I would like to make a window opening in a side wall (brick-faced block, about 12″ thick) of my basement workshop, that is below the garage. I want to install an a/c – heater unit that requires a 16″ x 26″ opening. I’ve done some brick & block work around the house and can do decent mortar joints. The last estimate I received was for $1,100, so I’m considering doing it myself. I have a couple of questions that I hope someone can help me with.
+ What is the best way to cut the opening in the brick? I’ve remortared joints and could cut the brick out with a chisel. I anticipate reusing some of the brick when finishing the window ledge.
+ What is the best way to cut the opening in the block? I suspect the joint lines of the top/bottom or sides will not match the joints of the opening in the brick. Should this be done from the inside (finished wall that needs to be opened)?
+ I have an angle iron lintel for under the course of brick that forms the top, as was done in the garage windows. Would this be correct? How far should the angle iron overlap each side?
+ Do I need a lintel on the block? Dumb question right! So what is used here, steel or reinforced concrete? How much should it overlap the sides.
Any suggestions on items I didn’t ask about?
Thanks!
Alex
Replies
I have taken out brick a munber of ways.
1- Cut all the joints next to and beyond where the opening is by at least a brick and work from the top down with a heavy hammer, cold chisel and gloves. The bricks in the field will usually tap out with the wooden end of the heavy hammer once one end of a brick is clear. I actually start in the field of the opening. What I am talking about is toothing back the brick so a new line can be
2- Cut the brick opening with a saw and flash out to the front edge of the brick. This method is for the cheep or those who don't care because it does not look like it was meant to be.
3- For the block get in someone who cuts with a wet saw. Very little dust but still a mess on the floor. They should be able to cut right through a 9" block with a hand held saw and should not have to mount a track to the wall. They cut it the way they want to though when safety is a factor.
4- When you go for your permit they will tell you if the plan you submit shows proper bearing for the lintel. You will get a permit won't you. When we do them it is 4" min but it is one on the inside and one on the outside of the block with also one for the brick. Pre primed lintel is best for this job. You have to Grout under the block that you support with the steel lintel. It is tricky to keep the morter joints when you go to remove block so take your time on the top row and always consider what you are going to do to hold up what you are taking out is holding up. I have never had anything come down on me but that has more to do with proper planning and care than luck. Have some plywood to protect what is below the openings and close up if you can't finish in the day. In our area to cut out and not remove the waste from site is about $200 to 250 but most will usually do an over the phone quote since that is their business and they do so many. Some of this may not apply to your job since it is for larger openings but there it is.
Scott T.
Edited 11/11/2003 9:46:05 PM ET by noitall
I've cut through block and brick walls several times for framing and installing new door entry ways ( both for patio doors, and basement man doors.) Iv'e used heavy duty rental saws ( similar to chain saws) with diamond blades. I attached 2x4 "guides" with tapcon screws, and then ran my saw blades along these guides. This is very, very dusty, and demanding work.
However, in your case, none of this type of labor is necessary .
A 16 inch wide X 26 window opening is really not very large. For an opening this small, you really don't need to worry about a lintel. Your brick wall is not going to fall apart. In essense, you are talking about removing 3 cement blocks (just one block width wide) on the inside, and removing approx 20 pieces of brick on the outside.
Easiest way to make this hole is to draw an outline on the (interior side) block wall; depicting which cement blocks you wish to remove. Use a masonry blade in a circular saw or in an angle grinder and score the block along the outline. If you don't have any saws or masonry blades, then score block using a cold chisel. Pick out the central block you wish to remove and continually hit this with a small sledge hammer, until the block begins to crumble. Continued pounding will disintegrate this block. Continue to remove the other cement blocks in the same manner. If you use a grinder to cut out the mortar joints and/or score the block lines, wet down the block first to help control dust.
Once the block has been removed, drill small holes with a masonry bit around the perimeter. Using these holes as your boundary line, remove the brick from the exterior in this area. Again, a masonry blade in a grinder will cut through the mortar joints; whereby you can knock out the brick from the interior side with a hammer. A cold chisel can true up the sides .
