Where to buy lintels

[xena]

Hiya

We're converting a steel framed barn to a single story sloping roof games room. Two end walls and all corners are already up but the front and back are steel shuttering. We will be removing this and using concrete blocks to build the walls. We have found some windows on eBay - sizes as follows:

1 X WINDOW 89 1/2" LONG X 39 3/4" HIGH (2 SIDE, 1 TOP OPENER) 1 X WINDOW 80 1/2" LONG X 38 1/4" HIGH (2 SIDE 1 TOP OPENER) 1 X WINDOW 59" LONG X 38 1/4" HIGH (1 SIDE 1 TOP OPENER) 1 X WINDOW 47 1/2" LONG X 38 1/4" HIGH (1 SIDE 1 TOP OPENER)

I think these would be great, let loads of light in, etc. Hubby reckons that they'll cost a fortune in lintels and that smaller would be better. I've had a look on the net, but have found loads of sites that want to give loads of info on their lintels, but no price.

Does anyone know where is a good place to get lintels, along with a price list?

Many thanks xena

[Andrew Gabriel]

Wander along to your local builder's merchant. I was surprised how cheap small lintels are -- I haven't bought any big ones. They'll probably deliver free whilst out on their daily rounds of building site deliveries.

[Rob Morley]

Here's a site with prices - I've no idea how typical they are

Your location will play a part in this, as delivery costs will depend on that. Best to work out what sizes you need and phone a few local BMs.

[ben]

xena wrote: [snip]

[Rob Morley]

Aren't those for a brick cavity wall? I though the OP was looking to use a single-leaf block contruction.

[xena]

long and 8.5" deep, you know, the ones which are hollow inside except for a bracing bit of concrete going across the middle.

Looks like we need a 220m deep lintel then, and maybe 100m height is enough for a single storey? The link above gives the following:

************** Prestressed Concrete Lintels Prestressed concrete lintels available in different sections and lengths. ACP Prestressed lintels are manufactured on modern plant to the highest standard and in accordance with BS5977 with safe load tables conforming to the requirements of BS8110, 1985

Prestressed Concrete Lintels Lintel type - Lintel type: 100 x 220mm, Lintel Length: 2700mm

Price: £41.71 £49.01 Including VAT at 17.5%

Prestressed Concrete Lintels Lintel type - Lintel type: 100 x 220mm, Lintel Length: 1800mm

Price: £27.80 £32.67 Including VAT at 17.5%

***************

Yep, I'll give Travis Perkins and LBS a shout now that I've seen what sizes and prices are available.

Many thanks to everyone who's replied.

xena

[xena]

Umm, maybe that'll be a bit big... Let's try 220mm x 100mm.

[Rob Morley]

If you get the 100m one you could cut it up into a few pieces and not bother with using blocks :-)

[Autolycus]

AIUI, you already have a steel structure, so the lintel would only be supporting the blockwork infill between it and the eaves beam. Any chance of setting the windows right up against the eaves beam? Or very close, with a lightweight (timber, insulation, cladding) panel above them?

[xena]

lol, Yeh, theoretically, but we live about 3 miles from the sea and believe me, there isn't much steel left!! The remnants of the frame will be removed otherwise yes, that would have been a fab idea.

Thanks for the input.

xena

[shaun]

Would be a bugger to deliver tho ;-)

[Lobster]

You can get steel lintels, used but in very good nick, at architectural salvage yards for silly money, but I suppose the wisdom of buying them is a bit questionable as you don't know their history (bit like buying second-hand car seat belts or motorcycle crash helmets?)

David

[Michael Mcneil]

What about using the steel that the shutter runs off?

The roof is supported by the wall plate or whatever RSJ, I take it? A wall plate is a section of 4 x 3 running along the top of the masonry. Since you are using blocks why not just put such a plate on top?

You really don't need lintles. A picture or diagram would help.

Otherwise a length of 7, 8 or 9 x 2 would do the job. The section size required depends on the length of the shed and what there is to support it.

[xena]

There is no useable steel left in the structure. The size of the structure is approx 18' deep by 60' long. One half will be a games room, the other will be a storage room with the possiblility of using it as a stable should I need to. I'm not sure yet what the roof will be made of, we will possibly the steel box profile that is currently on the roof. Thus we anticipate having the front wall approx 12' high sloping to 10' at the back (so the nag's got enough room), giving a slope of 6.3 degrees (I think, if I can remember my trig properly). That should be enough of a slope.

By my reckoning, the top of the window frame should be about 6'6" high meaning that there will be 3'6" of *something* between the top of the window and the roofline at the back, and 5'6 at the front.

We have a lot of roof timbers left from the barn shuttering and roof so hopefully can make use of these. We were speaking to our neighbour earlier and he also said that we may be able to get away without using lintels.

Some pics here if you have a little imagination:

[xena]

Sorry, should have clarified, our neighbour has a lot of bricking/building experience and we will be paying him to help us with the build, so there is going to be someone around who knows what they're doing! I asked advice on here because our neighbour is away at the moment and I needed to make a decision on whether the windows were right for us.

[Rick]

Builders merchant, concrete ones are arround a tenner else steel merchant for RSJ's

CATNIC and the like are more expensive options.

Rick