How to widen a doorway in a brick house with your own hands. How to widen a doorway in a concrete wall Expand the wall under the door

There are times when during installation new door the doorway needs to be widened. For example, when remodeling an old home, when the owners want to radically change the interior of the apartment. In addition, the purchase of large-sized furniture requires expansion, since there is no other way to bring it into the apartment. This problem usually occurs among owners of old small apartments built in Soviet times.
An example of expanding a doorway onto a balcony

According to GOST, there are certain standards for door parameters, but in reality, doorways can deviate more or less. IN given time in most cases, manufacturers adhere to generally accepted standards and produce canvases in accordance with GOST. But, if the opening does not fit in size, then you need to overpay considerably when ordering a custom door. It is worth noting that in standard documents standard sizes are prescribed depending on the purpose of the rooms in the apartment. Let's consider the dimensions according to GOST for a one-room apartment:

If the apartment has many rooms and there is a living room, then with an opening height of 2000 mm, the width can vary from 800 to 1200 mm.

An example of expanding and strengthening a doorway to the living room

If the doorways in your apartment meet the standards, then you will not have problems choosing a new door leaf, since the range of these sizes in stores is large.

If there are significant deviations in any direction, then you need to order an individual model. It will not be cheap, and if you add the installation price to the cost of the door, you will end up with a rather expensive pleasure.

It will be much cheaper to carry out such a process as expanding the doorway under an ordinary door. This option is inexpensive and widely available. What to overpay for individual order and for additions or a thicker frame, it is better to slightly adjust the door opening itself and.

Extending the doorway of a panel house

It is important to know that before carrying out work to expand the doorway front door you need to obtain permission from the relevant authority, since this is a redevelopment that needs to be legalized.

Stages of expanding a doorway in a panel house Before starting work, you need to carry out preparations and cover the furniture with polyethylene. In addition, it is worth stocking up on safety glasses and gloves to prevent injuries during work. To increase the opening in the apartment panel house you need to do the following:

Expanding the opening for doors in a brick or concrete wall

Extension in a concrete house

Before starting work, you need to prepare a drill and more than one, a chisel, a hammer drill and a sledgehammer. This will be a drilling expansion method. There is another way to enlarge the opening using a grinder, but you should understand that this is a very dusty job. Drilling method – technology:

Interesting: in case of expanding the entrance to concrete wall amplification is not necessary.

Expanding the opening in a brick building

We looked at how to expand the opening in a panel house or a concrete wall, but questions may arise about the increase in a brick building.
An example of expanding and strengthening an opening in brick building In case of brick wall Some difficulties may arise, since if the force is applied incorrectly, the entire brick structure may collapse, especially if it is made poorly. Step-by-step instruction:

dismantle the door and outline the expansion contours;
in this case, it is necessary to strengthen the opening using a profile corner and jumpers;
You only need to do the work with a grinder, since using a sledgehammer or a hammer drill, you can knock out excess bricks;
as soon as the opening is enlarged, carry out an inspection brickwork walls, it must remain intact. If there are cracks, they are sealed with cement mortar and after.

Ways to strengthen the opening after expansion in the main structure

When the doorway is located in a load-bearing wall and needs to be made larger, you need to understand that the load on this structure will be increased, so you need to strengthen the opening first. You can use special profile structures or ordinary fittings, it all depends on financial capabilities.
Algorithm for strengthening an enlarged opening for doors in a supporting structure:

Take a steel beam and mount it on the opening, in its upper part, under which a small niche is cut out.
Fill the voids with cement mortar.
Then install the channel.
Then the vertical part of the opening is strengthened.

You can simply weld a special frame to the size of the opening and install it as reinforcement.
Option for strengthening the opening with a special frame Expansion doorways- a job that cannot be completed without dust and dirt, so before starting you need to cover all furniture and household items well. In addition, you should take care of your own safety - wear gloves, a protective mask and goggles. Important! Before you start enlarging the doorway, weigh and measure everything well. Do not also forget that between the door frame and the wall there must be at least 3-5 cm of free space, which is filled polyurethane foam during installation.

During the repair process, for one reason or another, it may be necessary to expand the doorway. It is quite possible to do this, but it is important to follow some rules. The process itself is very labor-intensive, so it should only be performed if there is really a need for it and alternative methods cannot be used.

If the doorway is significantly widened, reinforcement installation is required

Valid parameters

In a private house, solving the problem of rebuilding individual parts of the building is much easier. However, we must not forget about the established norms and restrictions. In an apartment, any such actions should be agreed upon in advance with the BTI. Violation of the standards when trying to expand the opening can lead to the wall not being able to withstand the load and the building becoming dangerous for people to stay in it.

To prevent this, it is important to know what restrictions exist for expanding the entrance or interior door. For most designs standard dimensions are 70-80 cm. Most often, the change in these values is due to the acquisition door block wrong size.

The maximum permissible openings are 200 cm wide and 210 cm high. However, it is advisable not to build them in load-bearing structures. An exception may be the entrance door opening, but in this case it should be further strengthened.

