Cracked limestone lintel

[timothydoran]

I started on a fun project yesterday that was going to be easy and cost no money. I am removing the plaster and opening the fireplace in my cottage. It had previously been bricked up and plastered over. I now realise that it was probably bricked up because the lintel has cracked.

The lintel is pretty Bath stone and I dont want to replace it. Instead can I fabricate a steel bracket from 100mm x 10mm angle iron (or similar) and support it from underneath. I would attach it to the upright leg/pillar using sleeve anchors?

Is this mad or not strong enough or is there another method to consider. Basically what would you do?
I really dont want to replace it with concrete and I fear that a new/reclaimed stone lintel would be too expensive.

Here are some pictures. The red line shows where I could put the support bracket. The blue arrow points to the crack

fireplace cracked lintel

• timothydoran
• 6 Oct 2014
• 1

 

[ree]

Why not post pics with all the decorations removed - detailed pics and whole chimney breast pics.
Indicate the proposed full opening.

An angle iron in the fire opening and one at the front would probably carry the stone. But if the lintel sags at the crack when support is removed then something else would have to be tried.

What do you finally propose to use the fire opening for?