Cutting a Doorway into a Stud Wall Kingston
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New Malden
Cutting a Doorway into a Stud Wall
If you need to create a new opening in a stud or partition wall, there are several things you need to take into account. We are assuming that the wall you wish the opening to be in is not load-bearing at all.
The first thing you need to do is locate the positions of the studs. The easiest way to do this nowadays is to buy or borrow an electronic stud finder. Once you have located two studs in the rough area you want your doorway, mark out the width and height of the opening so it is central to the two studs (it doesn't matter if the opening you require is smaller or larger than the gap between the studs). Prise off the skirting board.
Cut the plasterboard or lath and plaster out of your opening using either a sharp bolster chisel for laths or a sharp trimming knife for plasterboard. If the opening is smaller than the gap between the two studs, cut the plasterboard back to the centre of the stud on both sides. You now need to cut two new studs that will become the sides of the opening, as well as a head member to create the top.
Skew-nail the head member into place at the correct height and then nail the two new studs to this and the sole plate, also using skew nailing. You can now saw through the sole plate and remove the unwanted section between your two new studs. Cut some new noggins to go between the new and old studs and nail them into place.
Measure and cut strips of plasterboard to fit from the middle of the old stud to the inside edge of your new opening and fit them into place. Based on the thickness of the wall, choose and cut your lining material to line the inside of the new opening. Now cut and fit your architrave (with mitred corners). Replace the skirting on either side of the new opening and complete the finishing off (sealing the joints in the plasterboard, etc).