Scheme of strengthening an opening in a load-bearing wall with a lintel made of channels

Tools for work

To increase the doorway in modern construction Various tools and devices can be used. There are several ways to dismantle excess wall:

Rough method. In this case, tools such as a sledgehammer, hammer drill, jackhammer and the like are used. In this case, it is necessary to first outline the contours and use tools to knock off the excess. Of course, the process is very labor-intensive, and there is another threat here - the formation of microcracks due to high impact loads. This may require additional finishing works and generally worsens the strength of the wall structure.
Dry cutting. For this purpose, such a familiar tool as a grinder is used. With its help, you can easily cut out the desired shape of the contours. It also copes with reinforcement. The downside is that you have to cut on both sides, and it’s not always possible to match the cuts exactly. In addition, dry cutting leads to the formation of a large amount of dust and quickly wears out the diamond blade.
Wet cutting. For this purpose, you can use a spray bottle and irrigate work surface in the process of working with an angle grinder, but a more rational method would be to use a special construction cutter. It is equipped with a large diamond blade and a water container. With its help you can cut out in one go the right size opening and at the same time with minimal contamination. True, the cost of such equipment is considerable.

Basic methods of dismantling part of a wall in an opening

When carrying out such work, be sure to use personal protection: glasses and a respirator, they will protect you from dust and small fragments.

Panel house

Most often there is a need to expand the doorway in a panel house. In high-rise buildings, this issue is quite problematic, since in addition to a large amount of construction waste, there is also a negative reaction from neighbors to such noisy renovation work. That is why it is necessary to reduce the time of dismantling the structure as much as possible. The best option, affordable, this is a grinder.

First you need to completely remove the old door frame from the opening. Supporting wooden beams are also dismantled. Next, you need to make the appropriate measurements and outline the contours of the desired passage dimensions.

If an opening is being expanded in a load-bearing wall, especially adjacent to the entrance door, important aspect is a temporary strengthening of the structure. It is best to initially cut out only the top part and move the jumper. Despite the increase in width, it should go deeper into the wall by at least 15-20 cm on each side.

When expanding an opening in a panel house, an important aspect is temporary strengthening of the structure

Cutting is carried out along the intended contour, first on one side of the room, and then on the other. The most problematic areas are the exit of the reinforcement. After the metal bars are cut, you can take a sledgehammer and remove excess concrete. If the opening area is large, you need to work in squares. To do this, the wall is divided into sections and additional lines are cut. Dismantling is done from top to bottom so that the upper tiers do not fall on you during the work process.

Brick house

The process of expanding the opening in brick wall. It is important to be careful here, since excessive impact loads can lead to the destruction of the entire masonry. It is best to perform this operation in the following sequence:

Outline the contours of the future opening.
If necessary, move the jumper. You can use a metal channel as reinforcement.
You need to remove excess bricks one by one. To begin with, the mortar is cleaned from the seams as much as possible. Then use a hammer drill, chisel, or chisel to break the brick into small pieces.
If the work area is large, you can clean the outline of the opening, and inner part knock out the masonry with a sledgehammer.
The extreme contours are cut off with a grinder. For arched vaults, you initially need to clear the edges of the bricks around the perimeter.

When expanding an opening in a brick wall, a lintel must be used to strengthen it

If in brick house you need to make a wide entrance opening, in addition you will need to cut off the reinforcement.

After rough work, check the integrity of the masonry and, if necessary, plaster cracks and cracked seams.

Height increase

In addition to expanding the doorway in the load-bearing wall, it may also be necessary to increase its height. In this case, you cannot do without transferring horizontal lintel. Without it, the entire load will fall on the fragile door structure, which can lead to the collapse of the wall.

How to safely increase the height of a doorway? To do this, you must first install supports in the passage. Then, using a grinder, vertical cuts are made to knock off the excess concrete. The old jumper is removed. Its edges can be left in the wall or replaced with a brick backing. The new crossbar is installed higher and covered with mortar. Further work can only be done after it has dried.

To safely increase the height of the opening, you need to install a jumper

It is not recommended to carry out such manipulations in a load-bearing wall. If such a need is unavoidable, follow the rules for performing dismantling work and in no case deviate from the established norms; violation of them is fraught with a fine and, in addition, is life-threatening.

Instructions

Widening a doorway is a painstaking job that requires accuracy and professionalism. The complexity of this work is due to the fairly high risks of destruction of the entire supporting structure. When carrying out work, it is necessary to maintain the strength of the wall and the floor structure, and to prevent the opening from deforming and bricks falling out. For these reasons, it is better to entrust this work to professionals. Before deciding on this procedure, it is important to make sure that the load on the wall when deformed doorway does not exceed the established norm. This type of work refers to housing redevelopment options and, as a result, requires official approval from the authorities. Those. you need to obtain documented permission to transform the doorway. To do this, you need to prepare a whole package of documents: floor plan, certificates from the BTI, extract from the house register, etc.

