No Lintel, need advice

[Dan L]

My new house has a garage. There’s a PVC window that’s about 1600mm wide, above which there is no lintel. There’s only about 9 courses of brick above the window, and the wall is only one brick deep (there’s a few supporting columns that are 2 bricks deep in brick bond pattern). I’m a joiner and fancy having a go at fixing it myself, never done anything like it before so I’m nervous.

The window sits flush between 2 supporting columns, so I’m worried that chopping out enough brick to support a lintel will destabilise the columns. I could perhaps go for a smaller window?

I’d really love to hear any advice about what I can do, but I can’t afford to rip down the garage and rebuild…I just have to try to make it ok. There’s a massive crack in the mortar that goes diagonally upwards above the window. Nightmare scenario for me.

 

[Mr Chibs]

Post a pic please, I'm sure you'll be able to fix it, so don't pull your hair out.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

My new house has a garage. There’s a PVC window that’s about 1600mm wide, above which there is no lintel. There’s only about 9 courses of brick above the window, and the wall is only one brick deep (there’s a few supporting columns that are 2 bricks deep in brick bond pattern). I’m a joiner and fancy having a go at fixing it myself, never done anything like it before so I’m nervous.

The window sits flush between 2 supporting columns, so I’m worried that chopping out enough brick to support a lintel will destabilise the columns. I could perhaps go for a smaller window?

I’d really love to hear any advice about what I can do, but I can’t afford to rip down the garage and rebuild…I just have to try to make it ok. There’s a massive crack in the mortar that goes diagonally upwards above the window. Nightmare scenario for me.

Why are you putting a lintel in? Is there a problem with the existing window or are you replacing it? If not, just leave it as it is?

If you do put in a new lintel, you should be able to bear it onto the existing columns with no problems. You'll only be cutting out a small area and it will sit at the top. Just make sure all the gaps between the lintel and the column are fully filled with mortar, and pack fully above the lintel

 

[^woody^]

Fit a 5mm steel plate to the rear face, 150mm deep to the first two courses, drill into every other brick, staggered to each course and 200 or so past the bearing. If you can fit angle iron in all the better, and notch the ends at the bearing

 

[Dan L]

Post a pic please, I'm sure you'll be able to fix it, so don't pull your hair out.

Got some sorted out now, buddy. I’m gonna have to replace the door for security reasons and am particularly concerned with that

 

[Dan L]

Why are you putting a lintel in? Is there a problem with the existing window or are you replacing it? If not, just leave it as it is?

If you do put in a new lintel, you should be able to bear it onto the existing columns with no problems. You'll only be cutting out a small area and it will sit at the top. Just make sure all the gaps between the lintel and the column are fully filled with mortar, and pack fully above the lintel

I guess I can live with the window for a while, the door though, that’s gotta be swapped for security reasons

 

[Dan L]

Attached some pics now

 

[Mr Chibs]

Hardly a nightmare

Woody's idea of plate is the least hassle.