How the hell can I remove this??

[Maniac]

This wall in my kitchen was forming a larder cupboard and sort of 'lobby' area by the back door. To make the room a bit bigger, I thought I';d remove the wall and old lintels that formed the old doorways and open it right up - I've done simelar before in another house with no worries. It's a single storey extension, and the walls are definitely non-supporting - that's not the problem.

Mistake! The 'lintels' as I thought they would be have turned out to be one solid lintel going right across from one side to the other. Very over engineered considering it was only supporting two rows of bricks, and it's also absolutely massive - much larger than I was anticipating. (And no it definitely was not holding up the roof - the plasterboard ran over the top of the wall, so the wall was built after the main extension building was built.)

So is this lintel likely to be doing anything else other that supporting the brickwork that was above it i.e tieing the walls together for some reason? (it's a very narrow extension only about 6ft wide) or can it safely be removed? Or am I better off getting someone to inspect it before I try and hack it out?

If it can be removed, how the hell can I do it as it must have been put in as the extension was built or cast in place as it's solid one side to the other. I've got an angle grinder, but could you cut through something this big with a normal grinder? 0

I could leave it in place and box in around it, but it would ruin my plans for the kitchen if I had to do that so I'd really like to remove it if possible.

Any ideas?

Mike.

 

[Nige F]

Thermic lance

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

What is above the lintel?
You said brick work so it's holding something up.
I'd assume that everything underneath the lintel would be safe to remove, other than any supporting pilars providing the lintel is rest/supported be the outer walls.
But if your unsure, it is always worth further investigation and get calcs done.

 

[Maniac]

What is above the lintel?
You said brick work so it's holding something up.

It was holding up 2 layers of brick, but I've knocked those out already, above that is the ceiling, then the roof structure, but directly above where the bricks were is just the plasterboard which you can see in the pic.

 

[RedHerring]

What's the dimensions? 200mm X 100mm
What size grinder do you have 115mm or 230mm?

 

[Maniac]

What's the dimensions? 200mm X 100mm
What size grinder do you have 115mm or 230mm?

It's 115mm x 150mm - odd size, but it is old.

I've got a 230mm grinder which I've used for cutting brickwork before, but never concrete.

 

[noseall]

 

[RedHerring]

I've cut concrete with a 230mm grinder, no problem Just be mindful of working up there and the power of the grinder.

And watch out for the reinforcing bars.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I thought I';d remove the wall and old lintels that formed the old doorways and open it right up -

So you're not knocking through then, the door and wall behind is staying then?
So it doesn't look to doing anything other than holding the brick work up. That you have removed.
6ft doesn't to seem to say it's tieing the walls in.

 

[Maniac]

I thought I';d remove the wall and old lintels that formed the old doorways and open it right up -

So you're not knocking through then, the door and wall behind is staying then?
So it doesn't look to doing anything other than holding the brick work up. That you have removed.
6ft doesn't to seem to say it's tieing the walls in.

Yes the brickwork behind that lintel and the doorway are staying, as that's the bathroom.

I actually knocked away a lot more this afternoon - i now just have a massive concrete beam running wall to wall, the little bit of wall sticking out into the room has gone now (aren't wheelie bins wonderful things) The added complection is it was poured in situ, and at the same time as the one running above the back door, so it's got to be cut out - I've called in a favour from a friend who's going to sort it out for me, so it's not all bad.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Job's a good one then, misunderstood original post, I thought you was also tackling the the far wall and this led to the extension.
So sorry I my first post was a little confusing.
But can't see a problem with removing that one, good luck with it.

 

[karlosmaximos]

imo,ur better to use a breaker like noseall sugested,a grinder will make that much dust u wont be able to see what you're doing.
These things are SO heavy,ur better breaking it into pieces,it shouldnt fall out as im guessing its reinforced looking at the size of it

 

[noseall]

a grinder will make that much dust u wont be able to see what you're doing.

Precisely.

I would not use a grinder at any price........

.....apart from when you need to cut through the re-bar that is.

 

[RedHerring]

I've got an angle grinder, but could you cut through something this big with a normal grinder?

I don't disagree with your sentiments on what tool is best to use but sometimes we have to use what's available, don't we?

 

[Maniac]

It's gone now, 230mm angle grinder with a diamond tipped disc and some help from a friend, cut it in the middle with a prop under it, then each section in half again, then one side came out the wall in once piece and the other end cut as close to the wall as possible - I'll chip the little bit away at some point and grind back the re-bar, then plaster - job done!

Thanks for the help and suggestions everyone.