The distance by which the opening can be widened depends on the type of wall and house. On reinforced concrete and brick walls, it is allowed to cut from 70 cm to 200 cm in width and 210 cm in height. In cases where an apartment or office space located on the lower floors, the opening needs to be further strengthened.

The procedure itself takes place in several stages. Before carrying out work, you need to remove all foreign furniture and cover protective film walls and ceiling to avoid dust, dirt and water getting on their surface.

Begin all work to expand the opening by dismantling the old entrance or interior door. After this, you need to carefully measure the distance by which you need to expand the opening. Then the doorway is directly expanded, after which the resulting debris is removed and the opening is prepared for the installation of a new door. To carry out these activities efficiently, it is necessary to have special tool, as well as a certain skill. An essential point here is whether the wall that is undergoing changes is a load-bearing or permanent wall. In addition, you should not make the doorway wider than 1 meter on the lower floors of apartment buildings or administrative buildings, since the walls in this case have an additional load. Otherwise, to ensure safety, additional supports must be installed.

Work on expanding the opening is done in two ways. The first method is to use a sledgehammer, jackhammer or rotary hammer to remove excess material, and the second method is to cut the wall more accurately using a diamond-coated blade. In the first case, this procedure looks like this: they make through holes along the intended line, and then, using a jackhammer or sledgehammer, gradually tap out pieces of brick or concrete. This method is considered traditional, but it must be borne in mind that working with a jackhammer or sledgehammer can contribute to the formation of microcracks across the entire surface of the wall. In addition, after widening the opening traditional way The edges of the wall remain uneven, which makes it necessary to seal or install slopes.

Diamond cutting is a more acceptable option for buildings with both brick and concrete walls. This method has a sufficient number of advantages. Using a cutting tool with diamond-coated discs, you can widen a doorway faster and more efficiently. This tool is capable of cutting brick, concrete, and reinforcement. You can also note the low noise level, lack of vibration and impact on the wall, which allows you to maintain its integrity. Using diamond cutting, you can get a smooth edge of the wall and a clear geometric shape opening. It also prevents the formation of cracks and does not leave chips. However, this procedure is accompanied by the release of dust. To avoid this, water is used to operate diamond cutting accurately: the disc is moistened with some water, which absorbs dust particles generated during its operation. In terms of cost, using a diamond-coated cutter is a more expensive procedure compared to the method of widening an opening using a sledgehammer.

If the doorway is significantly widened, reinforcement installation is required

Valid parameters

To prevent this, it is important to know what restrictions exist for expanding the opening of an entrance or interior door. For most designs, the standard dimensions are 70-80 cm. Most often, a change in these values is due to the purchase of a door block of the wrong size.

The maximum permissible openings are 200 cm wide and 210 cm high. It is advisable not to build them in load-bearing structures. An exception may be the entrance door opening, but in this case it should be further strengthened.

Scheme of strengthening an opening in a load-bearing wall with a lintel made of channels

Tools for work

To increase the doorway in modern construction, various tools and devices can be used. There are several ways to dismantle excess wall:

Rough method. In this case, tools such as a sledgehammer, hammer drill, jackhammer and the like are used. In this case, it is necessary to first outline the contours and use tools to knock off the excess. Of course, the process is very labor-intensive, and there is another threat here - the formation of microcracks due to high impact loads. This may require additional finishing work and generally impairs the strength of the wall structure.
Dry cutting. For this purpose, such a familiar tool as a grinder is used. With its help, you can easily cut out the desired shape of the contours. It also copes with reinforcement. The downside is that you have to cut on both sides, and it’s not always possible to match the cuts exactly. In addition, dry cutting leads to the formation of a large amount of dust and quickly wears out the diamond blade.
Wet cutting. For this purpose, you can use a spray bottle and irrigate the work surface while working with an angle grinder, but a more rational method would be to use a special construction cutter. It is equipped with a large diamond blade and a water container. With its help, you can cut an opening of the required size in one step and at the same time with minimal contamination. True, the cost of such equipment is considerable.

Basic methods of dismantling part of a wall in an opening

When carrying out such work, be sure to use personal protective equipment: goggles and a respirator, they will protect you from dust and small fragments.

Panel house

Most often there is a need to expand the doorway in a panel house. In high-rise buildings, this issue is quite problematic, since in addition to a large amount of construction waste, there is also a negative reaction from neighbors to such noisy repair work. That is why it is necessary to reduce the time of dismantling the structure as much as possible. The best option, affordable, is a grinder.

First you need to completely remove the old door frame from the opening. The supporting wooden beams are also dismantled. Next, you need to make the appropriate measurements and outline the contours of the desired passage dimensions.

If an opening is being expanded in a load-bearing wall, especially one adjacent to the front door, an important aspect is the temporary strengthening of the structure. It is best to initially cut out only the top part and move the jumper. Despite the increase in width, it should go deeper into the wall by at least 15-20 cm on each side.

