Title: How to Cut an Opening in an Interior Non-Bearing Wall | Home Guides | SF Gate
Headings: How to Cut an Opening in an Interior Non-Bearing Wall
How to Cut an Opening in an Interior Non-Bearing Wall
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Content: How to Cut an Opening in an Interior Non-Bearing Wall | Home Guides | SF Gate
How to Cut an Opening in an Interior Non-Bearing Wall
Home Guides
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Home
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Home Improvement
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Troubleshoot, Fix and Repair
By Bob Haring
Making a new doorway, adding an interior window or creating a pass-through from a kitchen to an eating area requires cutting an opening in a wall of your house. That is easier with interior walls, which usually are not load-bearing or supporting the roof, but it still requires remodeling and carpentry skill. It also will create a lot of dust and debris, so seal off other parts of the house and cover all furniture, counters or other objects. Check local building codes, too, as some remodeling requires a permit, especially if any utilities must be moved. 1
Locate the wall studs around the opening with a stud finder and outline the area you want to open. Use a tape measure, level and chalk line to snap horizontal lines at the top and bottom of the opening and vertical lines on the center of the studs outside the opening. Go one full stud width on each side beyond the opening; 64 inches, for instance, for a planned 32-inch door or window to allow for new wall covering. 2
Cut a small hole through the drywall or other wall covering on one side of the wall with a drywall saw. Create "snap" lines in drywall by slicing scoring marks along the lines, so you can break loose drywall or other covering.