lintel help please

[Niel A. Farrow]

I've just bought a 6x4 concrete lintel to be positioned above a window (was a door) in the inner half of a solid 9" brick wall in my 150 year old end terrace. I removed the plaster above the window and the bricks were just hanging there! The outside half of the wall has the original stone (?) lintel still in place. Was going to use 4x2 lintel but so many bricks fell down a 6 x 4 can fit in easily now!

I got it home and found that one side is 6" and the side parallel to this is slightly shorter than 6" so that the lintel has a taper. As I'll be using it with the 4" side horizontal it leans over slightly, and so I'll have to bed it on a wedge of cement and likewise have the bricks sitting on it on a wedge of cement to keep everything level.

I phoned the place where I bought it and was told that they are made like that to get them out of the mold.... we don't make them .... it's ok .. They weren't convincing.

Is this ok, and if so, is there a preference for which way the taper should go (6" side facing out into the room or facing the bricks?).

Thank you,

Neil

[tim]

I was going to reply and tell you this was the reason, but someone's already done it

So you don't believe that is the reason then?

I think the parallel sides should be horizontal, not vertical (large side down.) Not sure how you make good on the outside

Tim

[Niel A. Farrow]

I was told they can be used eihter way up - ie for one brick or two brick widths - or else they would have to make two different 6 x 4 lintels?

I have a 2.5" x 4 and it's right angles all round.

Neil

[Charles Lamont]

Although it may not matter in this case, bear in mind that the load capacity of a 6x4 on edge will be more than twice (actually 2.25 times) as great as with it flat.