to submit documents in advance to obtain permission to carry out work on opening the opening.
The design documentation contains a detailed description of the technology for punching an opening in load-bearing walls:
Punching an opening in panel house, in which almost all the walls are load-bearing, leads to a decrease in the design parameters of structures.
Therefore, it is mandatory to carry out technical events aimed at compensating for lost bearing capacity. For this purpose, additional unloading or securing metal elements are included in the design:
In all cases, it is important to remember that in order to properly distribute the load on the floor slab in the floor area, it is necessary to weld rectangular or square metal plates made of sheet metal to the support frame or channels.
The requirements for constructing an opening in brick load-bearing wall structures are not as strict as for panel houses. To absorb the load forces of the upper floors or floor slabs, a prefabricated metal lintel is used, consisting of two metal channels, tightened together with studs and nuts.
Sequence of work:
In order to protect the metal structures of the lintel from corrosion, it is recommended to paint the steel surface with a primer and metal paint.
With the development of monolithic construction technologies, concrete mixtures are often used for the construction of private houses and country houses. Sometimes situations arise when you need an opening in the load-bearing wall of a private house. To reorganize the home space or to organize a new entrance to the attached part of the house. In a private house, punching an opening in concrete load-bearing walls is carried out in the same way as in a multi-storey building. The only difference is that load-bearing walls do not experience the same loads as multi-story buildings. Therefore, to strengthen concrete walls that have partially lost some of their strength after punching openings in them, rolled metal of a small cross-section is used.
For example, to construct an arched opening in the body of a load-bearing concrete wall, use channel No. 10 or angle 100. This is where the design differences end. Rolled metal is connected to each other with studs or reinforcing bars.
The main feature of monolithic reinforced concrete slabs is the presence of a steel reinforcement frame. This nuance is important to consider when constructing openings in a monolithic house. And in addition to cutting the wall concrete mass, you will have to face the problem of cutting the reinforcing rods. The work is carried out in the following order:
After punching the opening, the concrete wall is reinforced with an all-welded or prefabricated metal frame, installed directly into the new opening.
Work on organizing new openings in load-bearing walls is considered technically complex. Therefore, it is better to entrust this task to specialists who have experience in this field. After all, in addition to dismantling work, it is necessary to reinforce the wall with metal structures, and this important part of the work will be performed only by experienced welders. In addition, the popular diamond cutting of openings is done only by specially trained workers.
We must not forget about the problem of removing dismantled brick or concrete from apartments located on the upper floors of multi-story buildings.
Independent construction of openings in load-bearing walls without obtaining permits can lead to unpleasant consequences:
If the owner refuses to pay the fine and fill the knocked-out opening, the case is sent to court, where they can make a decision up to and including eviction from the occupied apartment.
When deciding to construct a new opening in existing load-bearing walls, it is imperative to contact specialists and obtain permits to carry out this work. The epitome of risk-taking design solutions affecting the load-bearing capacity of the entire building without accurate engineering calculations can lead to sad and destructive consequences.
Many homeowners, planning a thorough renovation of their apartment, decide to remodel by creating an opening in the load-bearing wall. Such a need may arise if you decide to increase the size of the bathroom, combine the kitchen with the living room, or turn the apartment into a studio. For residents of panel high-rise buildings, creating openings in load-bearing walls is not only a problem from the point of view of an attractive design. Redevelopment will require a competent technical approach, coordination with utility services, obtaining permits and compliance with hole-punching technology. In this article we will look at how to make and legitimize an opening in a load-bearing wall.
A load-bearing wall is a wall that supports the floors. The design of a panel house assumes the presence of such blocks as vertical support for the slabs. Such dismantling without installing supporting mechanisms will cause the slabs on top to crack, resulting in cracks along the floor and walls of the apartment above you. If the problem is not eliminated in time, the building may collapse.
As you can see, capital walls are an extremely important element in the structure of the entire house. Their location can be determined thanks to the housing plan, which is indicated in the technical passport. You can familiarize yourself with the scheme at the Technical Inventory Bureau or at the Housing Office. On the apartment diagram, the main partitions will be highlighted with thick lines.
If you do not have access to the necessary documents, you can try to determine such a wall yourself. Pay attention to the thickness - as a rule, load-bearing slabs are wider. Almost all load-bearing blocks are located at the junction of apartments and at the junction of an apartment and a flight of stairs.
If you are not sure whether this wall is permanent or ordinary, remember: expanding the opening in the load-bearing wall will in any case require a special permit, and specialists from the Housing Inspectorate who will issue it will provide an explanation on this issue.
Making an opening in is possible in many cases. It is not uncommon for apartment owners to hear refusals. There are several reasons for the decision:
Remember: before starting redevelopment, it is necessary to approve the opening in the load-bearing wall.
You will need a number of documents and certificates, but it is better to get them right away than to worry about it later. The housing inspection, when identifying uncoordinated redevelopment, has every right to issue you a fine in the amount of 3 thousand rubles. The fine is small, but besides it you will still be required to obtain a permit. If, according to the results of the inspection, the cut doors in the load-bearing wall turn out to be defective, you will be forced to fill in the hole, as a result of which all your renovation work will turn out to be meaningless.
An apartment with unauthorized changes cannot be officially sold.
Demolition of a permanent partition is definitely not possible and not a single specialist will give permission for this. Complete dismantling of supporting structures risks the collapse of ceiling slabs.
To make an opening, you need:
As a result of receiving all permits from the housing inspectorate, the owner is issued a Work Progress Log, in which it is necessary to record all stages of the repair. Moreover, it is necessary to record the progress of work honestly and in detail, since deviations and inaccuracies in the log are grounds for refusing to issue the owner with a certificate of completion of construction work.
As for the technology itself, it will depend on the type of opening - rectangular, arched. In any case, punching a hole is not recommended. It should be cut, which is done with a non-impact tool - a diamond wheel. Cutting with such a tool can be carried out stationary and manually, depending on the material and volume of work. As a result of cutting, less dust is generated and the hole does not require additional processing.
