Do I have a lintel?
Discussion
As far as I know this structure was built around the millennium. It resembles a garage but was built by the previous owner principally for the purpose of storing a large collection of books. I now want it to be a garage.
My concern is that it was never intended to have a door opening and so there might not be a lintel. A garage door was fitted over the opening but it was just fixed by brackets under the render. The door says 1997 on it. There is no sign of hardware on it which suggests it ever actually functioned as an up ‘n’ over door.
What kind of detective work do I do to see if there is a lintel?
I fear there’s a very real chance I don’t have one, then again the horizontal cracking in the render above the door on the outside and inside is very straight…
My concern is that it was never intended to have a door opening and so there might not be a lintel. A garage door was fitted over the opening but it was just fixed by brackets under the render. The door says 1997 on it. There is no sign of hardware on it which suggests it ever actually functioned as an up ‘n’ over door.
What kind of detective work do I do to see if there is a lintel?
I fear there’s a very real chance I don’t have one, then again the horizontal cracking in the render above the door on the outside and inside is very straight…
Doesn't look like there's a lintel on the inner leaf, the blocks seem to continue past the top of the opening so it may well all be a solid wall.
That said it does look shonky enough to just be infill so maybe the lintel is just a little higher.
Knock some plaster off the inside and it'll be obvious enough.
Outer might have a proper lintel or they might just have had enough that it was sat on the door or on something minimal. Cracks could be from a lintel expanding/contracting or could be a row of blocks trying to drop. Only way is to look!
Drilling it to test isn't a great idea - you've no idea on the type of lintel and you might not do it any favours. Easier to uncover and look, especially if the construction might not be tobspec for an actual opening.
That said it does look shonky enough to just be infill so maybe the lintel is just a little higher.
Knock some plaster off the inside and it'll be obvious enough.
Outer might have a proper lintel or they might just have had enough that it was sat on the door or on something minimal. Cracks could be from a lintel expanding/contracting or could be a row of blocks trying to drop. Only way is to look!
Drilling it to test isn't a great idea - you've no idea on the type of lintel and you might not do it any favours. Easier to uncover and look, especially if the construction might not be tobspec for an actual opening.
Edited by JoshSm on Saturday 23 May 15:46
Hard to say; there was a garage door and frame there which was removed, then the opening blocked?
If so I’d say the head of the door frame served as a lintel, explains the compressed mortar on the underside of the bricks in this image, you can’t build on fresh air after all.
Have a poke on the inside where it’s un-rendered, I’m guessing there is no lintel.
If so I’d say the head of the door frame served as a lintel, explains the compressed mortar on the underside of the bricks in this image, you can’t build on fresh air after all.
Have a poke on the inside where it’s un-rendered, I’m guessing there is no lintel.
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