External door frame/ lintel

Redwood31 · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:10 pm Post Subject: External door frame/ lintel

I,ve just stripped out an old external door frame which must have been the original from when the house was built in the 1930s. There does not appear to be a lintel over the door opening, is this usual for a house this old or was the door frame built to support the brickwork. Should I have a lintel put in or just put the new door frame in?

andyboyo · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:00 pm Post Subject:

is it a supporting wall?

noseall · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 11:38 am Post Subject:

in days gone by buildings were constructed with the timber door and window frames in place, the brickies would then brick them in, laying bricks directly over the tops of said frames (many windows wider than three feet would have a strong mullion to help support this weight ). it was only the inner, load bearing masonry that would have a lintel. that said if it is only standard door width (900mm or so) not a great deal of down force will apply as its only a diminishing triangle of bricks that is vulnerable. most builders merchants supply a galvanized angle that can cope with this scenario adequately.