lintel above front door

[houswifeplight]

Hi - my front door has been cut down in size to fit a smaller than usual opening but I noticed that the old original frame is behind the new. Today I decided I had to know why there was so much plasterboard and packing around the door frame both inside the house and in the front porch, and removed a section. I can now see that the original opening would have been larger and taller BUT, not only has this revealed lots of soft wood and plasterboard hiding the original height of the opening but there are two wooden lintels with nothing but fresh air beneath! These lintels appear rotten to me and have small holes in them - they are softish. The lintels run across the top of the door opening and are resting on the brickwrk either side - above them therefore is the second storey of the house I guess. What should I do? I can some jobs so long as they dont involved muscles! thanks.

 

[houswifeplight]

Hi - maybe that was too long to read - getting no help - can a woman fit a new lintel? thats not meant to be a joke okay - I gotta do this either way - thanks
Lyn

 

[Static]

Not sure why being a woman would make any difference..
Replacing a lintel is a moderately simple job..

The wooden lintels sound rotten if they are soft and also could well have contained woodworm.. tap them and look for dust falling from the holes.. either way best to replace them with precast concrete lintels..

 

[houswifeplight]

Hi - thanks for your response - I'm pretty sure they are shot to pieces but not sure about providing necessary support before replacing and where exactly. The house is about 1860s, the wall is old brick, just above the door is an old porch roof which will be coming out afterwards and this sits in line with the floors for upstairs. So, as there is about 18" in between the floor/ceiling and the door lintel, is it possible that there is another support in place, e.g. the floors must be supported somewhere so would that be in that wall too? and if so, the most that can move or drop is the bit in between? So I might get away with taking out the old wooden lintels without hiring props etc??

 

[Static]

The wall is load bearing even if its just the masonry above, but theres a good chances the floor also bears onto the wall over..

You should get a tallboy prop in a brick course or so above the lintels, its best to avoid having sections of wall fall out as you may get cracks etc appearing upstairs..

 

[houswifeplight]

Static - thanks again. I will organise support to be safe. Still struggling with the two inch thick concrete blanket that some rotter slapped all over the house including the limestone walls. This render is hard as rock!
lyn