Repeatedly in our lives we are faced with the reconstruction of apartments or houses. And often this process is accompanied by the construction of new entrances. But what to do when, behind the layout, this passage is located in the load-bearing wall? This task is by no means an easy one. Having made a mistake, the design of the room as a whole may suffer. The situation is complicated if a person decides to do all the work with his own hands, but in no case should you despair. You just need to take into account some of the subtleties of working with a load-bearing wall.

Coordination of redevelopment

Before starting work, it is necessary to obtain the consent of the relevant authorities. The following factors influence their response:

  • housing construction (so that the room is not completely destroyed due to the opening);
  • deterioration of walls (walls, like people, have the ability to age and lose their former strength and durability);
  • wall type and thickness;
  • placement of the opening (it should not coincide with the junction of the ceilings and the wall);
  • the size of the opening in relation to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wall;
  • the gap between the opening and adjacent walls;
  • the gap between the highest edge of the opening and the ceiling;
  • opening width;
  • the number of floors above the opening.

Only after receiving a positive response from the relevant authorities, we proceed to direct work.

Tool selection

First of all, in any construction works ah is the training equipment. Professional builders use a concrete cutter, a do-it-yourself tool for working with load-bearing walls - a jackhammer, a puncher will also work. In addition, you will need:

  • sledgehammer;
  • marking equipment;
  • welding;
  • studs or bolts (depending on the profile);
  • nuts;
  • washers;
  • channels;
  • cement mortar.

Preparatory work

1. Make sure that there are no electrical communications behind the wall or turn them off.

2. Mark the outline of the opening. Due to the fact that the load-bearing walls are thick, they have to be disassembled from 2 sides.

3. Drill through holes with a 12mm bit in the corners of the outline. They will help you navigate while marking the opening on the other side.

4. Cut out the channels of the required length.

Installing the jumper

The jumper is the most important component in the whole process. The load on the load-bearing walls will be transferred to this part, so the safety of the whole house depends on the correct installation of it.

For installation, first of all we knock down the plaster and knock out a recess along the upper line of the opening, we will lay the channel into it. The length of the recess is: the width of the opening plus one meter. The profile should fit snugly into the place prepared for it. We clean the remains of the brick with a wire brush and rinse with water.

For tightening fasteners, we drill holes in the profile in increments of approximately 3 cm (no more). When everything is ready, we wet the surface and apply a cement mortar into which we immerse the channel. We drill through the wall, focusing on the prepared holes. On the reverse side, thanks to the previous stage of work, we easily outline and knock out the same niche. We insert the second profile into it (with holes drilled, as in the first one) and tighten both channels with studs (bolts), at the ends of which we put washers and tighten the nuts. We fill the voids in the profiles with concrete or brick.

Another way to set the jumper:

In addition to the above method of installing a jumper, there is a second one. For him, we need two beams with an L-shaped profile. This design is called a precast concrete lintel. Such profiles do not need to be tightened with studs (bolts). After the grooves have been cleaned in the places where the jumper is supported, we put a thick layer on both sides cement mortar. Next, we proceed to the installation of reinforced concrete beams. When the solution dries, we can start cutting the opening.

Cutting an opening depending on the material

Many people are worried about how to make an opening in a brick wall. In fact, among all materials, with a brick, this process will be the easiest. Removing one row, all the rest will go without problems. The situation is quite different with concrete. It will take a long and difficult time to work with a puncher.

  • We knock out a concrete wall:

We make an opening in a concrete load-bearing wall, to facilitate our work, we will proceed as follows:

1. Divide the wall area into several small squares.

2. According to the applied contours, we cut the concrete with a grinder or drill it with a puncher (this will take more time).

3. Individual elements the walls are knocked out with a sledgehammer quite simply, while in others it will be necessary to disassemble the reinforcement.

For whom it is more convenient to see how to properly break through a load-bearing wall, the video is at the end of the article.