When expanding an opening in a panel house, an important aspect is temporary strengthening of the structure

Brick house

The process of expanding an opening in a brick wall is carried out somewhat differently. It is important to be careful here, since excessive impact loads can lead to the destruction of the entire masonry. It is best to perform this operation in the following sequence:

Outline the contours of the future opening.
If necessary, move the jumper. You can use a metal channel as reinforcement.
You need to remove excess bricks one by one. To begin with, the mortar is cleaned from the seams as much as possible. Then use a hammer drill, chisel, or chisel to break the brick into small pieces.
If the work area is large, you can clean the outline of the opening and knock out the inside of the masonry with a sledgehammer.
The extreme contours are cut off with a grinder. For arched vaults, you initially need to clear the edges of the bricks around the perimeter.

When expanding an opening in a brick wall, a lintel must be used to strengthen it

If you need to make a wide entrance opening in a brick house, you will additionally need to cut off the reinforcement.

After rough work, check the integrity of the masonry and, if necessary, plaster cracks and cracked seams.

Height increase

In addition to expanding the doorway in the load-bearing wall, it may also be necessary to increase its height. In this case, you cannot do without moving the horizontal jumper. Without it, the entire load will fall on the fragile door structure, which can lead to the collapse of the wall.

To safely increase the height of the opening, you need to install a jumper

The desire to arrange an arched opening or install a new door leads to the expansion and increase in height of the opening. If in interior partition It is permissible to cut an opening of any complexity from lightweight material, then openings in load-bearing walls ah definitely require special attention.

Existing risks

Modern factory door designs very often do not fit into the interior openings of Soviet-era apartments, and only widening the openings saves the situation.

Enlarged openings in load-bearing walls

In addition, the new units have completely standard door sizes, which are very different from the older products that have been in place for the past decades. This may be the height, but more often the door opening is not satisfied with the width. In this case, the problem of decorative and functional arrangement of an interior transition can only be solved by enlarging the hole in the wall or narrowing (reducing) it.

Let's talk specifically about increasing the passage between adjacent rooms. But it doesn’t always turn out to be safe to widen the hole under the door in different types buildings.

For example, if you restore a partition that is not the main functional basis of the building, made of gypsum plasterboard (plasterboard), sibit (cellular aerated concrete) or other lightweight building material, then nothing bad will happen. On the contrary, the work will be somewhat troublesome, if we consider the transfer of metal profiles under the gypsum board, but it will be successful.

In gypsum plasterboard partitions, the expansion of the opening is done by transferring the profile and cutting the sheet

It’s a completely different matter to increase passages in load-bearing walls. Reconstruction of a similar plan in partitions of load-bearing value is already considered a redevelopment of the premises. This means that the work must be carried out in full compliance with the separate project, which contains an accurate engineering calculation of the redistribution of loads on the floor after the full scope of changes made.

Officially developed project for strengthening the opening

To reproduce such work in multi-apartment buildings, it is necessary to collect a complete package of documents regarding regional requirements:

certificates from the local BTI;
documentation of home ownership, extract from the house register;
floor plan of the entire building;
a plan for future reconstruction from an architectural organization;
a plan for all stages of future work, and so on.

Minimal damage from incorrect redevelopment

If you think about it, the solution to increasing the passage in the apartment will bring a lot of red tape, but it’s worth it. After all, this list of documents, first of all, is needed not for show, but personally for the safety of you, your loved ones and the people living around your apartment. Unauthorized damage to a load-bearing partition in a multi-story building can lead, at a minimum, to the collapse of the wall, and at maximum, to collapse part of the house. We don't need irreparable consequences; we just need to strengthen the openings.

Calculations of expansion parameters for doors

In the presence of door design, to which you need to adjust the size of the hole in the wall, you can calculate the exact parameters of the work. Cutting the opening by eye will not work; it is better to make precise markings. To make an opening with your own hands to the exact dimensions of the structure, it is worth making the following measurements:

height and width of the existing door;
thickness and width door frame what is included;
remove the width of the platbands that are planned to be installed;
pick up the threshold and remove its height, if, of course, it will be installed.

Calculation of the dimensions of the opening and the door located in it

So, the calculation of the available sizes is as follows:

The required width of the passage in the wall consists of the following parameters: the width of the door leaf, the thickness of the frame post, the technological gaps on each side (≈2 cm).
The height of the doorway is determined as follows: the height of the threshold is added to the thickness of the frame, plus the technological gap.
The thickness of the passage wall is generally 75 mm. For other indicators, extensions are added if the walls are much wider, or a door frame with a narrower beam is selected.

Do-it-yourself arch calculation

If you want to arrange an arched vault in the transition to adjacent rooms, expanding the transitions to adjacent rooms cannot be avoided.

Dimensions of arches depending on the width of the opening

Making an opening in the form of an arch is not difficult, the main thing is to properly prepare for the work, that is, calculate the arch. An arched opening can have any type of configuration. That is, you can make any shape of the arched vault, and the curved bend can be attributed to a creative view of the matter.

