Do I need acrow props?

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I'm going to make a (c.900mm) single door sized opening in an internal load bearing wall, do I need acrow props, or can I just knock out the bricks to install the lintel and then create the opeing below?

The opening in question is on the 1st floor of a victorian terrace, through one of the 2 'spine' walls that support the stairs. The wall also supports the roof joists. At this location there is only about 0.5m of brickwork above the proposed opening, and the joists above should be under tension as opposed to supporting the full weight of the roof (the majority of that load should pass through the external walls right?).

My guess is that for the few hours while the lintel is being installed it'll be okay.

Any thoughts?
 
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use a 8 or 10 mm masonry bit and drill most of the mortar out from around the bricks so you don't have to hammer them to hard.
 
I'm not a builder but if you have a wall sag or collapse, it could be a disaster. I would hire a couple of Acros and Strongboys (www.strongboy.co.uk/) so you can install your lintel in safety. Your lime mortar could be quite soft and the hammering could cause it to fail. I got a scare taking out a through the wall bell box enclosure in my Victorian house when the bricks above the timber box started to loosen so I've been more careful since.
 
If the OP uses a strongboy, then he only needs one acrow

TBH, this could be done unsupported, but the small amount of brickwork may drop (if it was higher then it would not normally) and so the acrow would be to hold these up and not really to provide structural support.
 
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The correct way is to cut out a course of bricks and fit the lintel before cutting out the opening below
 
I'd have thought that the correct way would be to make 2 holes either side of the doorway above where the lintel goes, put steel/wooden beams through there & acrow them, then cut out the lintel & fit, then knock out the rest of the hole, tidy up etc before removing the acrow & beams ?

But then I know nowt me... :LOL:
 
Two holes on the sides of the doorway? :eek:

Or two holes above the (900mm wide) doorway? Double :eek:

Thats what, 4 acrows, 2 needles, 4 battens to spread the load to the floor and ceiling and a lot of knocking out and messing about.

This will be one expensive job

;)
 
Thats what I meant, above it all to take the weight while working below.

Why should it be expensive? surely they can b rented at reasonable rates?
 
as woody says, a 900mm opening is no hill o' beans.

a majority of which can be dealt with using minimal propping.

you will have almost 1200mm of unsupported masonry at some stage until the lintel is in place. this could mean 2 unsupported floor joists.

a pair of acros will eat it.

so would some 4" X 2".
;)
 

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