Internal door frame - urgent advice

[gbbird]

Hi All,

Just removing an internal door frame and have noticed that the frame goes up higher than the top of the door frame into the wall above, as shown in piccy here (on the top right side) -



As such, the door frame will not come out, and rather worryingly it seems to be supporting the small wall section above, as it moves when pressure is applied to the doorframe and cracks have appeared in the plaster. Is this a job for a builder/carpenter? Will my house fall down?

g

Edited by gbbird on Friday 19th February 15:38

[B17NNS]

No, your house will not fall down.

If you're handy get a hammer and chisel (in fact it looks like a good poke with a screwdriver might do it).

Continue to remove the plaster covering the 'frame' and expose it all. That way you can get a proper look at what you are dealing with.

The door didn't have a glazed panel above it at some point did it?
]

Edited by B17NNS on Friday 19th February 15:44

[Busamav]

set the video up first and dont forget to press play .

As already advised , you need to get that plaster off and see what is going on there .

Hopefully that is a stud infill above the door .

[gbbird]

It may well have had a window mate. It's an old 1930s/1940s ex council house.

If i eventually get the frame off, will the wall above it come down too?

[schmokin1]

don't be so sure, that looks similar to what i have in my 1920s house - the thin internal walls were poured concrete like stuff but much softer, and the frames are integral.

go carefully!

[B17NNS]

gbbird said:

If i eventually get the frame off, will the wall above it come down too?

It depends what its made of.

Is it solid (brick or block) or studwork covered in lathes or plasterboard.

The angled ceiling at the left of the picture, is that the roofline? Is this part of the building single storey?

Get the plaster off the section above the door and post a pic. Can advise better from that.

[BliarOut]

B17NNS said:

gbbird said:

If i eventually get the frame off, will the wall above it come down too?

It depends what its made of.

Is it solid (brick or block) or studwork covered in lathes or plasterboard.

The angled ceiling at the left of the picture, is that the roofline? Is this part of the building single storey?

Get the plaster off the section above the door and post a pic. Can advise better from that.

I'd say that was supporting the staircase.

[esselte]

Busamav said:

set the video up first and dont forget to press play .

Record surely...?

[gbbird]

Just tapped some plaster off. The wooden frame stops pretty much where you can see in the photo. The area above the door is a breezeblock type thing, and appears to be resting on the frame.

The slope is indeed the stairs, but i do not think this small wall above the door is supporting it in any way.

[B17NNS]

gbbird said:

The slope is indeed the stairs, but i do not think this small wall above the door is supporting it in any way.

Get the plaster off and expose the framework. It's loose and blown and needs to come off whatever happens. That way you can see what it the frame attaches to (if anything) and potentially supports or braces.

Does the small wall continue upstairs? If its just a small section of blockwork being supported by the frame (not unusual in older properties) you should be able to safely remove it and rebuild in timber and board or just make good if you no longer want a door.

Before removing anything at all make sure you are 100% aware of what is above it. Observe that rule and you won't go far wrong.

[gbbird]

here is a pic of where i have chipped away the plaster in teh area above the frame. As you can see, it looks like a breezeblock is positioned there (the white wood above is the bottom of the upstairs staircase post.




g

Edited by gbbird on Friday 19th February 16:00

[BliarOut]

Could it have been open plan there originally?

[B17NNS]

BliarOut said:

Could it have been open plan there originally?

That block looks a bit too modern for the age of the property.

Do you know if any of the other internal walls are blockwork?

Also the fact that the newel post for the stairs above has been painted suggests the wall/doorway to not be original.

May well be a case of a previous owner decided to put in a doorway and block the hole up above it but without exposing the whole area it is impossible to say.

Get your hammer and chissel out and make a mess.

[gbbird]

B17NNS said:

BliarOut said:

Could it have been open plan there originally?

That block looks a bit too modern for the age of the property.

Do you know if any of the other internal walls are blockwork?

Also the fact that the newel post for the stairs above has been painted suggests the wall/doorway to not be original.

May well be a case of a previous owner decided to put in a doorway and block the hole up above it but without exposing the whole area it is impossible to say.

Get your hammer and chissel out and make a mess.

Indeed. Just spoke to my Dad and he reckons the same.

Cheers for the speedy advice chaps - you have put my mind at ease

g

[B17NNS]

gbbird in an hour or two

[pmanson]

B17NNS said:

gbbird in an hour or two

I think you could be right! Just tried calling him and there was no answer

[gbbird]

Fear not fellas - i am still alive. Tidied up a bit and gonna call it a day as i am cream crackered.

Just need to prepare for the OH getting home so i can explain the new potential 'open plan' or 'archway entrance' to the kitchen

[DrDeAtH]

The construction looks fairly standard. 2 options:

1 cut the door frame at the sides above the frame header - if the blockwork is stable, fit new frame
2 knock the whole lot out, then build in a small studwork section above the new door frame and plasterboard both sides.

[Spudler]

Looks original construction to me. If not breeze block then it will be lightweight concrete block(1940s ish). Obviously go careful, but unlikely to be structural.

[gbbird]

Thanks all. The block seems very rigid to me, so we may just go for putting a new frame underneath it then replastering everything.

g