I want to build a wall to replace a door in my basement foundation wall?

Question

I have a house with a set of stairs that someone dug to get into the basement. The wall of the basement was broken through and a door was added. I want to replace the door with cinder blocks and fill the stairwell in. I had the same problem in my attached garage. I hired a company to fill in the stairs and build a wall to fix it but at $3000 I can't afford to do that again. Even if I could the job they did wasn't that great as I had to support the framing myself after they said they were done.

The foundation is still under the door and solid. My thought is to drill some holes, add some rebar and build a wall. Am I crazy?

Thanks

Answer 1

Not sure why exactly you would want to close this door off, it would be great access for bigger items that you would want to store. Also being that if this is a basement where your furnace, hotwater heater, or even washer and dryer is, that if these need to ever be replaced or if you move that getting them through a normal entry door would cause havok.
If you still want to for whatever reason, it will take little more than basic knowledge,
you want to match up the brick the best you can. Remove the door, clean area well. take sill sealer(avaliable in concrete isle of home improvement store) using construction adhesive glue the sill sealer on bottom of door. mix some mortar and lay a starting row of mortar on top of sealer llayout your bricks using a level and level it out, on next row apply about 2" of mortar on brick, apply next brick, keep going up, about 4 bricks up you might want to stop, to let the previous mortar start to set, once the bottom is set you can continue up. Caulk any wide caps with a bituminous caulk, let set up then apply a sealer/damp proofing to the exterior brick, let dry then add 2nd coat.
Im not sure what the stairway is filled with but if its concrete then you can just fill in with dirt, add 2' of dirt then compact, continue every 2'. if the stairs is wood, remove them then fill in, Dont pour dirt over wood. Add enough dirt and taper it down to allow water to glide away from house. apply top soil and plant grass or however your going to finish it off.

Answer 2

First of all, and with all due respect, you're likely not "certifiable" :)

Second, and without knowing if the door opens to a stairway or other room/area, I want to assume it had a purpose, and not just to open to dirt,,,if in fact the basement is below ground level.

CAN YOU...certainly. One issue, especially if there is exterior access would be to SEAL the block, once installed, from the exterior side.

Remove any framing in the area of concern, measuring what cuts you might have to make for block. Check to see if a Lintel is in place, and leave it there, especially if it's one of concrete, and begin.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

Number one why you want to close up the door is puzzling to me it sounds like an amenity. But if your determined the first thing to consider is the space above the door,it must be supported this is job1regardless of how the wall is built. Some use a lintel or an I- beam, you never leave a space in the foundation wall its purpose is to support the building.if that point is covered then build your wall.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

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Answer 6

You are not crazy. You will need to do a good job on the waterproofing though if you are going to fill in the stairwell. Good luck with your project.

Answer 7

Not crazy... but you should read up on how to do the masonry work.

The rebar is overkill.

Answer 8

i think so but then i don't know too much about construction, though i do know how crummy contractors can be. if i were u id just get a contractor off of a better business buerau list.

Answer 9

these measures you are wanting to take will not contain the evil that lives beneath your house, there is no escaping its reach, IT LIVES!!!!!!