Dodgy lintel

[Tonythecat]

Original 1939s lintel obviously not installed very well. Do I chop back the bricks either side and completely replace with a longer lintel or remove the 2 overhang bricks and install new lintel under the original

 

[johnny2007]

Are you sure that's original?
In fact, are you sure some bright spark hasn't "" widened the opening removing the lintel supports?

 

[Tonythecat]

Are you sure that's original?
In fact, are you sure some bright spark hasn't "" widened the opening removing the lintel supports?

Yes I'm sure as there are no cut bricks so must have been fitted when house was built

 

[johnny2007]

I beg to differ.
I can see different bricks around the opening, so at one point someone has widened it.

 

[Tonythecat]

I beg to differ.
I can see different bricks around the opening, so at one point someone has widened it.

Same bricks just direrent colour due to them being plastered. 100% not been widened

 

[johnny2007]

So it was bodged from the start?

 

[Tonythecat]

So it was bodged from the start?

Yep

 

[Dereekoo]

Whatever you find the easiest to do

 

[johnny2007]

One option would be to key in bricks so to give support to existing lintel, but opening would be reduced by 8 inches.

 

[Tonythecat]

One option would be to key in bricks so to give support to existing lintel, but opening would be reduced by 8 inches.

I did consider this but thought that the option of inserting new lintel under original would probably be easier

 

[Dereekoo]

You could bed in a 50 x 5 x 215 length of ms underneath each overhang brick and this would more than suffice in supporting the weight of brickwork/conc that is resting on the overhang brick

 

[Tonythecat]

You could bed in a 50 x 5 x 215 length of ms underneath each overhang brick and this would more than suffice in supporting the weight of brickwork/conc that is resting on the overhang brick

Do you mean mild steel plate into the joint of the overhanging bricks

 

[Dereekoo]

Do you mean mild steel plate into the joint of the overhanging bricks

correct

 

[cdbe]

I'd replace that cracked brick on the right and check it in another 80 years.