Lintel Question

[planemad]

Please take a look at this lintel that I have attached to this post.

I understand that the lintel should be supported by the bricks 6" at each end this one is the same size as the sliding door.

Was it common practice for builders to sort of step the lintel in so that the face is smaller at the front to make it look better but behind the lintel is larger?

View media item 7277

 

[^woody^]

Some old boot lintels do have the bearing on the back and flush at the front like in the picture.

But somehow, that lintel does not look like an original and seems to have been fitted retrospectively - when the windows were changed?

Is there a step up on the inside head of the opening? This would indicate that the lintel is indeed merely resting on the frame

 

[noseall]

the lintel in the image looks like the old one-piece lintels that would carry both inner and outer leaves of masonry.

it primarily sits on the inner masonry and would be two courses deep internally reducing to one course externally..

 

[mater]

i have these on my house, would agree with noseall the brick either side of the lintol is about an inch thick and the lintol is behind this. i took one out of my house when i built my extension and they are bloody heavy and are hard to drill in to when fixing blinds and poles.

 

[hotrod]

At first glance I would have said that lintel had no bearing, but then thinking about it, how did they put the window in, if it hasn't got any end bearings? Granted they could have used acros and strongboys to prop it in-situ, but what would be the point?

My learned friends must be right.