How to make a doorway larger in an old house?
We bought a house from the 50's and are currently renovating it.
We have now removed the old door frames and want to install new ones. However, when we knocked out one of the frames, large holes appeared (see photo 1). The frame was nailed to wood joists. How can we fill in the big holes?
The other frames just came out because there was a wooden frame around them. However, we would like to change the height as it is currently only 1.90m. Can that wooden frame stay and we just need to make the opening higher? (See photo 2)
Answers
I would put in a small stone or two and then plaster it.
Removing the lintel and knocking out the stones and then re-plastering the lintel is, I think, very time consuming. If you do that, you have to reinforce it, then fill the holes where the lintel rests with stones, and then lay the lintel on top.
The holes can be covered with mortar, and you need to move the lintel for a higher opening.
But you have to know what you're doing, otherwise the ceiling will collapse in the worst case scenario.
Think twice.
