Garage Conversion - Lintels or Dig?

Stuart Grace-Hicks · 26 Feb 2020

Hi all
I’m starting a garage conversion and with regards to replacing the garage door with a low wall and window, building control have said I either need to dig a meter deep and fill with concrete to make the footings or use Lintels?
The current slab of concrete is 130mm which to be honest is plenty deep to support a low wall, however, I can’t seem to find any information or pictures on the lintel method?
I can’t vision how it would look or how you would do it? Do the two lintels sit one on top of the other? Or next to each other? Do they go under the columns either side of the door? How far down should they go? I honestly can’t find anything on how to do it other than multiple sites saying ‘the lintel method’
Any help, advice or pictures would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks

freddiemercurystwin · 26 Feb 2020

Presumably he means to sit a couple of lintels in the ground to span between the existing two side wall footings to support the new wall.

Stuart Grace-Hicks · 26 Feb 2020

freddiemercurystwin said:
Presumably he means to sit a couple of lintels in the ground to span between the existing two side wall footings to support the new wall.

I think so yes, do you think it means side by side or one on top of the other? I’m presuming he doesn’t mean end to end otherwise there would be no support in the middle?

freddiemercurystwin · 26 Feb 2020

Side by side, the number depending on the thickness of the wall its supporting.

catlad · 26 Feb 2020

Sounds ridiculous if you already have 6" of concrete already.

scaffers · 26 Feb 2020

I had this about 20yrs ago on a garage conversion on a semi. It worked, well its still there now. Was far simpler than digging footings

Scaff

Mobo_14 · 27 Feb 2020

All the lintels would be taking is the weight of the new wall, cills, and window to be asked to dig a metre down for that seems totally over kill 150mm of concrete would be fine

^woody^ · 27 Feb 2020

Build of the slab and include exmet in the bed joints to form a lintel.

tony1851 · 27 Feb 2020

The expamet in rolls won't do - it would need something like Ancon ladder reinforcement to turn the wall into a beam.
But unless the reinforcement can be effectively bonded into the supporting piers each side - which would be difficult - it will not function as a beam. Maybe reinforcement + some stainless steel angle brackets might work?
Also, there is a risk of rain penetration between the slab and the bottom course, particularly if the slab sticks out a little.

catlad · 27 Feb 2020

If its going to be toothed in at the sides you could use a few of those helifix stitching bars across the beds.

^woody^ · 28 Feb 2020

Any bed reinforcement will acheive the same effect as long as the reinforcement is placed a little more than the half brick of standard toothing.

diynot

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Garage Conversion - Lintels or Dig?

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