Breaking down an existing blocked up doorway

chick21

Just bought a house and have a wall I want to put a doorway through. After removing the wallpaper, it seems that from the hallway side, there has been an original doorway behind it that has been skimmed over and blockworked up. You can clearly see two types of plaster and a visible crack where the opening was.

The otherside has been tiled up and is currently a disabled bathroom, which I want to half in size and reinstate the hallway with a half-sized shower wetroom.

I'm currently chipping away at the plaster to reveal what's behind from the hallway side. It seems like it is concrete blockwork, I'm assuming that it should be easy enough to knock out providing they haven't removed the original lintel which would have been more work right?

phill99

Its unlilkely that the lintel would have been removed. Just hit the blockwork with a big sledge hammer and it will all come out.

Doozergirl

Might be sensible just to check the lintel is still there before you whack it all out.

You've got to be a girl because the boys really do just hit stuff with a sledgehammer immediately while I'd pick at the plaster and stand scratching my head wondering how to take it down neatly

vaio

sledge? nah, kango or hilti is what you want

silvasava

Vaio - you sound just like my DH - I swear the only reason he wants a woodburner is an excuse to get a chainsaw

Chick21 - Just chip thge plaster away where the door lintel should be to check - it probably is still there as Phill99 said

Good Luck!

vaio

what red blooded male doesn't want a chain saw?

LandyAndy

I reopened a sealed doorway in my last house but it was in a stud wall and was just timber and plasterboard covering the hole. However, careful;), removal meant I could put new architrave etc in and reinstate the door without plastering.

latecomer

Doozergirl wrote: »

Might be sensible just to check the lintel is still there before you whack it all out.

I'm a male and would always check that first. but then I'm also a coward

mkaibear

silvasava wrote: »

Vaio - you sound just like my DH - I swear the only reason he wants a woodburner is an excuse to get a chainsaw

...there's another reason to have a woodburner?

pimento

vaio wrote: »

what red blooded male doesn't want a chain saw?

They scare me..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1355873/Tree-surgeon-Adam-Baldock-killed-chainsaw-accident.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

...but I'm not male.