8FT Lintel

[Arthur 51]

Hi. I am thinking about enlarging a ground floor (single brick) wall opening which is currently 42" wide and is in the middle of the wall. One side of the opening is adjacent to the back wall of the house and this section is also some 42" wide. The back wall of the house is double brick and the wall with the opening in it rises into the loft to form a pyramid that the big wood beam sits on (can't remember the term). So the question is..based on a few things I've read. I will need a lintel of about 8 ft long but some builders don't recommend concrete lintels over

6ft. What do you recommend here?

Thanks. Arthur

[Roger Mills]

Use an RSJ - 7" high x 4" wide. If you do that, your BCO will probably accept it without requiring any calculations. The ends will need to be supported on padstones at least 150mm long, one of which will need to be embedded in the outside wall.

[It's probably easiest to make a hole right through the outside wall, feed the RSJ in through it, and brick it up when done.]

[Arthur 51]

Yes. That sounds like the sensible route. Thanks.

Arthur

[Cicero]

=================================================

While you're at the planning stage you might consider getting a professional opinion about the possible danger of removing the entire section of the wall adjacent to the outer wall, if that's what you intend doing.

Somebody mentioned in an earlier thread (somewhere in 'Structural wall'

- 09/09/09) the idea of 'buttressing'. Internal walls often act as stiffeners / buttresses for the whole house structure. If you can leave a section of the wall in place it might also be easier to locate the lintel on a padstone.

Cic.

[Arthur 51]

I have given that idea some thought and still might use that method. I will get the same effect as I am aiming for i.e. a breakfast bar separating the dining room and kitchen, in both cases.

Arthur