  • Finishing work:

After the opening is ready, it is necessary to further strengthen it. Between two channels we weld a continuous strip of steel, approximately 6 mm thick. Another option: we weld the plates in 2 cm increments. We install corners on both sides of the opening, or, in their absence, channels are also suitable, but they will require niches. We weld them to the upper crossbar of the opening. Also, we connect each pair of corners with steel plates and tighten them with studs (for them, on the corners or channels, it is necessary to drill holes in advance). If this reinforcement seems not enough to you, then to make the load-bearing wall more durable, install the lower horizontal jumper, weld it to the racks.

door from window

Often there are cases when the door is planned to be made in place of the window. This operation does not require much effort.

In order to make a door from the window of a load-bearing wall with our own hands, we need:

  • steel corners (necessarily at an angle of 90 degrees);
  • channels;
  • reinforced concrete beams;
  • powerful perforator;
  • ruler;
  • Bulgarian;
  • sledgehammer;
  • Sander.

First of all, remove the window. In its old place there may be remnants of plaster and paint, we remove them with a grinder. After we get rid of the lower partition, if it is made of brick, then we simply pierce it with a sledgehammer, if it is concrete, then we cut it out as with a normal opening. If metal fragments were present in the partition, we get rid of them with the help of a grinder. Plasterboard partition disassemble in parts (first of all, we eliminate the self-tapping screws).

We get rid of the debris and begin to install the jumper. The jumper is installed using the same technology as when creating a doorway from scratch.

Considering that we are making an opening in a load-bearing wall, it is advisable to fix the overlapping structures using long vertical posts along the entire height of the housing.

Arch in load-bearing wall

Sometimes, instead of a doorway, the owners put an arch. It looks much prettier. But there are many nuances in working with the arch. For example, only a professional can make it in a brick house, since a relationship with the location of the masonry seams is required. With a panel house, things are different. This option can be done independently.

First of all, we cut out a U-shaped opening, which we strengthen with profiles, we will fit the arch into it. The next step is to measure the doorway.

After measuring, we proceed to create the frame:

1. We make a frame, on which in the future we will mount a curved strip, for it we use a profile 27 by 28.

2. We select scissors for metal, it will be most convenient to work with those that have a spring mechanism (for this type, the handles themselves lean back after compression).

3. We cut the profile, 2 sides out of three, it is necessary that it acquire an arcuate shape (the steeper you plan the bend, the more often we make cuts).

4. We turn the profile clockwise to the side, thereby placing it inside the fixed right front part of the arch (the second one should be on the opposite side).

5. We make cuts on the upper and middle parts every 50 mm.

6. The frame is ready, but it should be strengthened. We install crossbars made of profile 60 by 27, fixing them with short self-tapping screws.

7. We install the frame in the opening.

Next, we need to make the front parts of the arch. To do this, you can choose any material, but in self-manufacturing the best option becomes drywall. The front parts are in the shape of a semicircle. To get the perfect shape, we will make a “compass” from improvised things. Take the thread and fix it in the center of the semicircle, measure the radius (the width of the opening divided by two) and fix the second end on the pencil. We draw, cut and attach to the frame. Our arch is ready, we can safely plaster or paint it.

Connecting a room to a balcony

A balcony is always made in a load-bearing wall, this is the main problem. Getting permission to connect it to a room is very difficult. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the balcony is a settling area in case of fire. It is easiest to take a person out of it. Therefore, before you decide to take such a step, think carefully.

If the decision has not changed, and you have received permission, then begin the following work. The first step is to glaze the balcony. Next, we dismantle the wall, but since it is a carrier, we must install a jumper that will take on the entire load. Also, during the work it will be necessary to raise the floor on the balcony. The last step will be the insulation of the balcony.

It is worth adding that this process is very laborious and for safety it is better to consult a professional.

Closing the old hole

Very often, after creating a new entrance, the need for the previous one disappears and it must be repaired. In the case of an internal partition, it is possible to lay a plasterboard sheet, then with an external one, in addition to the capital bookmark, there are no other options. For embedding, we use materials such as brick or foam block.

