How much wall either side of large sliding doors?

GILL999

I'm after some advice please!

I'm planning to install some sliding doors onto the back wall of the living room in the new house i'm moving in to. I've never done any refurb of this kind before, so am bit clueless! The room isn't large (3.8m wide) so I'm keen to have as much of the wall space as glass as possible. The company I'm getting the doors from can make them to size but what I'd like to understand is what is the size of the wall that needs to be left either side and above of the glass? Is there a minimum or can the glass / aluminium frame go completely side to side?

I realise all this will come out in the survey I eventually have but I'm trying to work some things out now and keen to hear if anyone knows or has any recommendations!

Owain_Moneysaver

It might be able to go completely side to side, but the lintel across the opening has to transfer the weight of the walls/roof above to the sides of the opening. There has to be enough wall at the sides to safely transfer that load to the foundations.

If the foundations won't take a high point load, then you'll need more wall at the side. How much wall will also depend on the strength of the wall. Engineering brick is a lot stronger than lightweight block. You'll probably need a structural engineer to advise and produce calculations to size the lintel and prove that the walls and foundations are adequate.

The simplest, and thus the cheapest, will be to stay within the width of the existing window opening and just extend the opening downwards rather than sideways.

In a smaller room, remember that if you have a full width window it'll be more awkward to have furniture in front of it. You'll also have to think about cold down-draughts and where to put the radiators.

Doozergirl

It's not a probable, it's a definite that you need a structural engineer.

The window company surveyors will only come and measure your openings, they simply are not qualified to assess what level of opening is possible on your house.

You need a structural engineer, building control approval and a builder.

markin

I'll take a guess that you shuld be ok with 500mm leaving a 2.8m wide door. But see what the a structural engineer says.

GILL999

Thank you all for your replies - these things probably sound so obvious but I am completely clueless, so really appreciate the guidance!

How would one engage a structural engineer? I assume this is a different person to the builder who would actually create the hole?

The existing window is tiny (even for the size of the room) which is why I want to put doors in in the first place (the room looks out onto a lovely, huge south facing garden) so to have doors only in that existing window space wouldn't really be what I'm after.

It is a good point about furniture and I've been thinking about how to work that - it's only me so I don't need huge amounts. The room isn't miniscule (3.8m wide x 3.5 long) I just think the small window makes it look much smaller than it actually is, which is why I'm so keen to put lovely big doors onto the garden.

Owain_Moneysaver

GILL999 wrote: »

How would one engage a structural engineer? I assume this is a different person to the builder who would actually create the hole?

Completely different.

https://www.istructe.org/building-confidence

(This may not be a complete list, as I think it's a paid-for directory).

The structural engineer may be willing to draw the plans required for Planning and Building Regulations approvals, or you may need to engage an architectural technician for that.

Doozergirl

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Completely different.

https://www.istructe.org/building-confidence

(This may not be a complete list, as I think it's a paid-for directory).

The structural engineer may be willing to draw the plans required for Planning and Building Regulations approvals, or you may need to engage an architectural technician for that.

You don't need to engage anyone but the structural engineer.

No needs an architectural technician to draw a couple of rectangles!

stuart45

You can get larger doors into a wall using goal posts, but the SE will advise you on this, as obviously the cost increases.

GILL999

Wonderful, thanks so much everyone - this has really helped.

Owain_Moneysaver

Doozergirl wrote: »

You don't need to engage anyone but the structural engineer.

No needs an architectural technician to draw a couple of rectangles!

The plans required for Planning and Building Control are going to be a bit more complicated than a couple of rectangles!