Creating Or Altering A Brick Opening

A common part of renovating your home is changing the openings in your masonry and brick walls. Reorganization of your floor plans or the need for more light  can force you to alter, delete or create a new opening in your brick wall.

This can be a very straightforward process, but it does require a high level of competence and skill. Structural changes, in all cases, need to be approached with caution. Planning that will ensure no damage is done to the other parts of your wall or the structure of your home is of the utmost importance.

The Process

While there are many different scenarios requiring new openings to be created, a common scenario is creating one, large opening in place of two smaller openings. This can be complicated as it has multiple height changes and width changes. Extra complication can occur when dealing with more than one layer of brick. Each layer, or wythe, of brick requires structural support while the work is being done below.

Interior Wall Before Alteration

Once the dimensions of the new opening are set, the next step is opening up the first layer of the wall.  A small amount of shifting can lead to a lot of extra work, so any support that can be offered is always a good idea. It is always better to air on the side of “too much”.

Opening Alteration During

Once you get the edges of the new opening set, the steel lintel can be installed. Bricking in above the steel lintel will support the first wythe, and then its on to the next layer.

The first part of the process is generally the hardest. Completing the second half of the opening can be done much quicker by using the template set by the first portion of the job.

Brick Opening After. Ready For Framing And Drywall

New openings are a wonderful way to give a renovation more light and air flow. We always love working with home owners and contractors to safely and aesthetically open up your walls to help realize the blueprints of your new home.

GET IN TOUCH!

We want to hear from you regarding your new or altered brick opening project! You can check out our reviews on HOMESTARS and GOOGLE if you’d like to learn more about us. You can call us at 416-425-8055 or REQUEST AN ESTIMATE on our website.