First, let's prepare the hole. We remove the plaster (and if present, then the paint) to the very base. We do this process along the entire wall, and not just in places of slopes. In the opening of the brick we make recesses that will be needed for binding with fresh masonry. We remove half the brick in every fourth row. We drill one-sided holes in the ends of the concrete wall and drive metal rods into them, 7-9 mm thick. A prerequisite is that the holes are in places between the rows of future masonry. We cover the threshold of the opening with waterproofing, it will serve as a roofing material.

Before laying each subsequent brick row, it is necessary to pull the thread in a horizontal position between two opposite walls of the opening. This will be required to avoid errors during masonry. To be completely sure, it also costs a building level. We knit the rods that look out between the rows with reinforcement (masonry mesh is suitable instead).

After we have laid the opening with bricks, we wait a day and begin to plaster. The areas that were freed from plaster and the masonry itself are primed. We attach a steel mesh to the primer (for greater strength) and plaster again. The amount of plaster solution to be applied depends on the unevenness of the walls.

The openings on the inside are much easier to seal. First, we install the crate (using a profile) on one side of the old passage. Having plastered the first side, you can proceed to the installation of the crate on the opposite side. Putting soundproofing required condition) and sheathed with panels. Finishing work will be final.

Making a new doorway in a load-bearing wall is hard enough, but when you look at your updated room, you'll realize it was worth the effort. This process is possible even with your own hands, without the help of professionals. The main thing is to follow all the recommendations for working with load-bearing structures, and you will not have problems. And always remember, safety comes first.

Quite often when you do overhaul apartments, there is a desire to move doorway. This is due not so much to the uniqueness of the apartment project, but to its inconvenience, since in some projects of our apartments there is no logic at all. Therefore, if you want to make an opening in the main wall, or make a door in it, then we would like to consider this issue in this article.

Many of the apartment owners are wondering: is it possible to make an opening in the load-bearing wall of a panel house. Theoretically, it is possible to make an opening in the load-bearing wall, but there are a lot of "BUT" here. First you need to agree on the redevelopment. Why? There is no need to assume that the permission and approval of the opening is a purely bureaucratic procedure. It is such because of officials, and it was created with good intentions, so that with your changes you do not violate the structure of the building and so that the building simply does not start to collapse, especially an apartment building.

There are two types of homemade opening in the wall: illegal and legal. Their differences are as follows: a legalized layout is a guarantee of quality and safety, you will be sure that you have not caused any damage to the supporting structures of the house and the opening itself will be made in accordance with all the rules. An illegal opening in the wall will help you avoid the procedure for legalizing the redevelopment at the initial stage, but if the fact of redevelopment in the future is established, then you will be obliged to lay the opening or require its legalization, and with the payment of a fine. Therefore, the site builders strongly advise you to do everything legally, in addition, permits will include a clear and detailed redevelopment plan, which will simplify the procedure for making an opening.

When everything is agreed - you hire a team of builders, or make an opening yourself, using special equipment. Before making an opening in concrete wall it must be cleaned of paint and wallpaper, after which it is necessary to mark the opening on the wall on one side. When the markup is applied, we transfer it to another wall, this can be done with the help of beacons, that is, on the side where the markup is located, you make through holes, based on them you will transfer the markup of the opening to the other side of the wall. This must be done, due to the fact that the opening will be cut from both sides and that the “contours” of the opening are even and symmetrical.

Attention! Never use impact tools such as a jackhammer to make a hole in a wall. Due to the high degree of impact, cracks and other damage may appear on the wall.

In order to make an opening, you will need a 12 mm drill, a grinder and a diamond-coated disc for it. The opening is made in parts, divide the space of the opening into parts, approximately 40 by 40 cm, and cut it out in such pieces. To do this, in increments of 3-4 cm, make through holes with a drill, and then cut this part with a grinder. When cutting, use construction vacuum cleaner, which will collect all the dust. When you pull out the cut out parts of the wall - make a flooring from wood materials so as not to damage the floor.