Classic arch shape with oval with the right bend It’s much more difficult to do at 45 cm, so we stock up on the following equipment for calculation work on a scale of 1:50:

compass;
paper;
Pythagorean theorem from school curriculum: R²=L²+(R²-H²).

From famous formula Pythagoras has long been derived, and masters of construction use a formula to calculate the exact radius of the circle of the future arch in the opening R=L²+H²/2H.

Opening size: r is the radius of the circle, L is half the chord of the arc, h is the lifting height

You can make it a little easier when determining the radius of the classic arch shape, but not entirely accurate:

draw a doorway of future expanded natural dimensions on paper (previously, a piece of wallpaper for the walls was used for this);
a compass is placed on the axis of symmetry and, changing the radius, several arcs are drawn;
the optimal option is selected, and the remaining radii are erased.

Where does the span expansion process begin?

Carved arched opening in a concrete wall

Before making a doorway in a wall wider, you should take care not only of dismantling the old door structure, but also of strengthening the openings. In panel buildings, reinforcement can be done after the concrete cutting is completed, but brick openings require some attention. You can make a monumental opening in a load-bearing brick wall with your own hands, but this will require the following list of materials and tools:

steel channel with a cross section in the shape of a “U”;
coupling bolts with a diameter of 20 mm;
studs d16 mm;
steel plates sheet steel;
metal corners;
cement mortar;
electric drill;
a gas cutter, an electric cutter or a manual grinder with a diamond wheel;

Unloading a load-bearing wall using a jack

Concrete cutting can be done using the most various instruments, but diamond cutting is the most acceptable option.

supports or jacks for the period of work;
hammer drill when working with a brick wall.

The cross-section of the beam and the class of material used in the work to strengthen the opening are determined during preliminary calculations of the future load. The obtained data must be included in the redevelopment design document interior space. The length of the steel channel is selected so that its profile penetrates the thickness of the brick wall by at least 25 centimeters.

Reinforcing a brick wall opening with a channel

It is better to immediately make holes in the channel for the coupling bolts, of which you need at least 3 pieces for an opening of medium length. It is advisable to distribute the ties along the channel at a distance of 50 cm.

Dismantling work in brick and concrete walls

Diamond cutting of opening

The expansion of openings by cutting concrete begins according to pre-created markings on the plane. Diamond cutting will make the process somewhat easier, especially if you use circles that reach a cutting depth of 10 centimeters. During work, it is recommended to constantly wet the walls to reduce dust formation. So don’t forget about safety measures:

special glasses;
respirator;
gloves;
protective suit.

It is worth noting that openings in load-bearing walls require double-sided work. That is, cutting out the opening on both sides of the premises due to its massiveness.

Strengthening the openings, as noted earlier, is done before dismantling the wall. The best option for strengthening the reliability of a load-bearing partition would be to use welded frames on both sides, tightened with studs through the walls.

Reinforced opening design

Concrete walls are cut out into small areas, rectangles or squares. Whereas in brick partitions a through cut is made, and the blocks themselves are knocked down with a hammer drill, and then with a sledgehammer, if necessary. It is strictly not recommended to use a hammer drill for concrete. Strong vibration effects can be destructive to the panel and cause a number of microcracks, which will weaken the entire structure. Brick walls require a completely different approach, as demonstrated in the video below.

Projects of old and modern multi-storey buildings do not always suit individual apartment residents. Narrow doors create discomfort and prevent the passage of large furniture. To solve the problem, widen the openings by demolishing part of the partition. There are projects with the downside of the issue - the doors are too wide. The overall sash sags on its hinges under the weight and looks ugly. To solve this problem, apartment residents begin to narrow the doorway during a major renovation.

Is changing the dimensions and location of the passage considered redevelopment?

To expand or narrow doorway in a panel house you will have to change the length of the adjacent wall. IN technical passport The door to the apartment is shown schematically. Dimensions are usually not indicated, but the BTI has all the data. When expanding or narrowing the passage in the wall, the layout of the room, originally provided for in the project, is violated. Over time, if you want to sell the apartment, great difficulties will arise with the preparation of documentation.

By law, changing the size or location of the opening for a door block is considered redevelopment. It is advisable to legitimize the corresponding actions. To obtain permission to widen or narrow a door interior opening in a panel house, you need to contact the BTI.

Tool

To narrow or widen doorways in an apartment, you will need a simple construction tool:

hammer, sledgehammer, long chisel;
hand saw for wood;
plane;
hammer drill, drill, screwdriver, grinder;
pliers, figured and straight screwdriver.

The set of materials depends on the work performed. To narrow the interior doorway you will need a wooden beam, metallic profile, drywall, brick or foam block. The blocks are laid on cement mortar, and the gypsum board sheets are fixed to metal frame self-tapping screws. When expanding the doorway in height, you will need a metal corner to strengthen the upper lintel.

Ways to reduce a passage in a wall

Narrowing an old doorway during redevelopment involves reducing the size of the door in height or width, as well as in both parameters at the same time. The procedure can be performed in three ways: using timber, drywall or blocks.

