Best way to enlarge hole in brickwall from 5" to 8"?

[bubuski]

Option 1: Hammer drill with masonry bit and then swap out to a chisel

Option 2: Rotary hammer and 8" coring bit.
- Can't find it to rent. Largest size at my local homedepot is 6". Stephensons rentals have an 8" but it wont fit properly in the handheld rotary(according to them). The suction/anchor rotary will be tough to mount on my brickwall

Option 3: If you are a handyman/contractor, PM me and I'll pay you $50 to enlarge the opening.

Synopsis:
Currently installed is a white Sakura range hood rated at 520-680cfm which is currently using a 5" round hole. I recently bought a stainless range hood rated at 900cfm which needs an 8" opening on my brick wall. I own a Cordless 18v Drill and will probably have to rent something more powerful to get the job done.

[koffey]

Have you looked at a masonary reciprocating blade? If you have a tool of course. Cut to the biggest you can with a coring bit and trim out the rest. Can you not rent stephensons both the 8" and a tool to use it with?

[bubuski]

Yes, I was planning to rent both the 8" and tool from stephensons. The issue the guy on the phone mentioned was that 'the 8" slips slightly while installed on the handheld rotary hammer probably due to safety'(Now that I think of it, I'm sure sure if he meant slips on the wall OR coring bit slips in hammer rotary).

He said the 8" size is more suited for the suction/anchor mounted rotary hammer. I wont be able to mount it on my brick wall to get high enough for where I want the hole. Mounted on the ground is only 3ft of height.

I thought the masonary reciprocating blade was for straight lines. Can it do a circle? My house was built in the late 90s so it in brick veneer not solid brick or triple brick.

[Hexavalent]

Option 4 - Short handle sledge hammer and and cold chisel. It's only brick and if your careful you won't break any more than you want.

[koffey]

Yes, I was planning to rent both the 8" and tool from stephensons. The issue the guy on the phone mentioned was that 'the 8" slips slightly while installed on the handheld rotary hammer probably due to safety'(Now that I think of it, I'm sure sure if he meant slips on the wall OR coring bit slips in hammer rotary).

He said the 8" size is more suited for the suction/anchor mounted rotary hammer. I wont be able to mount it on my brick wall to get high enough for where I want the hole. Mounted on the ground is only 3ft of height.

I thought the masonary reciprocating blade was for straight lines. Can it do a circle? My house was built in the late 90s so it in brick veneer not solid brick or triple brick.

I would think that it slips on the wall, not the hammer rotary, unless its stripped. I have cut many a round holes with a sawzall. Just have to have patience and be careful. Cut all the lines straight about from the circle if you cut one and then chisel one out and cut the rest. Easy as 1, 2, 3.

[bubuski]

Option 4 - Short handle sledge hammer and and cold chisel. It's only brick and if your careful you won't break any more than you want.

I might actually try this first since I own both. How long do you estimate it could take? It is pretty cold outside at the moment.

I would think that it slips on the wall, not the hammer rotary, unless its stripped. I have cut many a round holes with a sawzall. Just have to have patience and be careful. Cut all the lines straight about from the circle if you cut one and then chisel one out and cut the rest. Easy as 1, 2, 3.

Sweet! Thanks for the advice. Time to check princess auto for blades

[Hexavalent]

Not long at all if it is just brick. Just mark the line you want and take your time and stick to it. One piece of advice would be to chip away at it evenly, don't just concentrate on one section trying to break through. Chip away evenly and the face will eventually start to fall away then you can start breaking away bigger pieces

[hobbes778]

I actually had to move and enlarge my vent so being in a new development, I drove around the neighbourhood to find a mason working in the area. Payed him $125 to close the old hole and open a new one - I have a walkout basement so my kitchen is essentially on the second story. He just used a hammer and chisel.

[bubuski]

I missed the wam weather last weekend as it would have been a good time to cut open the wall, but my replacement wall plate did not ship ontime. They took a whole week after I paid.

