Yes, you can put a dog door in a brick wall. Here is how to install a dog door in a brick wall: confirm whether the brick is veneer or solid, measure the wall depth, cut the interior opening, drill reference holes through the brick with a masonry bit, cut the brick from outside, then trim, flash and caulk a self-framing tunnel.
The steps below follow Hale's Wall Model installation manual, with notes on what changes when the outside of the wall is brick.
Can you put a dog door in a brick wall?
Yes. The manual is written for stud walls, but it notes the Hale Wall Model "can also be installed in any brick or block wall construction and with exterior brick, stucco, or siding." The spec sheet lists "Brick or double brick walls."
The Wall Model is self-framing: an aluminum tunnel joins the inside and outside frames. The manual says, "There is no need, nor is it advisable, to frame the inside of the wall cutout." The process "is virtually the same for all wall finish types"; what changes is how you cut the outside surface.
Brick veneer or solid brick: check before you cut
Brick veneer over a frame wall
In a veneer house, a wood or steel stud wall is the structure and one layer of brick covers it. InterNACHI's Solid Brick vs. Brick Veneer says: "Veneer brick does not support the structural load of the building."
InterNACHI's brick veneer inspection guide adds that the 1-inch air space between the brick and the sheathing "must remain clear," so water behind the brick can drain out through weep holes. Your tunnel passes through brick, air gap, sheathing, stud cavity and drywall. Seal the frames as the manual describes, and don't pack the gap around the tunnel with mortar or debris.
Solid (double) brick
Here layers of brick are the wall itself. One clue, per InterNACHI: header bricks, which "appear smaller than the other bricks, but they are actually the same size," are "found in every sixth row in many solid masonry configurations." Many, not all, so treat it as a clue. If your wall may be solid brick, have a mason or structural engineer look before you cut, because the brick may be carrying load.
Ask about a lintel
InterNACHI notes that lintels "are required over all openings where the brick veneer would otherwise be acting as a beam, which it cannot do," with at least 4 inches of bearing at each end per the IRC. Ask a mason whether your opening needs one.
Measure the wall depth and choose the size
Measure from the face of the interior wall to the face of the brick before you order. Our wall depth checklist lists what to record.
- The Wall Model is "built for walls up to 10 inches thick" and "fully adjustable for any wall less than 10 inches." You trim the tunnel during the install.
- Tunnels come in 10" and 16" lengths; longer ones can be custom ordered. For walls over 10 inches, contact Hale.
For size, the manual says the top of the passage opening should sit above the shoulder of your largest pet, and "If in doubt larger is better." A deep wall means a longer tunnel, and you don't want your dog to "crawl through or hunch over." Use the pet door sizing guide to pick a size.
A Large (11" x 16" passage opening) needs a 13" x 18" rough opening; a Giant (15 1/2" x 27 1/2") needs 17 5/8" x 29 5/8". All sizes are in our dog door rough opening guide. The manual notes exterior wall studs "should be 16" on center, giving you 14" of room between studs." Extra Large, Extra Large Plus and Giant openings are 16" or wider, so talk to an installer before you cut a stud.
Tools and materials for a brick wall
The kit includes the pet door (inner frame with tunnel, outer frame), flashing, carpet, security cover, 5/8" #6 Phillips screws, a 7/64" drill bit and an optional raincap. From the manual's tool list:
- Stud finder, tape measure, pencil, 24" level, masking tape, drop cloths
- Drill, a long drill bit and a 5/16" masonry bit
- Drywall saw, reciprocating saw, circular saw with a masonry blade
- Tin snips, caulk and caulk gun, construction adhesive
- Eye protection and gloves
OSHA's crystalline silica page says respirable silica "is created when cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling, and crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, block, and mortar," and links it to silicosis and lung cancer. Protect your lungs and keep people and pets away from the dust.
How to install a dog door in a brick wall, step by step
- Pick the spot. Leave room for the security cover to lift out (top-loading is standard; side-loading is available). Center between studs if you can, and look for signs of wiring or plumbing. The manual warns that hitting a power line or pipe "can result in severe injury or death."
- Mark the interior opening at the rough opening size, square and level, with drop cloths down on both sides.