Most reliable method To reduce the opening in the wall is to partially fill it with blocks. The option is ideal for the front door. Suitable materials include brick, cinder block, blocks of cellular concrete. It is better to use foam block or aerated concrete for interior partitions. The material is light, easy to cut, but absorbs moisture. It is slightly less durable than brick.

The work consists of the following actions:

to reduce the height of the passage in the wall, prepare a jumper from a beam or a metal corner;
the workpiece is cut off larger than the width of the passage, and landing nests are made under it at the ends of the wall using a grinder;
After fixing the lintel, the space above it and the sides of the passage in the wall are filled with blocks.

When choosing this method, take into account the weight of the blocks. The heavier the material, the stronger the jumper will be needed. If the whole block does not fit into the gap above the jumper, it is sawed with a grinder or wood, polystyrene foam, or polyurethane foam are used for filling. The disadvantage of porous blocks is the absorption of moisture. To prevent fungus from appearing, the structure is treated with protective impregnation.

How to reduce a doorway with timber?

It is easier for an apartment dweller who does not have construction experience to reduce the width of the doorway with timber, and also to lower it. The work order consists of the following stages:

The thickness of the timber used to narrow the doorway is adjusted with a planer so that the workpiece does not protrude beyond the plane of the wall. The surface is treated with a grinder. In this case, the finishing material will fit better.
The dimensions taken from the opening are transferred to the timber. Use a saw to cut the pieces to the required length and fix them to the ends of the wall. The thickness of the beam should not protrude beyond the plane of the wall, and the upper lintel should be cut to such a width that it fits tightly into the ends of the side walls.
When drilling mounting holes on the beam, recesses are provided to allow the heads of the fastening elements to be hidden flush.
The posts and lintel are fixed to the wall with anchors, bolts or other parts.
Large gaps between the frame and the end of the wall are filled with polyurethane foam. Small cracks are sealed with putty.
The finished structure is impregnated with a primer. After drying, they are covered with gypsum board, chipboard or other sheet material.

When reducing the doorway, the frequent dynamic loads acting on the door are taken into account. To prevent the structure from becoming loose, the timber is attached to the wall as often as possible.

After you have managed to lower the door opening with timber, the question arises of how to close the space from above. The easiest way is to cover it with plasterboard, plywood or chipboard. A small gap is hidden with wide platbands. Before finishing, the cracks are filled with foam.

The advantage of this method is the ease of installation of the timber. The downside is the installation limitation. In damp rooms the wooden frame is deformed and cracks due to temperature changes. The method is not suitable for the bathroom and kitchen.

Reducing the span with plasterboard

To increase the door interior opening plasterboard, from the installation side of the profile frame, clean the wall from various materials and treated with a primer.

After taking measurements entrance opening, cut the guide profile into the required pieces. The upper lintel is fixed with hangers, and the side elements are fixed directly to the ends of the wall.
GKL sheets are screwed to the finished frame with self-tapping screws, maintaining a pitch of 150 mm;
The cracks are sealed with putty. Plasterboard construction primed, and a metal perforated corner is glued to the corner joints.

Seal the opening above the door and along its width with plasterboard if the difference in size between the opening in the wall and the door frame does not exceed 100 mm. To fix the gypsum boards, a frame is made from a galvanized profile. The frame turns out to be quite weak and is easily deformed when large gap when opening the sash. It is better to use a plasterboard structure for an arched passage. To strengthen the gap between the profile and the ends of the wall, fill it with pieces of timber or polyurethane foam.

How to reduce a doorway with foam blocks?

Working with aerated concrete and foam blocks is easy. The material is not heavy and can be easily cut even with a regular hacksaw. Blocks are usually used to narrow a passage in a thick wall and panel houses.

It is easier to reduce the width of the door opening. The blocks are laid out in a column from the floor to the top crossbar. If it is additionally necessary to reduce the height of the passage, a lintel made of wooden beam. The gap is sealed with pieces of foam blocks.

The laying out of blocks begins from the floor. It is important to initially prepare a flat and durable surface. Pieces of reinforcement are embedded between the rows. One end is driven into the wall. This strengthens the structure. The rods will not allow the foam block pillar to move away from the wall.

Used as a mortar for laying blocks adhesive composition on cement based. It is sold dry in bags and to prepare it, just add water and then mix well. The solution is applied to the blocks with a notched trowel.

The finished structure is impregnated with an antifungal compound, plastered, puttied or sheathed with plasterboard. After finishing, the door frame is installed.

Narrowing the opening with brickwork

When reducing a wide opening with bricks, the work requires similar construction actions as in the case of a foam block. The difference is the heavy weight of the material. Instead of timber lintels, it is better to use metal corners.

They begin to build up a new doorway from the side, not forgetting to reinforce the rows. The masonry is carried out using a solution prepared from three parts sand and one part cement. Water is added until a homogeneous thick mass is obtained. The mortar is applied to the brick with a trowel.

