Installing lintels and knocking out walls

Glenn

Glenn

Hi All,

I just wanted to know if there is anything tricky to consider before installing a lintel and knocking out the wall underneath. The process I was going to follow was:

1. Cut a horizontal line with angle grinder on both sides of single brick wall at the height that I wanted to install the lintel

2. Come in 100mm each side of horizontal cut and create vertical cut the floor

3. Bang in an angle shaped lintel with longest side on the outside

4. Demolish brickwork underneath lintel

5. Stand back and go "f*&^%, that's a big hole!"

6. Call Jakk over for a stubbior to admire handiwork and generally "talk it up" for an hour or so!

Glenn
 
Glenn, that sounds like a good method. I do not think that a permit is required for internal walls, but check with council or better still ask a licensed building surveyor, who could certify it for you.

Just a thought.

cheers,
RightValue
 
Originally posted by Glenn
Hi All,


6. Call Jakk over for a stubbior to admire handiwork and generally "talk it up" for an hour or so!

Glenn
Click to expand...

Ahh what the heck, having made such an almighty hole, might as well really talk it up and get a serious supply of stubboirs and make it an all nighter.

regards and good luck
 
Try this:

1..Knock out about 4 x 1/2 bricks in a line 2 courses above the line you want to cut out. (say every 3 or 4 bricks across)

2.. Place hardwood beams through these holes (The beams could be about 1 metre long and about 100mm x 100mm)

3.. Support the ends of these beams off the floor with Acrow props , so you will need 8 Acrow props.

4..Mark your hole and cut it out with a petrol hand held concrete saw. (Angle grinder will take you forever)

5.. Have a couple of stubboirs and admire size of forearms.

6..Install lintel (or arch bar) and take away Acrow props.

You need to support the weight above the arch before you cut it or get some advice cause it can be tricky if theres a lot of weight on the wall.
 
Glenn,
First thing I would suggest is a good hot cup of tea (before Jakk arrives....) and really decide if the lintle project is going to add value to the property.

Having recently "worked through" a small project of the type you are considering, give some consideration as to how you are going to hold up the wall above the cut , before you make the cut. Rows of bricks don't work well in tension !

LL
 
Hi Glenn,

If ya need a hand with either the wall or consuming the stubboirs give me a call.

-Regards

Dave
 
Ive seen it done on sites exactly as described above, and it works as theres only one or two courses of bricks to support and they usually hang on by their mortar until the arch bar goes in.
But you might need an I beam (RSJ) if its a wide arch.

LL,

Im sure theres other ways to do it, any suggestions?

Originally posted by landlubber
Glenn,
First thing I would suggest is a good hot cup of tea (before Jakk arrives....) and really decide if the lintle project is going to add value to the property.

Having recently "worked through" a small project of the type you are considering, give some consideration as to how you are going to hold up the wall above the cut , before you make the cut. Rows of bricks don't work well in tension !

LL
Click to expand...
 
Hi Glenn

I have used pretty much all of the methods described above at various times.

Two critical factors are:

1. How much weight is on the wall
2. how good is the mortar

if there's no load on the wall and mortar is rock solid, then angle grinder (or concrete saw) method will be fine.

(BTW, if you are only doing one small area, I'd use the angle grinder if you own it, rather that the expense of the petrol brick cutter - but if you have access to it, the brick cutter is a LOT easier)

if there is a load, but the mortar is good, OR there is no load but the mortar is bad, then you should use brains method of knocking out a brick and inserting a support with acrows.

it sounds like it is just a doorway, so you could well be ok. i had an old (1920's) place in west perth and had to do exactly what you are looking at. i used an angle grinder to cut the slot for the lintel, inserted in, then cut away the bricks. The mortar was very loose and came away easily. This slightly contradicts what i said above, but at the end of the day you have to make a judgement call about the strength of the wall.

i also used Jakk's stubbior method after completing the job, which worked extremelly well also, apart from headache the next day!

Cheers Ned
 
I would say it is all about what it is supporting??

So if you have a hole and nothing has come crashing down from above (would be better to check first?) then the only thing you have underestermated is the number of stubbies needed (and/or mates to see hole)

Good luck

Spleaverr
 
Hi All,

Firstly, thank you for the informative replies.

After getting on the roof and removing the tiles just above the wall, I found that the wall in fact supported nothing...so the whole wall came down...

The resultant hole will require maaaaany stubbiours.

Glenn
 
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