How to Build a Pass-Through in a Load-Bearing Wall

Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs on the load-bearing wall. Mark the locations with chalk or a pencil.

Measure and mark on the wall where you want to create the pass-through. With a load-bearing wall, you have to open up the wall along the studs. This means your dimensions for the pass through needs to be no greater than the distance between the wall's studs, which are generally 16 inches but could possibly be 24 or fewer than 16.

Cover your floor on both sides of the wall with plastic. Also put plastic up in the connecting doorways to help contain the construction dust. You can tape or nail the plastic in the doorways.

Disable power to the wiring behind the wall and the adjacent area before starting. Put on a mask and safety glasses, then knock through the wall in the area you marked with either a sledgehammer or a smaller hammer. There may be wires or pipes behind the wall, which means you need to proceed carefully. If you find pipes, you should consult a plumber to reroute them. For wires, you can simply move them with your hand to an area of the wall that will remain up.

Remove the pieces of drywall around the edges with your hand or with the claw side of the hammer. It is important to do so carefully as to not damage the part of the wall that will remain standing.

Saw approximately 3 inches from the floor through the studs that are in the opening your created. Once you do this, twist on each stud and pull to remove it from the opening. For the bottom remaining piece of the stud, hit the side of it with your hammer to dislodge it and pull it out of the frame. Do this for each stud in the pass-through opening.

Cut wood boards to fit the size of the pass-through. You need two boards for the top opening to create the header, a single board for the bottom and one board for each side of the opening. The wood should be 2-inch-thick boards.

Stack the two boards you cut for the top, then nail them to the top opening. Use two nails at each end and then in even 2-inch to 3-inch increments across the length of the board. This secure the top portion of the pass-through frame.

Secure the bottom board in the same manner, followed by the two sides. When you are done, the frame for the pass through is created and you are free to apply trim and paint or stain it as you wish so that it works with the rest of your home decor.