How to make a doorway in an internal wall

Read our easy-to-follow guide on how to make a doorway in an internal wall:

Level of difficulty

Level 3: Advanced

What you need:

Battens
Nails
Saw
Hammer
Bolster chisel
Tape measure
Pencil
Steel lintel
Bearings
Beam
Studs
Mortar
Trowel
Crowbar
Noggings
Plasterboards
Planed timber planks
Metal frame cramps
Polyethylene bags
Door lining
Architraves
Skirting boards

1. Check to see if the wall where you would like your doorway is a non-load or load bearing wall.
2. Begin by planning and marking the opening on one side of the wall.

To cut an internal doorway in a load bearing wall:

1. Chisel and expose a small area to expose the brickwork.
2. The height of the opening should be high enough to fit a door and an additional 9mm (3/8in) for a lining board or a new lintel. The width of the opening should allow the width of the door plus an additional 6mm (1/4in) for the door-jamb lining. Allow an extra 12mm (1/2in) to fit the lining.
3. Use a crowbar to remove the skirting boards from both sides of the wall.
4. Chop away the bricks with a hammer and bolster chisel. Start from the top near the lintel.
5. At the sides of the door opening, cut half of the bricks that protrude into the doorway and continue chopping downwards.

Note:

• You can store the chopped bricks for later use.
• Spray water to rid dust from the work area.

To cut an internal doorway in a non-load bearing wall:

1. Remove the skirting boards with a crowbar.
2. Mark the opening of the wall with a piece of chalk and remove the plasterwork.
3. Chop off the laths with a chisel and use a saw to cut them off.
4. If you find studs at the opening, cut and remove the plasterboard or laths.
5. Cut two studs to the height of the door.
6. Skew-nail the bead to the studs. 
7. Remove the floor plate with a saw. Saw through to the width of the door opening.
8. Cut the studs to size and nail them between the head and the sill. The studs will be the new door jambs.
9. Fill the gaps between the wall surface and new studs with trimmed plasterboards.
10. Next, fit the door lining and plaster the wall.
11. When you're finished plastering, replace the architraves and skirting boards.
12. If the wall is built from plasterboards, use a saw to slice through the bonding
13. Fit a timber frame in the new door opening. The frame should be about 25mm (1in) thick.
14. Next fit a door lining. Attach the lining to the sides with galvanized fixings.
15. Fill in the gaps between the brickwork with mortar.