Remove doorway

[bsr]

Do you have any thoughts on how this doorway might be constructed? It's redundant and I want to remove it.

This part of the house is a 70s loft conversion. The adjacent wall against the loft is hollow terracotta brick. I've drilled some test holes which go in easily with a cordless hammer drill (not SDS) and the dust is pink to the depth of the test holes (100mm). It's not hollow terracotta. The walls don't come out far enough to be a 1/2 brick so any idea how this might have been constructed? If there is a lintel it is also the same soft pink stuff.

I was thinking of hacking off the plaster 10cm either side, stitch drilling from both sides ina shallow "V" and knocking out. Any better suggestions to reduce dust? No brick saws because this is in an inhabited house next to the bedrooms.

The wall runs in line with the joists, doesn't continue into the loft and there are other butresseing walls within 3m so I'm pretty sure it isn't structural.

Thanks


bsr

 

[Tigercubrider]

Do you mean the doorway without a door? Or the one behind?

You could line as much as possible of the corridor with polythene and tape up the door.
Then build a 2x2 frame nearer the camera, including a double doorway, acting as an airlock. Cover the whole thing in polythene.

A hammer and chisel would probably keep the dust down as would bagging up the debris as you go.

 

[motorbiking]

build an insulated stud wall in the hole

 

[bsr]

Thanks Tigercubrider. The closer doorway without the door.

The left hand side comes out about 100mm, the right only about 50mm, including the carcass.

 

[Doppleganger]

If you want to block up the 'doorway', then as mb suggested, block it up.

If you wanted to remove the 100mm nib on the left side so that the wall is flush, that nib may be supporting the one end of the lintel, which is in turn supporting any brickwork above the doorway. Depending on what is above the door, the carcass might be the only thing supporting whatever is up there.

I suspect, by the time you have removed the carcass, there will be very little remaining of the right hand nib.

Thus you have two choices, depending on what is above the door,
1. insert a lintel higher up, going into both the walls that are perpendicular, and remove the left hand side nib, leaving the remainder of the wall above in situ. The remainder above the door will then be hardly noticeable. Or
2. Start at the top and remove everything down to the lintel, then the lintel, then the left hand nib.

 

[bsr]

Cheers. I want to remove the nibs. I am planning on option 2. My question is how to remove the nibs flush to the adjacent walls with minimal dust and damage.

Stitch drill in a "V" from both sides and then bolster?

 

[Doppleganger]

You will still have to make good the 'scars' left behind.
Even if you are a dab hand at plastering, etc, there will be as much dust and mess from the making good afterwards.
So go with Tigercubrider's suggestion.

I personally would accept that there's going to be a lot of mess and use a recip' saw fitted with an appropriate blade (have some spare blades) to cut the majority of the brickwork. Yes it'll be very dusty but IMO it's the quickest and easiest way. Removing the plaster before cutting will reduce a fair amount of dust. You may not cut it all, but what is left will break off reasonably cleanly. It would probably be easier to use the saw to cut the mortar joints first, perps and beds.
That way there's less 'damage' to make good. Stitch drilling in a 'V' then chiselling may weaken the wall quite a bit, depending on the angle of your 'V's, if it's only a 100mm thick wall.
Alternatively an angle grinder and accept the dust.