Creating opening in Cinder Block Wall
IronDog
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
Hi Everyone,
I have a project coming up that will require an opening cut into an existing
exterior cinder block bearing wall.
The clients want a door put into their basement.
Now I have no compunction about working with bearing frame walls but I don’t know how it’s done with cinder block walls.
The opening will be about 5′ wide.
How are the cinder blocks above the cut supported before the lintel is placed?
I don’t really want to do this part of the project but all the masons I’ve called are way too busy.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts,
Tom
Replies
all the masons I've called are way too busy. Probably for a good reason...
Do it right, or do it twice.
Buy an 8' length of angle iron, cut out the mortar one row above where you want to open the wall to, and slip the angle in. It'll have plenty of bearing on each end to hold the block up while you demo below and set the permanent lintel.
Bob
The angle iron will hold the block but this being a foundation wall in a basement 5' wide., if it's a 2 story house may be bearing as much as 20,000 lbs. I'd build a 2 x 6 temp wall to carry the load along with the iron to carry the block.
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Geob21 and Bob,
I think that will work well.
I was planning on having to support the joists with a frame bearing wall as well, if the joists are perpendicular to this cinder block wall.
I'll get an engineer to figure the lintel size.
Thank you,
Tom Witt