Installing lintel

[Jack01]

Can anyone help me in installing a lintel for a doorway.
I want to put a new opening were the green tape is and seal up the old door way.but I'm unsure if you can put a lintel next to the other wooden lintel.its a main supporting wall.also if I could put a new lintel next to the wooden one I would have to cut in back so I could get the minimum 150mm to sit the new one on.so would I have to build the brick work up so the old beam would still be sitting on the 150mm.not sure if this makes sense to anybody but would appreciate any help I could get.or any other ways I could do it

 

[noseall]

Remove the door casing and dig a foundation or see if one exists in preparation for the brick-up. Brick up to floor level then make good the floor concrete.

You need some (4 will do) Acro props and Strongboys. Slot them in across the wall, on the course above the wooden lintel. Remove the course of bricks below the strongboys including the wooden lintel. Stitch drill and remove all the masonry for the new doorway then brick up the old doorway (including DPC) and insert a steel lintel, (1200mm or so) as you brick up. In other words you will be bricking from the existing right hand door jamb, up to the new right hand door jamb. Bricks (or blocks) will need tying in.

TIP: Remove the wall plaster above the casing, across the propping zone and look to see if there are any vulnerable or weak spots in the wall and prop accordingly. Also, determine whether you will be adding to the floor level and whether this will affect the new door casing and subsequent door. Allow enough masonry removal to deal with the thickness of the new lintel plus the casing and floor material. The last thing you want to be doing is ripping and inch off the bottom of a new oak door.

 

[Jack01]

Thanks for you advice very helpful.could I use the starter packs either side to build the wall and could I use breeze blocks of concrete.this is a first floor bedroom and there is a steel 2.5mtr catnic below just wondered if this would make any difference

 

[^woody^]

dig a foundation

What would you recommend, 1m deep?

More sensible would be put a lintel across above the floor, build on the floor. Or stud it.

 

[noseall]

could I use the starter packs either side to build the wall and could I use breeze blocks of concrete

Possibly. A lot depends on what loads are imposed and how the loads are distributed. A wall in shear (with wall starters) is a lot weaker than a wall that has been tooth bonded in.

this is a first floor bedroom

Ahh.

there is a steel 2.5mtr catnic below just wondered if this would make any difference

Yes alterations to the wall above could have an effect on the performance of support lintels below, especially if say doorways above line up with those below etc. More info' needed I guess.

When you have said and done all, you are only looking at a narrow opening , but get a professional to have a look first.

 

[noseall]

What would you recommend, 1m deep?

Lol. I thought it was a GF location and that an exploratory dig may unearth an existing foundation.

 

[noseall]

Or stud it.

He's opening up the adjacent side Woods.

 

[Jack01]

There is no doorway below it just an 2mtr ish opening I've taken the wall out.so if I'm just swapping the doors around dont think it would make much difference???

 

[noseall]

There is no doorway below it just an 2mtr ish opening I've taken the wall out.so if I'm just swapping the doors around dont think it would make much difference???

Unlikely. I'd be mildly concerned about the amount of nib remaining on the left and the way the new opening affects the wall stability - if any, in respect to what is above and below. Your existing masonry doesn't look all that great either.

 

[Jack01]

It's a terrace house so the wall on the left should be tied in.and I will most likely re point any bad areas of masonry

 

[cdbe]

its a main supporting wall

Supporting what?, Brickwork/roof in the loft or ceiling joists? If you're reasonable at bricklaying I'd clean off and reuse the existing bricks, door lining and possibly even the lintel! With that old lime mortar and those big joints it will be easy enough to tooth in on the right hand side. A bit more work and mess (but there'll be plenty of that anyway) but saves disposing of the bricks, buying and bringing in blocks, wall starters etc.
I think your biggest issue at the moment is trying to find a dust mask - I was in Screwfix yesterday and they've all gone!

 

[Jack01]

Its surrporting roof and joists and just the bricks above the lintel.lol bit of luck I've stocked up.if I didn't use old bricks what would you recommend for blocking up old doorway.

 

[^woody^]

The best thing to do is span a new single lintel across the wall covering both openings, then you can cut the new opening out including what would be that slender pier, and then infill the section of wall in masonry or studwork.

 

[noseall]

The best thing to do is span a new single lintel across the wall covering both openings

That's what we would do (I actually typed it but deleted it) but thought it would be a faff for a one man diyer

 

[^woody^]

That's what we would do (I actually typed it but deleted it) but thought it would be a faff for a one man diyer

Yeah, I believe you