An interior wall opening refers to creating an opening in a wall within a building, for example for doors, passageways, service shafts, ventilation opening or daylight apertures. In practice, a distinction is made between openings in non-load-bearing and load-bearing interior walls. Depending on the task, different procedures are used—from precise concrete cutting and core drilling to controlled hydraulic splitting and controlled demolition. In building gutting, concrete demolition, special demolition and cutting in existing structures, powerful techniques with low vibration levels have proven themselves, such as the use of concrete demolition shear or hydraulic wedge-splitting devices for stone and concrete in combination with suitable hydraulic power pack units from Darda GmbH.
Definition: What is meant by interior wall opening
An interior wall opening means the targeted creation of a defined opening within an existing wall structure, usually for subsequent use as a door, window or passage opening, or for routing media and building services. Execution takes place in masonry or reinforced concrete, in lightweight partitions or mixed constructions, and includes preparatory measures for shoring, the actual material removal, as well as subsequent edge finishing and built-in component installations. Decisive factors are structural analysis requirements, building physics (acoustics, fire protection, moisture), indoor emissions control and a controlled work sequence as is common in building gutting, cutting and selective deconstruction work.
Fields of application and objectives of an interior wall opening
Interior wall openings are created during refurbishment works, conversion and repurposing of structure when new room layouts, escape route or utility line installation are required. In existing buildings, precision, low vibration levels, low noise emission and dust suppression are paramount. In practice, this mainly concerns:
- Building gutting and cutting in occupied or in-use buildings,
- Concrete demolition and special demolition with selective material removal,
- Special operations under confined site conditions or sensitive constraints.
For interior walls of reinforced concrete, depending on thickness and reinforcement ratio, concrete demolition shear are suitable for selective breakout and hydraulic wedge-splitting devices for stone and concrete for controlled, low-vibration opening. Hydraulic power pack units supply the required energy, while reinforcing steel is separated using rebar cutter, steel shear, hydraulic shear or multi cutters.
Building physics and structural fundamentals
Whether an interior wall opening is structurally relevant depends on whether the wall carries loads or provides bracing. Load-bearing interior walls generally require shoring (e.g., a lintel or beam) to safely redirect loads. In addition, fire and acoustical requirements must be considered. Before starting, a condition survey is carried out to identify wall composition (masonry or reinforced concrete, possible facing layers), locate reinforcement, and detect utilities and inserts. For interventions in load-bearing structures, planning proofs and stability verification by qualified parties are standard, and execution follows a coordinated work and safety concept.
Methods and procedures for execution
The choice of method depends on the material, wall thickness, surroundings and required edge quality. Methods are often combined to reduce emissions and accelerate the process.
Diamond sawing and drilling
Saw cuts provide very precise opening edges; core drilling is used to produce start and corner points, to create relief channels or relief borehole, or for post-installed anchor drilling. Wet sawing requires well-thought-out water management and effective capture and filtration steps.
Hydraulic splitting
Hydraulic wedge splitter work with splitting cylinders placed in boreholes. They generate controlled crack formation with low vibration levels and no impact energy. Indoors, this is advantageous for adjacent components and sensitive uses. Energy supply is provided by hydraulic power pack units, which must be matched to output, hose length and space constraints. In practice, systems such as hydraulic rock and concrete splitters are used for low-vibration progress and precise control.
Selective breakout and separation
Concrete demolition shear enable controlled, piece-by-piece removal of concrete, for example along pre-milled or sawn edges. Reinforcement is cut with rebar cutter, steel shear, hydraulic shear or multi cutters. This combination is typical for building gutting and cutting work when low vibration and good handling are required.
Tool selection in the context of Darda GmbH products
The selection depends on building material, component thickness and the target opening geometry:
- Concrete demolition shear: for selective breakout in reinforced-concrete walls, especially in demanding environments and with limited space.
- Hydraulic wedge splitter with splitting cylinders: for low-vibration openings, including in thick elements; ideal where percussive tools are not permitted.
- Hydraulic power pack: as the energy source, sized appropriately for the shears or splitting cylinders used.
- Steel shear, hydraulic shear, multi cutters: for cutting reinforcement, inserts and profiles within the opening area.
In special operations with complex inserts and little space, a combination of splitting and shear processing is common. For pure masonry walls, splitting technology and manual removal are sufficient; for heavily reinforced concrete, pre-cutting by sawing/core drilling followed by shear processing is advisable.
Work sequence: From preparation to the finished opening
- Survey: clarify wall build-up, reinforcement, utilities, adjacent components and use; plan emission control.
- Shoring and safety: if required, set up temporary shoring or prepare installation of a lintel.
- Marking and preparation: define opening geometry, isolate work areas, install dust protection and water protection.
- Pre-works: place core drilling at corners, cut relief cut or drill relief borehole for splitting.
- Material removal: depending on the method, split, break out with shears, or cut segments and remove them in a controlled manner.
- Rebar separation: cut reinforcement with rebar cutter, steel shear or hydraulic shear.
- Edge finishing: remove irregularities, rework edges, and prepare surfaces for subsequent construction steps.
- Follow-up: finalize shoring, add built-in component (lintel, framing), clean the site and document the work.
Indoor emissions: noise, vibration, dust and water
When creating interior wall openings, emissions must be minimized. Hydraulic methods such as hydraulic wedge splitter and concrete demolition shear work with low vibration levels and without impact energy, protecting adjacent finishes, installations and components. Dust is reduced by extraction, binding or wet methods, using dust extraction and dust suppression. For wet cutting methods, plan water management with capture and water filter stages to avoid contamination and moisture damage.
Quality features and tolerances
Dimensional accuracy, edge quality and material conservation are key criteria. Deviations result from the chosen method and accessibility. Splitting delivers clean fracture lines along intended paths, shears create well-controlled removal steps, and saw cuts define edges precisely. For subsequent installations, edges should be prepared to ensure strength and bond performance.
Special situations in existing buildings
Load-bearing vs. non-load-bearing interior walls
For load-bearing walls, shoring and load-redirecting measures must be considered. Non-load-bearing walls usually allow a more direct workflow, yet installations and finishes must still be protected.
Mixed constructions and inserts
In older buildings, mixed masonry, post-installed reinforcement, utility lines or metallic inserts may occur. Here, a combination of core drilling, hydraulic splitting and shear processing is suitable, supplemented by targeted cutting with steel shear.
Acoustics and fire protection
Openings can alter separation performance. Seals, linings or installations are adapted according to the design. For openings relevant to fire protection, project-specific requirements must be observed.
Planning, logistics and disposal
In interior work, transport routes and handling of segments are important. Segmented removal reduces weights and eases construction logistics. Demolition material is handled with construction waste sorting; reinforcement is separated with steel shear or hydraulic shear and prepared for recycling. In sensitive areas there are increased requirements for dust protection and noise control as well as for working hours and access rules.
Cost-effectiveness and choice of approach
The most economical method results from balancing precision, construction time, emission control and constraints. Indoors, concrete demolition shear and hydraulic wedge splitter excel when low vibration levels, reduced noise emission and good controllability are required. For large openings with high edge-quality demands, they are often combined with sawing and core drilling to minimize rework.
Safety and general notes
Work on interior walls requires a structured hazard analysis, coordinated safety measure and clear team communication. Structural questions (structural analysis), dust protection and noise control, ergonomic load handling and the safe operation of hydraulics are part of the concept. For shoring and built-ins, the applicable technical rules apply. Requirements may vary regionally and must be considered on a project-specific basis.