Timothy Reynold’s Blog

If you need to change the layout of your home then making a structural alteration to open up a wall is great way to go. The wall you want to open up though will need to be assessed to check if it supporting any other loads.This may be a brick load or even the floor timbers so it will be necessary to do a few checks first. A typical design of a dwelling could have twin reception rooms, (rear and front), with the rear room joists usually running from the spine wall (the wall you may be opening) to the external walls. The front room joists in turn, may run from the same spine wall to the front external wall of the abode. 

If your assessment shows that the wall you intend dismantling or opening up is in fact load bearing, then you will need to offer the structure support. Normally this would be done with the use of steel upright supports and timbers ‘needles’ or steel supports called strong boys to take the load whilst alterations are underway.

I should also point out to you that you shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that load bearing walls are only walls with brickwork above. Timber partition walls built on top of the wall you are dismantling still add loads so you must still support them in the same way. 

So OK, you’ve made the opening and the structure has been temporarily supported. This is great at the moment but nobody wants to leave ugly looking steel props in the middle of the room forever so it will be necessary to provide a more permanent support method. This structure will need to be supported by using a lintel which may be of either concrete or steel  construction depending on the engineers specifications for the job. A structural engineer will be able to help you choose the right support for the job. Never guess and think you know if you are not entirely sure! Structural engineers are paid to calculate loads and will save you a hell of a lot of money if you get it wrong and calculate incorrectly.      
   
Your local building inspector will want to be informed of any alterations you propose to carry out to ensure all work conforms to current building regulations. You should also be issued with a ‘completion certificate’ when the work has been satisfactorily completed.

Mark out on the wall the openings you will be making. Also mark out the position of where the supporting RSJ or lintel will go. The lintel must rest on a concrete pad stone and have a minimum 150mm bearing on either side so measure exactly and mark out on both sides of the wall. I personally prefer to use 200mm minimum bearings. Use a stone cutter to cut a line where the boundary of the opening is or a hammer and bolster.

When you have made the opening make sure the site is clean and free from any debris and get ready to fit the steel RSJ or concrete or steel lintel. It is wise to set up trestles and platform beforehand to ensure easy manipulation of getting the RSJ in place as they can be very heavy according to size etc. This will be either a 2 or 3 man job depending on the size of RSJ you are inserting into the wall. It is also wise to put any noggins or fixings in the RSJ, prior to bedding it. The timber noggins you put in will be used to fix your plasterboard, etc to. The RSJ will sit on concrete pad stones to ensure the load is distributed correctly. Pack up the lintel with slate afterwards to ensure it is tight to the brickwork above.

The job is now almost complete with the complicated bits out of the way but we are not done yet! The day afterwards when the sand and cement has hardened, you will be able to take out the temporary steel supports. Fill the voids in the walls with left over bricks and re-point and slate up as required. Once the BCO has inspected the work you can make good and re-plaster.