UKC

I'm working my way through a 1930's ex-council brick built end terrace improving the insulation, making space and fixing the tired/bodged bits.

In the the process of opening the void above the stairs for a wardrobe I peeled off the crumbling original plaster to discovered what I thought was a lath and plaster stud wall is actually concrete block. Quite a surprise given where it is and that everything else, cavity walls, lintels etc are brick. The blocks are thin (maybe 6-7cm) but huge by modern standards, maybe 70cm long by 35 high and it's all perched (hopefully) atop the beam supporting the floor where staircase comes up through it.

Are blocks like this normal in houses this age?

Mostly I'm just curious but I'm now wondering what my other partition walls are given one needs removing the other needs a bit of work and neither are supported by walls below.

jk

In reply to jkarran:

I had exactly the type of blocks you describe used to build partitions between rooms upstairs, including the one over the stairs. They're a lightweight clinker block, made out of boiler ash by the looks of them. I think they used them because they were light, dirt cheap (quite literally) and easier to plaster over than lath. The 60 - 70 mm thickness lends itself to the partition wall being 4" thick to match 4 x 2" door frame timbers after the finish plaster is applied to the blocks.

I don't think they're usually used for structural support but check if any of the roof timbers are bearing on top of it before you knock it out. ;0)

In reply to teflonpete:

Cheers Pete, they're such an odd size and quite an unexpected find in what is otherwise exclusively a brick and timber box.

There's nothing bearing on them from above so I just need to be careful not to bring the whole lot down onto the stairs while cutting a door. Bit of a pain but worth it for the space.

jk

In reply to teflonpete: And they're a bastard to drill into and attach stuff to.

In reply to jkarran:

I did similar at my old place, made a handy wardrobe for the box room without using any of the floorspace.

Dust sheets are your friend! ;0)

In reply to teflonpete:


Empty gutted room and a floor that's coming up
jk

In reply to Submit to Gravity:

Yes, I have them as well. I put a display cabinet up full of precious breakable objects and in the end decided to drill straight through the b*stard wall and bolt frok side to side with big washers..