ᐅ Installing a door frame / large openings

Hello everyone,

We have purchased a house from the 1950s and are currently renovating/restoring it.

We have now removed the old door frames and would like to install new ones. However, when removing one frame, large holes were created (see picture 1). The frame had been nailed into wooden blocks. How can we fill these large holes?

The other frames came out easily because there was a wooden frame around them. However, we would like to change the height, as it is currently only about 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) tall. Can this wooden frame remain, and do we only need to make the opening taller? (see picture 2)

Thank you in advance.

Best regards,
Daniel

The holes can be filled with mortar, and for the higher passage, the lintel needs to be repositioned. However, you should know what you are doing; otherwise, in the worst case, the ceiling could collapse.

Only mortar? I would definitely embed one or two small stones in it, then plaster over. Removing the lintel and knocking out the bricks, then rebuilding the lintel, seems very labor-intensive to me. If you decide to do that, you need to support the structure first, then refill the gaps where the lintel rests with bricks before placing the lintel back... phew.

Thanks for the information, raising the door opening is unfortunately unavoidable! The opening is really only a maximum of 1.90 meters (6 ft 3 in) high, and at my height of 2 meters (6 ft 7 in), I keep bumping my head every time I forget to duck.

You will get used to pulling your head in. I speak from experience. It’s just a matter of time.

However – no offense intended! – it seems you don’t have much experience with this type of work. Do you have friends, family, or acquaintances who can help you with your project? It won’t do you any good to tinker around now and end up creating even more work and repair effort later.