The next stage of work is the so-called strapping. It is necessary for strengthening. The binding is made using metal corners, plates and reinforced rods. More details about the installation of the strapping, the width and length of the corners, as well as other nuances, will be set out in the project documentation.

Panel or brick house allows you to improve the layout of a typical apartment, for example, to combine a kitchen with a room, or to make a doorway between rooms into a more convenient location(and lay the old, inconveniently located).

However, it must be taken into account that the new doorway in the load-bearing wall not only makes the apartment more comfortable, but also implies a certain responsibility. This means that the owner of the apartment must comply with the redevelopment, as well as those affecting this area.

Coordination of the opening in the load-bearing wall

In order for redevelopment with an opening in the load-bearing wall to be legal and safe, it should be done, and we recommend that you take care of this before starting work - this way you will avoid a lot of trouble with supervisory authorities, as well as unforeseen costs for eliminating unauthorized changes. Moreover, the consequences of illegal redevelopment can be very serious. Since we are talking about a load-bearing wall, unskilled intervention can damage both it and adjacent structures, and lead to a decrease in their design bearing capacity, and sometimes - to a partial collapse. We are not talking about cases when the load-bearing wall is completely dismantled: this is an extremely dangerous and irresponsible step!

Decree of the Government of Moscow No. 508, as amended 840, in part of paragraph 2.2.4 of Appendix 1, classifies the punching of openings in load-bearing walls to activities that require the development of design documentation and a technical opinion on the possibility of redevelopment.

Acceptance of openings in load-bearing walls by the commission

It is important to remember that work to strengthen the opening with metal structures is subject to delivery and is accompanied by registration, as well as registration. Without providing these documents to the Moscow Housing Inspectorate at the end of the repair, the acceptance committee will not sign, and it will not be removed from the control of the inspection until you provide the acts. Moreover, the owner may be required to remove finishing to check the metal reinforcement of the opening in the load-bearing wall for compliance with the approved project and current regulations.

Only certified contractors with SRO approval in construction have the right to draw up acts of hidden work.

Examples of redevelopment projects with an opening in the load-bearing wall

1. This redevelopment was carried out in the house of the series, built before 2007, so the State Unitary Enterprise MNIITEP "gave the go-ahead" to the installation of an opening in the load-bearing wall between the kitchen and the room. The width of the opening is standard 90 cm.

2. Redevelopment project with an opening in the load-bearing wall and reinforcement metal profiles, which were a U-shaped frame of channels. Such a powerful reinforcement was due to the significant thickness of the wall of the block house of the series.



For illegal redevelopment of residential premises, the owner of the apartment will be liable. To avoid unpleasant situations, it is necessary to coordinate the redevelopment of a residential property in the Moscow Housing Inspection.

Coordination of a doorway in the bearing wall of a panel and brick house in Moscow

In order to coordinate a doorway in a load-bearing wall in an apartment of a panel or brick house in 2020, it is necessary to develop a project to strengthen the opening and coordinate it with the authors of the house project, in Moscow most often they are:

  • JSC "MNIITEP",
  • JSC "Mosproekt",
  • JSC "TsNIIEP Housing".

The design engineer must conduct a condition survey load-bearing structures in the re-planned room, as well as in the apartments above and below, in order to correctly calculate the reinforcement of the opening. After the inspection, you will receive a technical conclusion of the structural inspection (TZK) and a scheme for strengthening the doorway.

Assistance in coordinating and legalizing a doorway in a load-bearing wall

In order to coordinate the redevelopment of an apartment with a doorway in a load-bearing wall at the Moscow Housing Inspection, it is necessary:

  • order a technical passport for an apartment at the Bureau of Technical Inventory;
  • examine capital structures;
  • develop a project for redevelopment and strengthening of the opening in the load-bearing wall;
  • prepare a technical report on the examination of structures and the possibility of arranging an opening in a load-bearing wall from the author of the project at home or at the Expert Center;
  • make copies of title documents and certify them with a notary;
  • write an application for approval of redevelopment addressed to the head of the Moscow Housing Inspection.

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