Cutting a doorway

[Scott M]

One of my endless future proects is to move an internal doorway from one wall into another and to avoid making a mahoosive mess I really want to avoid breaking out the 9" angle grinder. It's 1909 vintage and the wall is red brick. I've drilled a couple of exploratory holes and a multi-purpose bit in my non-hammer battery drill goes in fairly easily. They're not crumbly soft but they're not engineering brick.

My idea is to use one of those very coarse toothed demolition hand saws, such as:

Ideally I'd just then follow the mortar line down each side and be cutting half bricks every other course.

Any insights on whether this is likely to be a good plan?

[Andy Burns]

Never tried one, but it doesn't actually say "brick" in the description, just "lightweight blocks"

Sticking with hand-power (though not a brand that's top of my list) this does mention "common brick" ...

[290jkl]

That won't cut bricks.

[Andrew Gabriel]

If it's 1909 (I originally read it as you have a 1909 angle grinder;-), it will have lime mortar. This will come out easily with a masonary bit, stich-drilled through, and then diagonally to join the stiches together, and finally you will be able to move the drill bit sideways to cut right through the mortar. Run down the sides leaving a stepped cut down through the stretcher bond mortar (or maybe flemish bond if a 9" brick wall). Fill the steps with half bricks mortared in (or full bricks for flemish bond) after you've removed the wall from inside the doorway. Be careful the wall in the doorway doesn't fall on you whilst dismantling as it will be less stable with the weight removed from the top (by the lintel) and bonds broken with the side walls.

[Capitol]

Use a masonry blade in a reciprocating saw. Works well with very little dust.

[stuart noble]

Interesting. Never seen those used on masonry. The grinder certainly makes a mess, but at least it's over quickly

[Brian Gaff]

I don't see how you won't make a heck of a mess however you do it. I have worked in places where this was done and the dust was still settling several months later! Brian

[charles]

I used a proper "Brick saw" when I did just this job in our previous house

- actually it was moving the front door., but the principle is the same. The saw had tungsten carbide teeth and was made by Masonmaster, but the with advent of power tools it was taken off the market, I think. Date 1971.

[The Natural Philosopher]

you can get a powered hacksaw or coping saw IIRC

[Tim Lamb]

You can hire double bladed reciprocating *Alligator* saws which have tungsten carbide tipped teeth. Should be fine in red brick but not dust free by any means.

There will be a re-sharpening charge.

I have a large TC tipped hand saw intended for soft blocks but prolly OK for soft red brick.

>

[harryagain]

They are intended for insulation blocks. (Which an ordinary will do anyway.) The and tools you want is sledge hammer and hammer and chisel. The disadvantage being you may loosen brick/joints you don't intend to. And some skill is needed. And more repair work afterwards.

[Nightjar]

The easiest way is to try it. I have one of those and it works fine on some red brick, but not on others. Personally, I would build a polythene tent around the site of the new hole (on both sides) and cut it with a diamond blade in an angle grinder. It would be a lot less hard work than the hand saw and slightly less messy than using a grinding wheel.

If you work carefully, you can reuse most of the bricks you take out to fill the doorway you don't want.

[JimK]

/ Use a masonry blade in a reciprocating saw. Works well with very little dust/q

Aye. E.g.

Jim K

[newshound]

+1

[Scott M]

I moved a doorway across a bit in one of the lath and plaster walls. That was surprisingly messy considering I was trying to be careful. And hence wanting to avoid the grinder!

[Scott M]

Reciprocating saw is an interesting idea. Although at those prices for rental I think I'd buy one!

Interesting about the 1971 brick saw. Before the advent of angle grinders for everything I suppose such things would have been common. Like manual bit and braces for drilling holes.

[Scott M]

Thanks Andy, Phil and Andrew. All good points. And, yes, the angle grinder's not that old ;-)

I saw one of Andy's eBay ones in a Toolstation bin a while ago (and probably where the idea came from) and the teeth are huuuuge. They almost seem too course to cut anything.

The more I think about it, the more the idea of working my way through the mortar lines and unstitching the brickwork, halving the bricks and sticking them back in seems like a better bet. The mortar's not great (sod's law had my first test hole hit the mortar line squarly!!) and I now think a hand saw would go pulling out bricks rather than cutting them.

Don't mind breaking out the grinder for lintel cutting - I can do that outside. Although, with the chill in the air..... ;-)

Good point on the stability, I've taken down a couple so this one could be third time unlucky!

[Scott M]

Good knowledge, thanks Colin. I might try opening up a slot and see whether a wood saw bites into one. Not a great indicator, but I reckon if it grooves it, it'd make trying a demolition one seem worthwhile.

I had to cut a ledge in a concrete floor once to board over some heating pipes that weren't buried deep enough allowing the screed to break up. I taped up doorways, covered the archway and.... was found much dust at the far end of the various rooms! I've only ever used diamond discs so couldn't imagine the dust with a grinding wheel. Hence the saw idea!

Thankfully (?) the old doorway is becoming a recess so a nice bit of studwork instead ;-) Belongs to a friend and has a fairly commong problem of single story living - too much hallway. A bit of rejigging and it's amazing how much usable space can be reclaimed.

[charles]

I've still got those, too.

[Scott M]

I was brought up with various ones kicking around the garages of parents and grandparents but never used one in anger. I think I tried once but never got anywhere, although I suspect I didn't appreciate the need for good axial force.