I may soon have a job of cutting a hole in a cement block wall to install a garage door. The wall carries little or no roof weight, but there will be 5 rows of 8×16″ cement blocks above a 12′ garage door. I was planning on supporting the block temporarily while the cuting and demolition are being done, and then install angle iron from both sides of the wall to surve as a lentle. My question is, short of going to an engineer, where might I find how large an iron I need to carry the weight. My gut tells me that if we slipped a 4×4″x1/4″ angle in from each side that it would hold, but I would like to me sure. Thanks for any assistance.
Fred
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Simple math.
Weigh a block and figure out how many are there then compute the weight. Add on the roof load.
Problem is the load has to "Bear" on a surface. Where you tuck it above the uncut wall will determine where that weight bears down.
Further if one slips out or both you are flattened.
Can't you cut out the section of wall and build a 2x4 wall over a header to do the same job? Seems a lot safer. If cosmetics are an issue stucco it. That'll look just as cruddy as a block wall.
Best of luck
For concrete block, all the details always seem to specify a filled with concrete and rebar for a solid lintel tied to the rest of the block.
But that's just remembering drawing the fool things, I'm no engineer.
How far into the adjacent block wall the two angles would have to extend past the new opening is a question only and engineer could answer, like as not.