Laterally restraining a Catnic lintel during construction

[andylu]

Hi All,

I am a keen DIY'er and am about to attempt a lintel replacement in my garage. This is the first bit of real construction work I have done.

I am going to use a Catnic CNZ96C lintel and it needs to be laterally restrained during construction, only problem is I dont really understand what this means. I understand the need for propping and the logic behind it, but the lateral restraint has me confused!

There is currently nothing above the lintel, I have removed all brickwork, so the lintel will be put into place and brickwork built up afterwards.

Can somebody please advise what is involved with lateral restraint?

Thanks

Andy

 

[chessspy]

Hi, andy,
Lateral restraint literally means to stop it moving sideways, (laterally see?)
If you are just dropping it into place and going to build brick on the front lip and blocks or bricks on the rear, then you do need to make sure there is a T support in the middle front and back.
If you build up the piers in order to run a soldier arch across, then the lintol will be restrained by being trapped under the brickwork at each end.
The only time I've ever seen a problem is when theres lots of couses over , and in that case you need to keep the weight even front and back.
But if your only going 3-6 course of brick then there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Shytalkz]

It's one of those glorified angle lintels, Chess, so there aren't two sides to load. Must be bluddy wippy over a 2m-odd span, which is the size it come in!

 

[chessspy]

Hi, shy,
yes they can be a bit spongy in't middle, hence the T support.

 

[andylu]

Cheers Chess and Shy

It is a single skin wall so only bricks to add. I am only doing about 4 courses so no real weight anyway (just as well, the lintel looks so flimsy!)

How can it move laterally? Maybe I am missing something but if it is level on its bearings and you dont "nudge" it sideways then surely lateral movement is not a problem anyway?

It is spanning 2m so it will be "whippy" until the courses are added, hence the need for a centre prop.

So, am I right in thinking that as long as it is stopped from moving sideways by making sure it fits snug between the side walls on its bearings, and I add a centre prop all will be good?

Wicked site.

 

[chessspy]

all will be good?

Weeeellll, lets not go quite that far eh?[/quote]

 

[Shytalkz]

It's wippy laterally (along its length) as, due to its shape, it doesn't have much strength in that direction. When you start trying to lay your bricks on top of it, you'll see what I mean...!