How to Frame Out a Pass-Through in the Wall

Look at the original design plans for the home to determine whether or not the wall in which you want to place a pass-through is a load-bearing wall. Placing a pass-through in a load-bearing wall can compromise the structure's integrity if not done properly. An option is to consult a building professional to determine whether or not the wall is a load-bearing wall.

Select a pass-through location in an area of the wall that is not likely to contain plumbing pipes. If, for instance, you want to open the wall between the kitchen and living room, then choose an area of the wall not near the kitchen sink, where pipes are likely.

Disconnect electrical power to the room or rooms where the wall is located so that you do not electrocute yourself. That task requires turning off a circuit breaker or circuit breakers in the circuit breaker box and/or a fuse or fuses in the fuse box.

Lay a drop cloth on the floor to catch debris. Hang plastic sheeting with drywall tape on the surrounding doorways to prevent dust from getting into other areas of the home.

Mark the wall with a pencil to designate the area where you want to put the pass-through. If it is a load-bearing wall, then mark the pass-through area along the wall studs, which you can find with a stud finder.

Put on safety goggles to keep dust out of your eyes. Use a claw hammer to knock a hole in the center of the pass-through-designated area on the wall. Remove the rest of the area where you want to put the pass-through. Use a pry bar or a gloved hand around the opening's edges so that you do not damage any of the drywall that will remain part of the wall. Lath or plaster will come off, or out, if you hit it with a sledge hammer.

Pull out nails sticking from the exposed wall studs by using the claw end of a claw hammer. If wall studs are where you want the pass-through, then saw through them a few inches upward from the floor, and then twist the cut studs to remove them. Hit the smaller attached stud base with the hammer, and then pry it up to remove it.

Lift or push exposed wires so that they are in the part of the wall that will remain intact.

Put two stacked wood boards, each about 1 inch thick, at the top of the pass-through opening, and attach them to the exposed wall studs with nails and the hammer. The length of wood boards you use will vary according to the pass-through size, but use two nails at each end of the boards and at 6- to 8-inch intervals. The boards create the top of the pass-through frame.

Create the bottom of the pass-through frame by nailing one wood board that is about 1 inch thick to the bottom of the pass-through opening. Use two nails at each end of the board and at 6- to 8-inch intervals.

Add one wood board that is about 1 inch thick on each side of the opening. Use two nails at each end of each board and at 6- to 8-inch intervals.