Bricking up a Serving Hatch

[Malc H]

I want to fill in a redundant serving hatch using concrete blocks and bricks.
The hole in the wall once the serving hatch was removed is three feet wide by two feet high, this is a perfectly rectangular hole with nothing to tie into.
The wall is a load bearing wall and a concrete lintal is fitted above the hole.
Question is will the blocking up be strong enough using screw in ties into the existing motar joints and built into the new joints, there will be three, or will I have to remove a further half a block on each side of the existing wall to tie into. I am not keen on doing this for fear of letting the lintal move at all.

 

[mater]

screw in ties are parfect for the job, go for it

 

[^woody^]

Knock some 3" or 4" nails into a joint.

But ties are not needed if you just make sure you pack the top joint fully. It is not going anywhere.

If you are not plasterboarding it, then make sure to use some mesh across the perimeter of the opening to stop the plaster cracking.

 

[Malc H]

Thanks for that guys, would hate to get all plastered and decorated only to find that the patch wall was shifting, I guess that I am a bit (lot) of a natterer.

 

[^woody^]

Two course of blocks and two course of bricks is not going to move when it is wedged in on four sides

 

[r896neo]

definately heed woody's advice about the mesh or you'll regret it.

 

[alittlerespect]

Why don't you just take out the existing timber lining's and dry line the hole, at the end of the day its just a hole and only a hole it does not perform any structural function as the weight is carried by the lintel! By the time you've taped and jointed, and completely decorated the wall you will never know the hatch ever existed!

Regards