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How to Cut a Doorway in Load-Bearing Concrete

If a concrete wall runs perpendicular to the ceiling joists, there's a good chance it's a load-bearing wall. When you cut a doorway in a load-bearing wall you will need to use temporary support beams during the project. The opening itself will need extra support, so a header will be installed. If you are unsure whether a wall is load bearing, call a local contractor to come take a look before you begin this project.

Things You'll Need

  • 2-by-4-inch boards
  • 2-by-10-inch boards
  • 1-1/4-inch nails
  • Hammer
  • Chalk
  • Level
  • 1/2-inch masonry bit
  • Hammer drill
  • Concrete saw
  • 14-inch diamond blade
  • 5-pound sledgehammer
  • 1/2-inch chisel
  • Tape measure
  • 2-by-12-inch board
  • Circular saw
  • 1/2-inch plywood
  • Phillips driving bit
  • Deck screws
  • Concrete screws
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Instructions

    • 1

      Build a temporary support wall out of 2-by-4-inch boards and 1-1/4-inch nails. Use a header and a footer (the horizontal boards running above and below the wall studs) and position vertical boards every 16 inches between them. Nail the vertical boards to the horizontal boards and lift the wall into position, about 1 foot in front of the load-bearing concrete wall.

    • 2

      Mark the door's rough opening's outline on the concrete wall with chalk, using a level as a straight edge. Add 12 inches to the rough opening's height to allow room for the header, which supports the concrete wall once you remove the temporary support wall.

    • 3

      Drill a 1/2-inch pilot hole through the upper horizontal chalk line's center with a hammer drill. Move to the wall's other side and use the pilot hole as a guide to draw the rough opening's outline.

    • 4

      Cut along both outlines with a concrete saw and 14-inch diamond blade. Make the first cut about 1/2 inch deep. Then go back around the outline a second time, cutting it about 3 inches deep. Knock the concrete out of the rough opening with a 5-pound sledgehammer. Clean up any rough areas on the edges with a 1/2-inch chisel and a hammer.

    • 5

      Measure the opening's width and transfer this measurement to a 2-by-12-inch board, twice. Cut the board with a circular saw. You will be left with two boards the same length as the opening's width.

    • 6

      Cut a piece of 1/2-inch plywood to the same length as the 2-by-12 boards. Rip the plywood to 12 inches wide. Hold the plywood between the 2-by-12 boards. Drive deck screws through the boards to hold them together. Space the screws about 3 inches apart.

    • 7

      Cut two 2-by-10-inch boards to the rough opening's height, minus 12 inches. Have an assistant hold the header in place while you wedge the 2-by-10 boards underneath it and against the rough opening's sides. If necessary, hold a scrap piece of wood against the boards and hit it with a hammer to wedge the boards in tight.

    • 8

      Drill pilot holes through the 2-by-10-inch boards and into the concrete wall. Space the holes about 10 to 12 inches apart and use a masonry bit slightly smaller than the concrete screws you will use to secure the boards to the wall. Drive a concrete screw through each pilot hole. Take down the temporary support wall.

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Next:

Doors
  1. How to Create a Doorway
  2. How to Cut Into a Bearing Wall to Install a Doorway
  3. How to Make a Single-Door Gate on a Concrete Wall
  4. How to Expand an Interior Doorway
  5. How to Expand a Doorway
  6. How to Add a Doorway to Concrete Block Wall
  7. DIY How to Build a Doorway
  8. How to Cut Concrete to Place a Door
  9. How to Open a Doorway in a Brick Wall
  10. How to Cut Concrete
  11. How to Cut a Concrete Wall Vertically
  12. How to Frame an Inside Wall Against a Concrete Wall

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