Removing outer skin brickwork

[stuart45]

[quote="Chukka63";REMEMBER IM USE TO USING A DISC CUTTER PRETTY WELL./quote]
That is a key point.
You may find that fixing a batten to the wall as a guide helps keep it straight.

 

[leylandbobby]

Great advice Stuart45. Thanks.

 

[Chukka63]

still gotta run it up wall nice n str8 n true tho.

 

[leylandbobby]

Lol, you're scaring me now, I can see me losing a limb here. I'll take a pic after I've made the cut, it should be good for a chuckle.
Is there any particular cutter that you could recommend.

 

[stuart45]

Use a diamond blade. Just cut a small groove in each brick to start as a guide. Make sure the batten is on the correct side, as this will also stop you cutting any of the face away.

 

[Chukka63]

like i said i normally start at the bottom and get the disc to its depth and try and keep it there to a degree which helps make a nice smooth cut all the way through the brick.

 

[hotrod]

Is there any particular cutter that you could recommend.

Yes. Hire yourself a 12" Stihl saw and diamond blade, which will eat it:-

It won't cost you more than £20 + mm charge on the diamond blade to hire. Are you really in Leyland bobby? Just down t'road from me if you are

 

[Chukka63]

nah hire a partner much lighter lol

 

[leylandbobby]

Thanks for all that guys, forgive the delay in responding, was working late last night.
Can't believe how reasonable it is to hire a saw. Now all I need to do is decide which one.

Hotrod, yep, live in Leyland.

 

[AMEdinburgh]

If you're hiring, see if anyone can hire you a diamond chainsaw like the REDZAW RZ60. You might consider that as an alternative if it's cost competitive.

I bought one when I stated doing my alterations, as there was quite a lot of cuts including several doorways and taking off 60 linear metres of concrete corbel

Connects to a hose so there is slurry rather than dust. You can use it inside with reasonable ventilation for the fumes without the whole house filling with that fine dust. Need ear defenders, goggles, an old jacket and gloves though. The tool is well balanced and much less scary then you would think.

Advantage is it will plunge cut right through immediately below your lintel and give a clean cut right down to the ground, without the overcut from a disc or the tidying up chiselling alternative.

I'm a DIYer and managed fine first time.

 

[leylandbobby]

Thanks for that AMEdinburgh, even more food for thought. A cursory look around the internet threw up nice pics of REDZAW RZ60's, none for hire though.

Cheers, Dave.

 

[leylandbobby]

Hi guy's, snowed off at the mo, which can be a danerous thing for me as I tend to start rethinking things and throwing a few what if's into the equation.

I mentioned in one of the above posts that I would like to install windows at some stage, well a likely candidate has surfaced on e-bay.

It is 530mm wide and I would like to butt one up to the side of the french windows. I think that it would greatly improve the overall look of the wall and let lots of light in to boot.

My dilema is that it would only leave just over 300mm either end of the 2700mm catnic lintel and I am almost sure that I read somewhere that catnic lintels are prone to bow if you let them.

Once installed would the windows alone be enought to stop the lintel bowing. Cheers Dave.

 

[jm2000]

You only need 150mm bearing minimum on a catnic lintel....plus the fact that the brick/blockwork above has been there a while it should not move anymore.

My only concern to you would be ...how old is the window, does it meet the fensa requirements if you were to sell.

 

[Chukka63]

you actualy only need 100mm bearing for a catnic lintel according to catnic technical BUT Local Councils ask for a min of 150mm UNLESS you get calcs from catnic,which in my mind is a load of old ******.

 

[leylandbobby]

Hi JM, and thanks for your reply. The french window is about 10 months old and the side window is brand new.
Cheers, Dave.