- Cut a small test hole first and check inside with a flashlight and your hand. A small hole is easy to patch.
- Cut the interior opening with a drywall saw and push the insulation aside.
- Drill reference holes through each corner, keeping the drill straight. The manual: "If you have exterior brick or stucco walls, be sure to use a masonry bit rather than the same bit you used on the interior wall."
- Mark the brick by connecting the holes, square, level and in line with the inside opening.
- Cut the brick. Drill out two diagonal corners (three 5/16" holes close together, wiggled into one) so a reciprocating saw blade fits, then cut along the lines. The manual adds that "if you are cautious, a circular saw can be used on the outside wall" with "the proper blade" for the material, which for brick means a masonry blade. Keep the cut square so the outside frame sits flat.
- Mark and trim the tunnel. Push the inside frame and tunnel through, hold the frame tight to the interior wall, pencil the tunnel along the brick face, then cut on the line with tin snips.
- Caulk and set the flashing, the aluminum piece under the tunnel that sends water outside. Per the manual: two large beads on the bottom about 1/2" from the rear, a generous bead on the bottom and sides about 1" from the front, and a bead on the outside of both vertical flanges. Side flanges point up; the outside flange goes down against the wall.
- Reinsert the tunnel, pulling the inside frame tight and the flashing snug to the brick. Hook on the raincap now if you use it.
- Attach the outside frame. Sleeve it into the tunnel, drill through its pre-drilled holes with the 7/64" bit and drive the screws. Add two screws through the tunnel bottom, about 2" to 2 1/2" back from the outer frame, to fix the flashing.
- Caulk the outside frame at the top and sides only. The manual: "DO NOT CAULK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OUTSIDE FRAME." That lets moisture drain.
- Line the tunnel with the carpet, trimmed to width, using construction adhesive, not silicone (its odor stays trapped between the flaps).
- Fit the security cover after peeling its film and letting it sit a couple of hours so the flap won't stick to it. Keep the removed pieces in case you ever need to patch the wall.
DIY or hire an installer?
The manual says "any person with a working knowledge of power tools and basic home construction can install the Hale Pet Door." Brick adds heavier cutting, dust and structural questions. If you have solid brick, a lintel question or no masonry tools, find an installer. To compare other options, browse Hale dog doors. The manual also says: "To reach an experienced installer for free consultation, please call 1-800-646-4773."
Frequently asked questions
Can you put a dog door in a brick wall?
Yes. Hale's Wall Model installation manual says the Wall Model can be installed in any brick or block wall construction and with exterior brick, stucco or siding, and the spec sheet lists brick and double brick walls. Check first whether your wall is brick veneer or solid brick, since solid brick can be structural.
Do I need to frame the opening in a brick wall?
No. The Hale Wall Model is self-framing: an aluminum tunnel joins the inside and outside frames. The installation manual says there is no need, nor is it advisable, to frame the inside of the wall cutout. Ask a mason whether the bricks above your opening need a lintel.
How thick a brick wall will a Wall Model fit?
The Wall Model is built for walls up to 10 inches thick and adjusts to any wall less than 10 inches, because you trim the tunnel to length. Tunnels come in 10 inch and 16 inch lengths, and longer tunnels can be custom ordered. Contact Hale for walls thicker than 10 inches.
What do you use to cut brick for a dog door?
Drill reference holes through the corners with a masonry bit, drill out two corners so a saw blade fits, then cut along the marked lines with a reciprocating saw or, carefully, a circular saw with a masonry blade. Wear eye protection and gloves and control the dust, because cutting brick releases respirable crystalline silica.
Should I caulk all the way around the outside frame?
No. Hale's manual says to caulk between the outside frame and the wall at the top and both sides, and not to caulk the bottom of the outside frame. Leaving the bottom open lets any moisture that gets inside the pet door drain out.
Sources
- Hale Pet Door, Wall Model Installation Instructions (PDF, linked above), Wall Model product page and spec sheet
- InterNACHI, Solid Brick vs. Brick Veneer
- InterNACHI, Inspecting Brick Veneer in Residential Construction
- OSHA, Crystalline Silica