How to reduce a passage with concrete walls?

To reduce the interior doorway with concrete walls for a new door, any of the considered methods will do. The best option is to use blocks. In a lived-in apartment, work begins with exposing the wall. Removal finishing materials will allow you to assess the condition concrete structure. If there are severe defects, the wall will have to be partially destroyed, and the resulting widened passage will have to be narrowed again.

To build up an interior doorway with blocks from above, the wall is partially destroyed to insert a lintel. If there was electrical wiring or other communications near the old door frame, they need to be moved.

How to widen a doorway?

To increase the doorway, you will have to remove part of the wall. You can widen the passage in concrete and brick partitions from 0.7 to 2 m. In an apartment on the first floor, they adhere to the recommended width of 1 m and carry out additional reinforcement of the structure. It is allowed to increase the height of the doorway up to 2.1 m.

Widening the passage in the wall begins with dismantling the door block. The sash is removed from its hinges. The box is cut with a hacksaw and removed with a pry bar. The expansion of the interior doorway is done to install the door bigger size. According to the dimensions of the new block, markings are drawn on the wall.

The excess area is removed in two ways:

Gentle. To cut openings, a grinder with a diamond wheel is used. There is a lot of dust, but the possibility of cracking the entire partition is excluded.

Aggressive. When removing pieces of the wall, a sledgehammer, hammer, chisel, or hammer drill is used. If you overdo it, you can damage the integrity of the entire partition.

An enlarged doorway must be strengthened. It is especially important to strengthen the pier where the old lintel is removed when the passage is expanded in height. The main methods of reinforcement are welding metal corners, channels, tires made of thick sheet steel along the ends of the walls, or installing tie beams with bolts.

Brick house

A feature of expanding a doorway in a brick wall is accuracy. In order not to disturb the masonry, it is better not to hit the partition with a sledgehammer. Expand a doorway in a brick wall with minimum quantity dust can be removed with a hammer and chisel. Bricks are knocked out one by one on the marked area. You can get the job done faster and get the smoothest edges possible by using a grinder, only after cutting there will be a lot of dust left.

The transfer of the block lintel is carried out by increasing the height of the old doorway. Additionally, the top masonry is reinforced with welded channels or tie beams.

Panel house

To expand an interior doorway in a concrete wall, use a grinder with a diamond blade in the same way. The panel is cut in turn on each side. If the diameter of the disk is not enough to cover the entire thickness of the concrete, slots are made on both sides of the partition.

You can widen a doorway on a concrete wall without dust using an impact drill. Through holes are drilled along the contour of the marking in frequent steps, and only the reinforcement is cut with a grinder. Pieces of concrete can easily break off with a sledgehammer. If it is necessary to increase the height of the passage in a concrete wall, the old lintel is similarly dismantled.

Large openings are expanded with squares, removing sections concrete panel down up. The ends are reinforced with a frame, welding on sheet steel tires or metal corners.

When changing the dimensions of the passage in the interior partition, it is important to carefully carry out the dismantling work, install a reliable new structure and coordinate the redevelopment with the BTI.

Hello. We bought a house for self-finishing; in the doorways, the fittings play the role of lintels. But since the height of the doorways turned out to be insufficient for the manufacture of standard doors with a frame, they proposed cutting off the reinforcement to increase the height of the opening. That's what we did, but now I'm afraid the wall will fall without a lintel. Brick wall. Professional opinion is needed.

Maybe it will fall. maybe not...

Do we now need to re-make the jumpers? And what is the least labor-intensive way?

Hello. If the masonry is not fresh, if a NORMAL mortar was used and when enlarging the opening, the work was carried out carefully (without fanaticism using a sledgehammer, jackhammer, etc.), then most likely nothing will happen to the wall. If for personal peace, then you can arrange primitive pseudo-jumpers. The simplest solution is to use reinforcement (the number of rods depends on the thickness of your walls). At the very top of the vertical of the enlarged opening, drill HORIZONTAL holes with a depth of 105 mm on one side and 205 mm on the other. The diameter of the holes corresponds to the diameter of the fittings + reserve. When drilling, it is important to maintain the alignment of opposite holes. Cut a piece of reinforcement 200 mm longer than the width of the opening. Insert the reinforcement into a deep hole, insert it into the hole in the opposite slope and push it 100 mm. We treat the ceiling part of the opening with a primer deep penetration and “throw it away” cement-sand mortar. Good luck.

Sergey suggested a good option I’ll add one more, if the height of the opening is set to zero, take reinforcement with a diameter of 20 mm and a length 20 cm longer than the opening - 2 pieces, use a grinder to cut a brick measuring 2.5 cm by 2.5 cm to the length of the rod flush with the edge of the opening, do this operation on both sides and insert reinforcement on the sides and plaster. As a result, the rods should be flush with the opening, then you can sleep peacefully

Good afternoon. Find a good welder. And let him frame the opening for you from the corner 63–75, enough for the eyes. Naturally with tension plates. It’s quick, not labor-intensive, and most importantly, don’t disturb the walls again.