Instead of worrying about installing a lintel, use treated 2x lumber and frame out the opening. The 2x lumber should be wide enough to support the block and the brick. If a 2x12 isn't large enough, ( you mentioned 12 inch block plus brick) glue and screw another 2x together to the 2X12, then rip this down to proper size.
The treated box frame can have it's exterior face finished off with wood casing trim, or can be left plain, or trimed with aluminum coil stock...options depend on look you want.
For you to do this job, it should take you one day........not worth paying $1,100.00
Davo
Edited 11/12/2003 1:11:48 AM ET by Davo
Edited 11/12/2003 1:24:31 AM ET by Davo
Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice!
You have filled in several gaps for me. This is one of those projects that would be great fun to do with someone like you, expecially when you say it is a 1-day project (for an experienced person). I've done a number of jobs that were to be quick, and my better judgement tells me I can expect this one to take me several days. But that's my problem, I tend to move slow and ponder when I haven't done it before. I suppose neither of you is in N. VA.
Thanks again!
Alex
Much further north, in the land of ice and snow.
I do agree with the previous post to some degree. That it isn't a very big opening and 16" wide Isn't much to worry about. But for the time it will take and the peace of mind that it is done the way it should be I would put in the steel. At least the easy one on the inside. don't worry about pondering the job before you start. worry about having to ponder the solution to the huge problem you created when you didn't plan properly. eg. Dropping a brick on a clear cedar deck that was only protected by a drop tarp. One other thing ... if you are going to use morter to fix your joints and place your brick leave all the debri below you until you are done. It makes the morter you drop much easier to clean up in the end. On larger openings I clean up enough to make it safe but I always use scaffold even if it is for only 6" . That way I can keep my planks clean to walk on and place another plank behind me for all the tools, brick and morter.
Scott T.
Cleanup will be easy as this hole will be only about 4-5' above ground. Below eye level on the outside and just about eye level on the inside. I guess I need to sit down and plan my attack on this project.
Thanks again!
Alex
asallwey,
Sorry, but I reside in West Virginia. Normally when I tell an outsider I'm from WV, they always say, "Yeah well I got some friends living in Richmond ( or Roanoke), bout how far are you from them...do you you know em?...they are.... blah blah blah."
Listen, substitute "pounding" ( with a hammer) in place of your "pondering" and you will get this thing done in a hurry...OK? Like I said earlier...this is not gonna be a very big wall opening so don't fret about it, just do it.
Point in fact ( which may ease your mind, I hope). When working in the steel mills, our Carpenter shop assisted the Brick Gang in removing a "ton" of brick from the side of an existing building so to enlarge it so that railroad cars could be moved inside on rails for repair. At the time, this building only had one opening to accomodate train cars...the idea was to double the opening size. The building was double wythe brick. Yes, there was a lintel supporting the first opening, but the brick gang knocked out the second opening without any kind of bracing...the attitude being that the brick wall would still hold itself together. AND....it did just that. Frankly, I was a bit amazed....I'm talking about an opening the size of approx 14ft X 14 ft!
The brick gang did eventually install a lintel in that opening, but not until a few weeks later. ( things always ran slooow with the brick gang, if you know what I mean.)
My point here is not that I'm advocating what the brick gang did...simply that brick itself is a bit tougher than what you might think. Removing a few brick, is not going to lead to a falling "house of cards."
Soooo, get with it...have at it...and good luck. If you don't get it all done in a day...no problem...just make sure you have some plywood on hand to close off the hole to keep the critters outside.
And you are right, things do have a way of taking a bit longer to accomplish sometimes....infact a good motto to remember is "Things are never as easy as it seems"....and my one friend always reminds me ( when I'm complaining about something on a job giving me trouble) "Hey Davo, if it was easy, then EVERYBODY would be doing it; instead of you and me." I say "AMEN" to both.
Davo
Thanks for the pep talk, looks like next week with be it. I'll use this weekend to open the interior wall, clear the area around the location, and lay out my opening. I already have a steel angle iron lintel for the brick, so I will try to pick up a cement lintel for the block tomorrow. I already have mortar on hand soit will be just a matter of putting 'hammer-to-chisel-to-wall' next week.
Thanks again guys!
Alex