Repeatedly in our life we \u200b\u200bcome across renovations 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 in the load-bearing wall? This task is not at all an easy one. By making a mistake, the structure 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.

Redevelopment approval

Before starting work, you must 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 properties of aging and losing their former strength and durability);
  • type and thickness of the wall;
  • placement of the opening (it should not coincide with the junction of floors and walls);
  • the size of the opening in relation to the area of \u200b\u200bthe wall;
  • the gap between the opening and the adjacent walls;
  • the gap between the highest edge of the opening and the overlap;
  • opening width;
  • the number of floors above the opening.

Only after receiving a positive response from the relevant authorities do we proceed to work directly.

Tool selection

The first step in any construction worksah is the preparation of equipment. Professional builders use a concrete cutter, a tool for working with load-bearing walls with their own hands - a jackhammer, and a puncher will also work. In addition, you will need:

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

Preparatory work

1. Make sure there are no electrical connections behind the wall or disconnect them.

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

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

4. Cut the channels to the required length.

Installing a jumper

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

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 in it. The length of the recess is: width of the opening plus one meter. The profile should fit tightly into the place prepared for it. We clean the remnants of the brick with a wire brush and rinse with water.

For tightening fasteners, we drill holes in the profile with a step of approximately 3 cm (no more). When everything is ready, we wet the surface and apply cement mortar, in which we immerse the channel. We drill through the wall, focusing on the prepared holes. On the other hand, 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 pins (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-described jumper installation method, there is a second one. For it we need two beams with an L-shaped profile. This design is called precast concrete lintel. Such profiles do not need to be tightened with studs (bolts). After the grooves in the places of the lintel support have been cleaned, we put a thick layer on both sides cement mortar... Next, we proceed with the installation of a reinforced concrete beam. When the solution is dry, we can start cutting the opening.

Cutting the opening depending on the material

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

  • We knock out the concrete wall:

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

1. Divide the wall area into several small squares.

2. Along the contours we cut, we cut the concrete with a grinder or drill with a perforator (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.

Who is more convenient to see how to properly break through the load-bearing wall video is at the end of the article.

  • Finishing works:

After the opening is ready, it is necessary to further strengthen it. We weld a solid strip of steel, approximately 6 mm thick, between the two channels. Another option: we weld the plates in increments of 2 cm. On both sides of the opening we install corners or, if they are absent, channels are also suitable, but niches are required for them. 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 corners or channels, it is necessary to drill holes in advance). If this reinforcement seems to you not enough, then make the load-bearing wall more durable, install the lower horizontal lintel, weld it to the posts.

Door from the window

There are often 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 bearing wall with our own hands, we need:

  • steel corners (required at an angle of 90 degrees);
  • channels;
  • reinforced concrete beams;
  • powerful puncher;
  • ruler;
  • bulgarian;
  • sledgehammer;
  • sander.

The first step is to 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 punch it with a sledgehammer, if it is concrete, then we cut it out as with a regular opening. If there were metal fragments in the partition, we get rid of them with a grinder. Plasterboard partition disassemble in parts (in the first cases we eliminate the screws).

We get rid of the debris and start installing the jumper. The lintel is installed using the same technology as when creating a doorway from scratch.

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

Arch in the 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 an arch. For example, only a professional can make it in a brick house, since a relationship with the location of the masonry joints is required. With a panel house, other things are. This option can be done independently.

First of all, we cut out a U-shaped opening, which we reinforce with profiles, we will inscribe an 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 attach the 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 (in this type, the handles themselves fold back after compression).

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

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

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

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

7. 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-production the best option will become drywall. The front parts are in the shape of a semicircle. To get the perfect shape, we will make a "compass" out of handy 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 other end on a pencil. Draw, cut out and attach to the frame. Our arch is ready, we can safely plaster or paint it.

Connecting a room with a balcony

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

If the decision has not changed, and you have received permission, then start 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 is to insulate the balcony.

It should be added that this process is very laborious and for safety it is better to consult a professional.

Closing the old doorway

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 from the external, 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 a 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 only in places of slopes. In the brick opening, we make recesses that will be needed for bonding with fresh masonry. Remove half of the brick in every fourth row. We drill one-sided holes at 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 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 is required to avoid masonry errors. To be completely sure it is also worth the building level. We knit the rods looking out between the rows with reinforcement (in exchange, a masonry mesh is suitable).

