New window/Lintel/Regs?

[cjgarlick]

Hello list:-

Am putting in a new window this weekend.

Window is upstairs, only 3 courses of bricks below top of exterior wall / wallplate.

Does anyone know what I *ought* to do about putting a lintel in above this window please? There's only 3 courses above it so not much weight - would it be OK in this case to do without a lintel at all? Failing that, it would be much easier for me to use a piece of timber. Can anyone comment on the appropriateness of a timber 'lintel' as Vs. something in pressed steel (Catnic etc) ?

Thanks.

 

[breezer]

i am not a builder, but i was always lead to believe that when putting in a window you have to have a lintel / beam to take the weight, 3 bricks high must weigh something, and waht about if it snows, that will add weight to your roof.

Also if you do get any weight pressing down it may damage your window, or at least stop you from opening it.

I remember being told once that steel lintels are easier to install and a timber one has to be bigger than the equivlilant load bearing proerties of one in steel.

Just my opinion

 

[DAZB]

You don't say the width of your window so unless it is enormous and with there only being 3 courses above I would suggest using a flat strip of steel about 5-6mm thick and about 4 inches wide( like a steel plank ). You can rake out enough mortar above and at each side of the opening for it to be knocked in and point it in afterwards.Try do it before you make your opening. It will do the job of a Lintel without all the disruption for the sake of 3 course of bricks.The previous post mentioned about the weight of snow and the roof itself but the timber Wallplate carries that through it's length and that spans your opening anyway so that's perfectly safe. I have seen them on sale at B+Q 'cos people use them when building a stone Fireplace but any Steel suppliers or stockists will do it. Good luck with it.

 

[dave2]

Go to your local builders merchant and look at the Catnic brochure. It will tell you the type and size you require.

 

[masona]

Info: lintel must have minimum 150mm each side passing the window frame.

 

[cjgarlick]

Thanks to everyone who replied to this.