Lintel Required? 1

[XR250]

Working on a project where an addition is being constructed off the rear of the house. Due to the crappy condition of the brick veneer and challenges supporting it or attaching thru it, we have decided to remove most of it.
The Arch. wants to leave a little over the door below.
Do y'all think I need a lintel or should I cantilever the brick? The shear and deep beam bending stress in the brick is insignificant however, I do not want to stray too far from accepted practice.
I guess I could bolt a short lintel to the existing header. Not sure how much good it will do. I guess it depends if the contractor is going to build back that short segment or just cut off what is there and patch it up.
Thanks!

 

[phamENG]

Put in the lintel. There are ways of designing it as a deep beam, of course, but given the quality (or lack there of) that seems so prevalent in residential veneer masonry, I wouldn't chance it. I'd also be concerned about the long term condition of the mortar in the bed joints. You'll get corbeling action from the corner up, but that triangle below will be in tension in the bed joints. Eventually, it'll weather and a brick or two or all of them will fall out. Bad day if you just walked out and slammed the door.

 

[dik]

Why not eliminate the cantilever... it looks really strange.

Dik

 

[KootK]

Agree with phamENG (and dik). That hanging wedge of brick smacks of somebody getting bonked on the head on their way out the door.

 

[JAE]

I see cracking in your future....

 

[dik]

JAE... maybe just remove the bricks you have shown... it will look just as strange.

Dik

 

[kipfoot]

I'd say add an angle fastened to the framing with the idea that it will carry the triangle of brick that isn't part of the natural corbel. Something like IRC R708.8. (Hopefully you can change the architect's mind before this gets built, because it's ridiculous)

 

[XR250]

The Arch. likes his detail! I'll add the lintel to keep the triangle glued together.
I appreciate everyone's comments!

 

[JoelTXCive]

I would put a lintel in.

The door will open and shut hundreds of times over the years sending a little tiny vibration through the mortar joints. I don't think you should launch into a fatigue analysis, but throwing a small lintel bolted to the header seems like a good idea and minimal cost.

Also, Not to beat up on the architect too much... but that is silly looking.

 

[dik]

"Not to beat up on the architect too much... but that is silly looking."

Why not... he clearly deserves it.

Dik

 

[KootK]

The lintel solves the safety issue but, even with it in place, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see JAE's crack materialize. It's tough to get those lintels in there snug without any play.

 

[IRstuff]

Maybe you can convince the Arch to only ditch the brickwork over the door? That might at least make some architectural sense...

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[JAE]

You might be able to simply use a steel angle loose lintel that cantilevers out over the door - with a back span on the angle of perhaps 1.5 times the cantilever length?

 

[XR250]

You might be able to simply use a steel angle loose lintel that cantilevers out over the door - with a back span on the angle of perhaps 1.5 times the cantilever length?

That's a good idea and more masonry work. i'll run it by the contractor. I agree about potential cracking with the bolted lintel segment. I'll raise the concerns with the Arch. and see if he will change his design,.

 

[masonrygeek]

I think you already have your answer, but try to convince the architect to continue the brickwork over to the addition. Then you can put in a loose lintel over the sliding doors. And you can support the magically hanging brick rowlock beneath the window as well. All of this discussion about beams and such goes away.

 

[JoelTXCive]

Okay.....I'll gang up on the architect....

I'm trying to imagine what the trim work around the door jamb is going to look like and I can't.

On the left hand side of the door, I think there will be brick moulding covering the brick ends and forming a transition to the door jamb.

On the right hand side of the door, it appears you have a siding product. That will require a moulding or trim piece of some sort, but it's not going to be as thick as the brick moulding.

Somewhere in the middle of the door, those moulding pieces are going to meet?

I'm sure a trim carpenter/exterior cornice guy can figure this out, but he/she's not going to be happy about it.

 

[XR250]

Maybe I will forward this thread to the Architect .
I sure hope those are not rowlocks below the windows!
I'll ping him and find out.

 

[JAE]

....OR.... you could convince them to use thin adhered brick instead of full brick and just glue it to the sheathing.

 

[kmart30]

That is ugly.....square it off or rip the brick off down to about mid height of the door for a skirt look.

 

[Tomfh]

Lintels are generally only there to carry the triangle anyway.