After the opening was laid with bricks, we wait a day and begin to plaster. Areas that were freed from plaster and the masonry itself is primed. We attach a steel mesh to the primer (for greater strength) and plaster again. How much plaster solution needs to be applied depends on the unevenness of the walls.

The openings in the inner part are much easier to seal. First, we install the crate (use a profile) on one side of the old passage. Having plastered the first side, you can proceed to the installation of the lathing on the opposite. We lay a sound insulator ( required condition) and sheathed with panels. Finishing work will be completed.

Making a new doorway in a load-bearing wall is tricky, but looking at your renovated room will tell you that it was well 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 supporting structures, and you will not have any problems. And always remember, in this matter, safety comes first.

Quite often when you do overhaul apartments, there is a desire to transfer doorway... This is connected not so much with the uniqueness of the apartment project, as with 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 whether it is possible to make an opening in the load-bearing wall of a panel house. Theoretically, an opening in the load-bearing wall can be made, but there are a lot of "BUTs" here. First, you need to agree on the redevelopment. Why? It is unnecessary to assume that the permission and approval of the opening is a purely bureaucratic procedure. It is such because of the officials, and it was created with good intentions so that your changes do not violate the structure of the building and so that the building simply does not start to collapse, especially an apartment building.

A self-made opening in the wall is of two types: illegal and legalized. Their differences are as follows: a legalized layout is a guarantee of quality and safety, you will be sure that you did not harm the supporting structures of the house and the opening itself will be made according to all the rules. An unlawful opening in the wall will help you avoid the procedure of 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, the permits will include a clear and detailed redevelopment plan, which will simplify the procedure for making the opening.

When everything is agreed, you hire a team of builders, or make the opening yourself, using special equipment. Before making an opening in a concrete wall, it must be cleaned of paint and wallpaper, after which you need to mark the opening on the wall on one side. When the marking is applied, we transfer it to another wall, this can be done using beacons, that is, on the side where the marking is located, you make through holes, based on them you will transfer the marking 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 so that the "contours" of the opening are even and symmetrical.

Attention! In order to make an opening in the wall, never use percussion tools such as a jackhammer. Due to the high degree of impacts, 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 opening space into parts, approximately 40 by 40 cm and cut it out with such pieces. To do this, with a step of 3-4 cm, make through holes with a drill, and then cut out this part with a grinder. When cutting, use construction vacuum cleanerthat will collect all the dust. When you pull out the cut-out parts of the wall, make the 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. Strapping is done 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 described in the project documentation.

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

However, it must be borne in mind 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 part related to redevelopment, as well as affecting this area.

Coordination of the opening in the load-bearing wall

In order for the redevelopment with an opening in the load-bearing wall to be legal and safe, it should be, and we recommend that you take care of this before starting work - this way you will avoid many troubles with the 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 the adjacent structures, and lead to a decrease in their design bearing capacity, and sometimes to 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 by 840 in part of clause 2.2.4 of Appendix 1 refers to the punching of openings in load-bearing walls to activities that require the development of project documentation and a technical conclusion on the possibility of redevelopment.

Acceptance of openings in load-bearing walls by a commission

It is important to remember that work on strengthening the opening with metal structures is subject to delivery and is accompanied by registration, as well as design. 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 inspection control until you provide the acts. Moreover, the owner may be required to withdraw 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 a SRO permit in construction have the right to draw up acts of hidden work.

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

1. This redevelopment was carried out in the house of the series, built before 2007, therefore GUP MNIITEP "gave the go-ahead" to the device of an opening in the load-bearing wall between the kitchen and the room. The opening width 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 made of channels. Such a powerful reinforcement was due to the significant wall thickness of the block house of the series.



The owner of the apartment will be held liable for illegal redevelopment of residential premises. To avoid unpleasant situations, it is necessary to agree on the redevelopment of a residential property in the Moscow Housing Inspection.

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

In order to agree on 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 survey, you will receive a technical conclusion of the structural survey (TZK) and a diagram of strengthening the doorway.

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

In order to agree on the redevelopment of an apartment with the device of a doorway in the supporting wall in the Moscow Housing Inspection, you must:

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

Close