On both sides above the opening, place corners below the brick by raking along the sides 10 centimeters on each side. It will hold

Before expanding the doorway, you should study the theoretical part of the process Sometimes it happens that there is a need to expand the doorway. This may happen due to the purchase of a new door, some kind of redevelopment, or the need to carry a particularly large item that does not fit into the existing span. It is quite possible to do such work with your own hands, but it should be taken into account that this process is very labor-intensive and it is worth taking on it yourself only when there are no other options.

How to widen a doorway in a panel house

Before you begin the process of expanding the doorway, you should obtain permission to carry out work from the relevant authorities, since such actions are considered redevelopment of the premises.

When preparing a space for renovation, you should cover nearby furniture and other household items with polyethylene to protect them from dust. You also need to think about your own safety and carry out work with special glasses and gloves to avoid causing any injury to yourself.

When expanding a doorway, you must strictly follow safety rules

To increase the opening in a panel house, you should perform the following steps:

Dismantle old door– this process begins with the removal of fittings and trim;
Next, the canvas is removed from the loops, and the vertical posts are cut with a grinder;
If expansion is planned not only on the sides, but also in height, then the jumper must also be removed (a nail puller can be used for these purposes);
Next, you need to mark the increase along the perimeter of the wall;
Then, along the contour of the span, using a hammer drill, holes are made at a short distance from each other to simplify the chipping of the material;
The panel should be cut on each side in turn;
After cutting the reinforcing bars, you can begin to remove the remains of the walls using a sledgehammer, striking the material.

After the opening is expanded, it must be strengthened, even if the wall is not load-bearing. Reinforcement is done by welding with metal corners or strips.

If the opening is very large, it is better to expand it in squares. Moreover, you need to work from top to bottom so that the upper parts do not collapse during the work.

Instructions: how to widen a doorway in a concrete wall

Expanding a doorway in a concrete wall can be done using the drilling method. To do this, you need to stock up on a hammer drill, a drill, a sledgehammer and a chisel.

You can, of course, carry out this process using one grinder with a concrete circle, but in this case there will be a lot of dust.

To expand the doorway, you should prepare a metal frame in advance

How to widen a span by drilling:

Everything starts in the standard way - the door is removed, cutting lines are drawn;
Next, using a hammer drill and a drill, holes are drilled in the concrete at intervals of 3-5 cm from each other along the entire perimeter;
Then take a chisel and drive it into one of the holes located somewhere in the middle (this is done in order to break off the drilled piece);
If nothing works, you can try to do the same with another hole and do this in a circle.

After all the pieces have broken off, all that remains is to remove the construction debris, prime the span and put the door in place.

Widening a Doorway in a Brick Wall: A Step-by-Step Guide

We figured out how to expand the span in concrete and panel houses, but how to do this in a brick wall?

The main thing here is to be careful and careful, since if you make excessive efforts, you can accidentally destroy the entire masonry.

To safely expand a doorway, it is recommended to carefully study the structure of the house

Step-by-step guide on how to enlarge a doorway:

First, the contours of the future span are outlined;
If necessary, the lintel is moved and the upper masonry is strengthened (the structure can be strengthened with metal channels or by installing tie beams and bolts);
Next, the marked part of the wall is cut out with a grinder;
The inner end can be knocked out with a sledgehammer, and the perimeter can be cleaned with a hammer and chisel;
Excess bricks can be removed by hand, remembering to first clean the mortar from the seams;
The edges of the opening are also cut off with a grinder.

After completing all the work, you should definitely check whether the wall remains intact. If any cracks or chips appear, they must be treated with plaster.

Safe expansion of a doorway in a load-bearing wall: ways to strengthen the structure

When planning to expand the entrance opening in a load-bearing wall, you should understand the level of loads, and be sure to reinforce the structure. You can use additional reinforcement, or some other reliable metal structures.

To carry out work to increase the span, it is best to use any cutting tool, having diamond discs.

If you do not have experience in widening a doorway, then you should turn to professionals

To strengthen a load-bearing wall, you should perform the following steps:

Install a steel beam into the upper part of the opening, and under it cut a special niche the size of half a brick;
Next, all the resulting voids should be filled with cement mortar;
Then fix the channel into the niche and carry out the rest of the work only after the concrete has hardened.

If the opening is planned to be more than 1.5 m wide, the brick walls should be strengthened vertical posts made of metal.

One of the most reliable ways to strengthen load-bearing walls is the use of frames welded to each other. They should be tied together with studs and located on both sides of the span. This method is mainly used on the lower floors of high-rise buildings or when it is necessary to increase the opening to a significant height.

Proper expansion of the doorway (video)

It is quite possible to expand the doorway on our own if you have everything at hand necessary tools. This work is dusty, dirty and noisy, so you should warn neighbors about possible inconveniences. And yet, everything is real. The main thing is to follow safety rules and strengthen the structure well, especially when it comes to load-bearing walls.