Weatherproofing/boxing in RSJ from the outside

[Hl.house]

Hi all, a bad builder in the past have left us with an an exposed RSJ from both sides. We have fitted noggins and will plaster inside with fire lined plasterboard, however, we have no clue what/how to do from outside. We have just removed the board from outside to see if an existing door(blue border) fits under the RSJ but clearly it is narrower than the opening so ignore it.
I have attached a picture to show how it looks from outside.
Please, please, please help!!!!!!


On there note do I need to box and fire proof the steel uprighters internally?

 

[tomfe]

What the finnegan is going on there?
I would be tempted to build a little porch on the back to cover up all that or do some timber cladding. Even if you cover the beam you still have the column to contend with.
Internal you want to use some insulated plaster board to stop any condensation.

Any chance you could show us the SE design for this?

 

[Hl.house]

What the finnegan is going on there?
I would be tempted to build a little porch on the back to cover up all that or do some timber cladding. Even if you cover the beam you still have the column to contend with.
Internal you want to use some insulated plaster board to stop any condensation.

Any chance you could show us the SE design for this?

Thank you for replying. We have the SE papers with calculations. Will that be good enough?
ps. SE was bought in by builder. It is extremely difficult to contact builder now.

 

[tomfe]

I was just wondering why you needed a column, it just seems daft to me. For that span I think a ub is OTT as well, does it go through the wall and span over the kitchen or something?

 

[Hl.house]

I was just wondering why you needed a column, it just seems daft to me. For that span I think a ub is OTT as well, does it go through the wall and span over the kitchen or something?

yes, it spans over the kitchen. Total RSJ span is 4m. For the last one metre it comes in the side space where it is both external and internal.

 

[russellsmiler]

Theres a bit of work needed here to make this pretty again!!

Not sure of budget, but i would try and get structural engineer to re- calc and see if post could be removed and replaced with toothed in brickwork up to underside of beam (the end bearing may be only 100mmish, and usually 150mm is called for but its main work is the other side of the wall spanning the kitchen).

Now seeings you have employed a bricklayer for this I would take out the arch above and have new brickwork in its place.

it would be possible with the right skills to cut some brick slips and adhere them to to web of the steel beam also.

A bit of work indeed, but i couldnt live with that mess myself and would need to pretty it up.

 

[Hl.house]

yes, it spans over the kitchen. Total RSJ span is 4m. For the last one metre it comes in the side space.

Theres a bit of work needed here to make this pretty again!!

Not sure of budget, but i would try and get structural engineer to re- calc and see if post could be removed and replaced with toothed in brickwork up to underside of beam (the end bearing may be only 100mmish, and usually 150mm is called for but its main work is the other side of the wall spanning the kitchen).

Now seeings you have employed a bricklayer for this I would take out the arch above and have new brickwork in its place.

it would be possible with the right skills to cut some brick slips and adhere them to to web of the steel beam also.

A bit of work indeed, but i couldnt live with that mess myself and would need to pretty it up.

Thank you so much for replying.
No we haven't hired a brick layer yet. We need to know what/how it needs to be done before we get anyone on board as we are still suffering from the previous bad builders' work.
RSJ web has a depth of approx 4.5cm. Brick is about 11cm(smaller side). How to fit it in the web? Do we need to cut it?

 

[russellsmiler]

regarding the laying of bricks in the Web of the Steel. yes you would have to cut slipe to the required thickness, a tricky job to do , but the right tradesman would make a good job of it.

 

[Hl.house]

Here is a picture from inside if it helps. We have fitted 3x2 timber noggins approx 40cm apart(centres).

 

[Hl.house]

regarding the laying of bricks in the Web of the Steel. yes you would have to cut slipe to the required thickness, a tricky job to do , but the right tradesman would make a good job of it.

Somewhere brick slip was mentioned. Would that be easier than cutting bricks? Where to find them?

 

[^woody^]

Why didn't whoever designed this, design a method of finishing it?

That way, the steel would be set back enough to allow cement board to be fixed across it, and then faced with brick slips bonded in to the walls around it. You can't do that now.

Trying to wedge bricks in the web will only cause them to spring back out after expansion/contraction cycles. Likewise for any non-standard attempt at fixing slips.

You could potentially, pack out brick slips which will project about 40mm, and flash some lead over the top

Or you'll just have to bodge it with some god awfull cover that is neither here nor there, and just call it a "feature".

 

[Hl.house]

Why didn't whoever designed this, design a method of finishing it?
That way, the steel would be set back enough to allow cement board to be fixed across it, and then faced with brick slips bonded in to the walls around it. You can't do that now.

Trying to wedge bricks in the web will only cause them to spring back out after expansion/contraction cycles. Likewise for any non-standard attempt at fixing slips.

You could potentially, pack out brick slips which will project about 40mm, and flash some lead over the top

Or you'll just have to bodge it with some god awfull cover that is neither here nor there, and just call it a "feature".

Thank you for replying woody!
We were completely naive and had no experience of builders in Britain. We hired the builder through my builder and made the classic mistake of not having a contract. We are now considering a legal action against the builder.
However, reading on the internet I am not sure if we can achieve much through a legal action.
As for design, we did not hire an SE the builder bought an SE so I am not sure if we can access the SE.
Anyway, we now want to get it done as the opening(which was previously a window) is now boarded for a while and makes the room dark. I am not sure if I want to get the same builder back again hence getting informed of what will we need to do and which trade to hire.
Will try to contact the SE though and see what he says. I am surprised BCO did not raise any problem with this?

 

[^woody^]

Here is the principle of slips in the beam.

It looks like the columns can be clad in closers ( ie bricks cut in half long-ways), of not the same principle will apply.

 

[^woody^]

You might be able to recess the slips into the beam more than this by reducing the timber thickness. But the beam flanges (the top and bottom edges) do not align with the wall joints, so the slips will never match up with the wall. So there may be no advantage.

 

[Hl.house]

Here is the principle of slips in the beam.
View attachment 115002

It looks like the columns can be clad in closers ( ie bricks cut in half long-ways), of not the same principle will apply.

Thank you so much Woody! This is very very helpful.

This may be a very naive question, can the cement board be bolted in the web directly?