Steel instead of lintel - how to fix it down

[oly]

Single storey extension – over a wide opening (3.5m) I'm using a steel beam (152UC with 300mm x 8mm plate) instead of a cavity lintel.

Should I try to bolt the beam down to the padstones/engineering bricks?

Or strap it down from the timber plate to be fixed along its top?

Cheers for any assistance.

 

[cjard]

"What does your building inspector want you to do?", would possibly be the more valid question..

 

[tony1851]

Or perhaps even more to the point, what does your SE say?

 

[oly]

Or perhaps even more to the point, what does your SE say?

That is a good point, and I would say I am trying to understand what the options are – the SE's information/spec has been somewhat sketchy about this (he seems to be very pushed for time), whilst BC has referred me back to the SE.

In fairness, I'd say the SE is used to dealing with builders who 'know' how to fit/fix these things, whilst as a DIYer I'm in the dark about some of the detail points and this in particular I can't seem to find anything about.

I can imagine putting bolts through the bottom of the beam into the padstone, but I honestly don't know if this is ever done. Likewise, I can imagine using metal straps to pin the beam down, screwing them into the blockwork, but again I don't know if this is what a builder would consider.

So any simple, practical ideas from one more experienced than me would be very much appreciated. Cheers.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Not massively experienced in these matters but in a similar situation (lintels above door and window in a single storey leanto) all Building Control up here wanted were steel straps over the top and screwed to the wall in a few places.

Gravity is your friend with a chunky bit of metal like that, the lateral load won't be much (especially if roof pitch is less than 45 degrees) and drilling through padstones might not be a good idea.....

 

[tony1851]

Why bother tying it down anyway? As above, it's a chunky piece of steel and it won't be going anywhere.

Time and again we see inspectors (and not a few SEs) stating "Steel beams to be bolted down to padstones", but in practice it's difficult to do, and almost always a waste of time even trying.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

Just grout it in with a rich sand/cement mix. Gravity and friction are your friend.
Frank