Creating a door opening in non-load bearing wall

[jjavanda]

I am thinking about putting a door from master bedroom into bathroom and creating an en-suite (2nd floor). I have read through this forum and am quite confident that I am prepared for this task (99%). Just a couple of questions however remain on which I need some help:

1 - How many RSJ do I require - will 2 suffice 2 - to fill any gap above the lintel what is the recommended choice - do I wedge it with bricks cut down to size 3 - is it best to have a tight fit with the frame or cut the opening slightly larger and fill the gaps in later 4 - finally does anyone have any experience with the wall saw available from HSS as this is what I'm intending to use but would like some feedback.

Thankyou for any feedback

Jay

[Set Square]

What is the wall made of? How thick is it? How do you know that it's non-loadbearing?

[jjavanda]

##

The wall is made of brick and is 1 brick wide. My assumption of it bring non-load bearing is based on me venturing into the loft and ensuring that there is nothing above.

Is my assumption correct or am I about to demolish my property??

Thanks

[PoP]

So what are the roof trusses bearing down on?

PoP

[Set Square]

It's a very dangerous assumption! It's probably supporting ceiling joists at the very least. It could well be supporting part of the roof, depending on how the roof supports are constructed.

What sort of timber structure supports your roof? It is likely to be either purlin and rafter (where purlins are heavy wooden beams running under the roof all the way along, about half way up each side) or trussed - i.e. with lots of triangulated cross-braced timber trusses. Have a close look, and see what is supporting the purlins or trusses.

[jjavanda]

They run parallel to the wall that I intend to create the door opening in - so do not seem to be supported by wall. Although I hadn't really thought about that one.

Is it safe to go ahead?

Cheers

[PoP]

I don't think you will get a conclusive answer to this question on a newsgroup. You really need the advice of a learned professional who knows about these things.

On the face of what you have said it sounds okay, but I wouldn't want to be held to account for expressing that view!

If you are taking a doorway's worth of brickwork out of the wall then I would expect you would normally put in some acro's and pins thru the wall to hold the region above the doorway up until you've got the lintel in place. I wouldn't expect the bricks above to hold themselves up without help. In which case you might be rebuilding that whole central section of the wall where you want the door to be.

If you do use Acro props are you comfortable with them being placed on the rafters of the first floor ceiling?

PoP

[PoP]

One other thing I forgot to mention.

That wall may not have vertical stresses placed upon it from above, but it may have horizontal stresses (possibly compression?) from end to end. Are you very sure that it isn't holding the front (or back) of the house in place before you start a demolition job?

Removing that doorways worth of bricks might do some collateral damage to the structure of the house in a way which you might not expect.

PoP

[jjavanda]

Thanks a lot for your help, taking your advice I got a builder in to take a look for me and he confirmed it is a non-load bearing wall. A good few pints later he talked me through the actions necessary.

Better stock up my beer fridge for next issue - getting damp proof injected round the house. It seems as the old slate course has been bridged and the kitchen doesn't have any evidence of a dpc at all. Can this be a DIY job or can anyone recommend a professional firm around the Heathrow area??

Cheers

[Niel A. Farrow]

So how did he say to do it? For doorways the Collins DIY says (I think) to take out the bricks, insert lintel, then take out bricks below.

I was quoted 1000-3500. To DIY is about 100 incl fluid.

I would try and use your old slate DPC (it's what I'm doing). Next door has injected into the mortar since they have hard engineering bricks which don't absorb the fluid.

My slate DPC was bridged. I have removed some patio slabs, concrete paths (6" from side of house is sufficient), dug out some soil and filled with pea shingle to improve drainage.

The impression I have from talking and reading is that an injected DPC is no way as good as an original slate DPC, and rather than have a DPC at all it is better to ensure that the ground level is correct, you ventilate and use correct wall coverings.

Was it a rep from a DPC company who told you the slate DPC was bridged.

The DPC in my kitchen is at a different level to the rest of the house. Mine was difficult to find due to repointing.

Good luck,

Neil