Openings

An opening is a space in a wall left open for a door or a window. The first openings to be made in walls are the door openings.

DOCK OPENINGS

Before the plinth course is built, the door openings are marked in their correct positions on the footings.

The door frames are usually made and set into place on the footings before the plinth course is built against the frames (Fig. 1).

If for some reason the door frames are to be installed later, the jambs of the openings (Fig. 2) are built up as described in the chapter on stopped ends.

A jamb is the portion of wall, or wall face, at the aide of an opening. The jambs are built a little wider than the outside measurement of the frame (Fig. 2) so that the frame can fit into the wall opening.

Walling then continues until the window cill level is reached. This is the height where the window openings are set.

WINDOW OPENINGS

The window frames are set and braced before the walling between them is completed. If the frames are to be set later, the window openings must also be built a little wider than the frames, so that the frames can be fitted in later.

In case the opening is to be filled with a decorative grille or ventilation blocks, it is advisable to complete course by course including the special blocks.

This is done because it is easier than putting the decorative blocks into an opening later, and it provides the openwork screen blocks with more stability within the wall during construction.