How to Build a Brick Doorway

Consult with a building inspector, engineer or architect to determine if the wall where you want to put the door is load-bearing. Even load-bearing walls may be modified, but may be best left to a professional. Proceed if your wall is not load-bearing.

Measure the width of the door you wish to install from edge to edge and add 1 inch. If you are using a pre-hung door, measure from frame edge to frame edge and add the extra inch. Write down the measurement.

Measure the height of the door, including the lintel, and add 10mm. Note this measurement as well. The lintel is the horizontal beam at the top of the doorway that supports the weight of the wall above it, and should be made of concrete or steel when used in a brick wall.

Mark where the door will go by placing tape directly on the brick wall, based upon the measurements you took.

Mark out the space for the lintel, adding approximately 15mm extra space on each side, with the tape.

Lay sheets or drop cloths on either side of the wall where the door will go.

Clear pets and children away from the area, and put on your safety glasses.

Drill a hole into the top center of the proposed doorway using a power drill with a mortar bit, 1/2 inch above the space where the lintel will go.

Thread a timber needle through the hole horizontally, so it is parallel to the floor. "Needle" is the term for a piece of support lumber threaded through a small hole.

Place support pieces of timber on either side of the wall to support the needle. The needle supports the brick wall above the door while you complete the framing.

Knock out the bricks in the area meant for the lintel, using a hammer and a bolster, a wide, flat-edge chisel. Take care while knocking bricks out, and attempt to catch them in a bucket or trash bin as they fall to avoid doing damage to the floor below.

Mix 1 part cement and 3 parts sand together in a large bucket.

Insert the lintel into the empty space.

Spread the mortar mixture around the lintel to hold it into place.

Wait one to two days for mortar to set, leaving the needle and supports in place.

Drill holes around the two long outer edges of the marked doorway with the drill.

Remove bricks within the taped area, starting from the top, using the hammer and bolster.

Insert the door and frame into the space, applying mortar between the brick and the frame with a trowel to hold it in place.

Remove the needle and supports and fill the gap with additional brick and mortar as needed.