Reopening old doorway

[Robotmannick]

Hi all,

I have a bricked-up doorway that has been covered for about the last 40 years and I'd like to re-open it. Well the top half of it anyway as I want to install a hole-in-the-wall aquarium.

Untitled

• Robotmannick
• 31 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Robotmannick
• 31 Aug 2014
• 1

Given that it used to be a doorway and has a concrete lintel above it, can I merrily remove the brickwork below or is it not that simple? If so, how should I go about it? Stitch drill around one brick to make an opening and then work my way down?

Also, any idea why some of the walls are made from bricks and some have been seemingly randomly interspersed with black blockwork? What are these blocks likely to be - clinka/slag? Is there anything nasty I need to be careful of when drilling or removing these?

Cheers,

Nick

 

[kazuya]

just make sure the lintels not cracked or anything, (looks fine in the picture)then yes you can safely remove the bricks under the lintel, theres probly some kind of ties down the edges, so make a hole in the middle near the top and then work your way sideways and down.
either unscrew or cut off the ties as you go along (if there are any)
looks like the blocks have just been used to repair the wall at some point

and be careful you don't drop any bricks on the radiator pipe