Dry packing above beam

[panza]

I have installed 2 No. beams over an extended door opening (one under each leaf of cavity) and would like some opinions on the best form of dry packing between the top of the beams and the masonry.

The gap varies between 25-30mm up to 70mm where I have had to knock out some extra bricks.

Option 1 - sand/cement dry pack mix rammed tight into the gap.
Option 2 - natural slate hammered into gap (not in those areas where gap is 60mm).

The problem I have with option 1 is that because it is a cavity wall it will be unclear if the dry pack is being pushed straight through into the cavity

 

[studips]

don't see why a nice sharp sand/cement mix pushed in as far as possible (even into the cavity) would be a problem.

do it damp or wettish, the cement will never go off if it is dry and you need something that is structural to take the load onto the beams.

 

[^woody^]

The answer is slate and mortar

 

[noseall]

We have used natural slate, cement slate, quarry tile, concrete slab, clay tile, mortar.....etc....etc.

Whatever fits snug.

The way i look at it is any shrink/compression free packer is going to be better than no packer at all.