Bricking up food hatch

[Oliver816]

Hi all!

This is a bit of a newbie question so please be kind...

I have a food hatch 1.5 ft x 3 ft which I plan to brick up.

The surrounding wall is of standard single brick construction and has bonding coat and finishing plaster on both sides.

My gut feeling is that when the bricks are laid and the mortar is set with morter packed into the ragged sides and top and with bonding coat applied both sides it will be rock solid.

However, have I got this wrong?...do I need to 'tooth in' the bricks by removing extra half bricks either side or do something else?

Any guidance would be much appreciated!

Thanks very much

Oliver

 

[Jackrae]

On the basis that the infill isn't structural why not just rig a simple wooden partition framework, cover each side with plasterboard and skim over to match the existing plaster.

 

[Oliver816]

Thanks for replying, Jackrae.

I did think about that as it's not a structural issue, but thought it might be better to brick.

The hatch was put in some time in the distant past before I bought the place, I thought it might be better to restore it to it's original construction?

Also, would brick offer better sound and heat insulation?

Thanks

Oliver

 

[loply]

In my experience if you put a wooden stud wall within brickwork you will eventually get cracking, regardless how well your wooden studs are affixed.

I'd therefore use bricks.

 

[stuart45]

As it's only 6 courses of brickwork it shouldn't move, but you can stick a frame cramp on each side, or even drive a few cut nails into some of the joints.

 

[Oliver816]

Thanks loply and stuart45.

I think frame cramps are the way to go, would 2 or 3 equally spaced on either side be ott?

I guess that it does not matter that the bricks they will be attached to are rather ragged and are varying distances from the vertical?

Excuse the daft questions

Thanks

Oliver

 

[stuart45]

One each side would do.