Strengthening a single skin brick wall

[jordec66]

Hi All,
We are proposing to open up the garage wall into the garden, putting french doors and side lights, but the wall is single skin. There will be 4 bricks width left in the return and we are worried that as this is single skin, it may be weaker, due to the door cut out in the wall. We have a substantial steel in place, which will be fixed to the roof joists, which have also been reconfigured and correctly spaced etc. Anyway, my question is, does anyone have any suggestions as to how we can, or whether we need to, strengthen the wall? We thought of a 2 brick wide external pier, (we don't want to reduce the internal space) tying these into the original wall? All ideas very welcome! Quick plan of garage below (coutesy of the wife!).

 

[chrs_666]

Single skin should be fine with a steel or catnic lintel above once the french doors are fixed and foamed in this should give you a reasonable amount of stregnth i genrally fix sides of frame also fix up and down this will require drilling through the lintel to obtain a fix.

hope this helps

 

[jordec66]

Thanks for that. We're intending to fix through the lintel and into the joist, (for the added strength and fix). It's good to have some reassurance in slightly unknown territory. Thanks again, Dec