Replace brick wall on back of structure

[JStructsteel]

Got a project where need to replace old brick wall on a building, its a un-reinforced 3 wythe wall. Wall is too compromised to fix.

Thought is to replace with wood. Good news is that is not load bearing, joists are parallel at each floor and roof. Bad news is that its a bump out on a building, so wondering how to manage the brick. See picture, my thought is to have them cut the brick 1'-0" from existing to butt my wall into. on the outside corner, same thing, cut the brick. Looking at the picture, you can see parapet at very top, its approx. 14" wide. 2-3 ft gap to next building on right.

Now I know its going to be hard to cut a 3 wythe wall. Is it feasible, or hand demo, and fill in voids? Final condition will be siding of some sort, so can cover some blemishes.

 

[GeorgeTheCivilEngineer]

In the UK we'd just shore/prop the wall and repair it.

 

[JStructsteel]

@ GeorgeTheCivilEngingeer, thanks, its been decided that is not economically or schedule wish feasible.

 

[kipfoot]

On the inside corner (to the left) it depends on how the wall to be removed is connected to the main building. If it is constructed integrally, then you would likely hand demo the brick in a vertical line that matches the left side of the door jambs. The exposed face will need to be re-set and repointed by hand to create a surface that you can connect to.

There's a chance that the bump-out walls are not interlocking with the main building, in which case you remove the wall all the way to the wall to remain.

The other side would be done by hand as they demo the wall. Whether you leave a 1 foot return or remove it flush to the inside face of the existing rear wall, there will be a lot of repointing to be done to clean up the interface.

Cutting this brick would be easy in that it's going to be soft and no match for a diamond blade, but you're left with garbage once it's cut, with mortar sand draining out onto the ground from between the wythes. So, even if you cut it there will be repointing by hand to do from top to bottom.

(such a shame to lose the classic low capacity egress landing and stair /s)

 

[JStructsteel]

Thanks Kipfoot.
My plan is to leave a 1'-0" */- on the left at existing building, and have them repair any brick for a nice surface to mate the wood jamb to. On the right, I was going to try and have it flush with the inisde of the wall, same details to repair.

The stair might be saved, not sure exactly what will need to be done to it.

 

[JedClampett]

I'd be cautious. Just because the wall doesn't appear to be designed or constructed as load bearing, doesn't mean that things have shifted since it was built.
Hand demolition, maybe from a lift, full safety gear.

 

[JStructsteel]

Jed,
Thanks. Inside was stripped. New joists installed, etc. I will be attaching back to floors and roof, some straps across the joists.

 

[jayrod12]

My bigger concern will be tying the floor diaphragm back into the wood wall, and providing enough stiffness in the wood wall to replace that lost when removing the brick wall.

 

[phamENG]

jayrod - if the floor joists are parallel to this wall, I'd be shocked if there's any diaphragm connection there now.

It is a shame, though. From the picture the wall doesn't look that bad. I've spec'd repairs of walls much further gone than that and they worked out fine. Given the care that will be needed in demo, I'd wager it could be repaired in less time than it'll take to tear it down and rebuild a stud wall with brick veneer. Of course, I can't touch it or see what else may be wrong. And the materials and labor are more specialized which will add to cost.

 

[JStructsteel]

Its pretty bad. Its bowed out at the middle about 3" . Right about no connections, the floor is not connected.

Lots of ladder cracking. Not any care when the new windows were put in.

That, and its a 5 month lead time to get a mason out there.

 

[phamENG]

That, and its a 5 month lead time to get a mason out there.

Ouch. I see now that it'll be a siding finish, not a veneer. Missed that.