Once the wall plate arrives, I'll get to work with my hammer and and chisel. As a backup, I also bought 5 masonry steel blades for my jigsaw for about $15 as I do not have a sawzall, might not even be powerfull enough.

[davebert]

Here is a quote on my posting on making a 6 inch hole through 3 layers of bricks using just masonry drill bits. Since you are only going through one layer of brick the drill bit should go through it pretty quickly. It is just another way of enlarging a hole on a brick wall.

"I had to do this a couple of years ago. I got 4 different size of the longest masonry drill bits that I can find which was 12-13 inches. I marked the area making it a little larger than the actual size needed and trying to align it in such a way that I drill in to the mortar line where possible. I start with the smallest bit on the mortar line and drill it all the way through with a 1/2" hammer drill all the way through to the interior making sure I am holding the drill plumb with a square. I proceed like this following the mark line with the smallest bit and spacing the holes about 1.5 times of the size of the largest drill bit that I have.

Once I have finished drilling with the smallest bit, I then change to a larger size bit and re-drill the same holes. I repeat this with larger size bits and the brick eventually crack along the line of holes. I have a old house and there was 3 layers of brick to drill through, and the first pass was the most difficult and time consuming. It took around 4 hours in total to make my opening for a 6 inch vent line."

Here is the link to the thread with pictures.

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/best-.../#post15705118

[eonibm]

Option 3: If you are a handyman/contractor, PM me and I'll pay you $50 to enlarge the opening.

$50? WTF. That doesn't even cover gas!

[bubuski]

Here is a quote on my posting on making a 6 inch hole through 3 layers of bricks using just masonry drill bits. Since you are only going through one layer of brick the drill bit should go through it pretty quickly. It is just another way of enlarging a hole on a brick wall.

"I had to do this a couple of years ago. I got 4 different size of the longest masonry drill bits that I can find which was 12-13 inches. I marked the area making it a little larger than the actual size needed and trying to align it in such a way that I drill in to the mortar line where possible. I start with the smallest bit on the mortar line and drill it all the way through with a 1/2" hammer drill all the way through to the interior making sure I am holding the drill plumb with a square. I proceed like this following the mark line with the smallest bit and spacing the holes about 1.5 times of the size of the largest drill bit that I have.

Once I have finished drilling with the smallest bit, I then change to a larger size bit and re-drill the same holes. I repeat this with larger size bits and the brick eventually crack along the line of holes. I have a old house and there was 3 layers of brick to drill through, and the first pass was the most difficult and time consuming. It took around 4 hours in total to make my opening for a 6 inch vent line."

Here is the link to the thread with pictures.

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/best-.../#post15705118

Thanks. It's a little similar to the Option 1, but you full description puts it in perspective. Is there any reason you went with a square hole?

$50? WTF. That doesn't even cover gas!

So you'll do it? How about $65? I was hoping to get someone in Mississauga so gas wouldn't be an issue. Anything over that then Imight as well rent the hammer drill and do it myself quickly.

[davebert]

Thanks. It's a little similar to the Option 1, but you full description puts it in perspective. Is there any reason you went with a square hole?

I did tried to make a circle but that was how it came out. If you look at the pictures the top and bottom of the hole basically runs along the the mortar lines.

[MrFrugal1]

$50? Wtf. That doesn't even cover gas!

^^lol^^
+1

[bubuski]

Mission accomplished yesterday. I used 4lb hammer and cold chisel and had a bigger hole in about 20 minutes

Old vent



Old 5" hole, wasn't quite a circle on the outside. It had no damper which explains the draft that I had before on windy days.





New hole. I made a slight error in the top left corner, but Spray foam took care of filling it. Fit was snug before spryfoam




New vent installed




Range hood installed. I had a wall joist in my path so I had to use the flexline that came with the hood and snake it bit to the right