
What is a supporting lintel repair?
SAGGING LINTEL REPAIR. A lintel is defined as a horizontal support of timber, stone, concrete, or steel across the top of a window or door which supports the weight above the opening. In masonry work, a lintel is a support form that is left in place to ensure proper stability for both brick and mortar.
How to repair a lintel with spiral bars?
If you are dealing with a brick flat arch lintels, you can easily carry out lintel repair with helical spiral bars. These stainless steel bars are bonded into slots above an existing lintel. This imparts load-bearing strength and provides a highly effective repair with minimum disruption.
Can you replace a lintel with a window?
In these instances the lintel will need to be reinforced (or replaced) before you remove and install new windows. If you are dealing with a brick flat arch lintels, you can easily carry out lintel repair with helical spiral bars. These stainless steel bars are bonded into slots above an existing lintel.
What is the best way to repair a brick lintel?
‘Remedial steel bar systems’ are good for repairing traditional brick and brick arch lintels. You need to remove selected segments of the pointing and then insert the RSBS across the entire length of the lintel. Depending on the damage/issue, the brick arch lintel might need ‘pinning’ in position too.

Can you repair a concrete lintel?
As corrosion appears the lintel expands, causing the surrounding masonry to crack. Cases like this can be repaired either by supplementing the existing lintel or replacing the existing lintel.
Can you fix to a lintel?
Drilling into Steel Lintels Steel lintels are even more difficult to fix to as, once you have drilled through the plaster and reached the steel lintel, you must then swap drill bits for a high speed steel bit and then use self tapping screws to fix the item you wish to hang.
How do you repair a metal lintel?
0:255:54How to Get a Good Fixing through Plasterboard into Steel - Video #2YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey've put a little red raw plug into the plaster board.MoreThey've put a little red raw plug into the plaster board.
How do I remove and replace a lintel?
How to replace or remove a lintelStep 1 – Cut into mortar. First, cut into the mortar between bricks above the lintel. ... Step 2 – Insert props and masonry supports. ... Step 3 – Remove bricks. ... Step 4 – Remove and replace lintel. ... Step 5 – Replace bricks. ... Step 6 – Leave 24 hours.
How much does it cost to fix a lintel?
between $100 to $400A lintel is a beam located above a door or window, which supports the wall above the opening. A lintel replacement typically costs between $100 to $400. Lintels come in various materials, such as concrete, brick, timber, or steel.
Do I need building regs to replace a lintel?
Yes, if the alterations are of a structural nature. For example, the removal or part removal of a load bearing wall, partition, beam or a chimney breast. The insertion of a beam or lintel which affects the structural stability of the building will also require approval.
What causes lintel failure?
The most common reasons for lintel failure are faults with the lintel such as the corrosion of the steel. It's important to note that lintels may be cracked or blown due to other structural issues such as movement in the wall or foundations.
How can you tell if a lintel is concrete or steel?
The easiest way to tell if a lintel is concrete or steel is by appearance. Concrete lintels are often gray in color and look similar to a concrete block. Concrete lintels have an “unfinished” style and would often look great with brick walls due to concrete's contrasting gray shade to the brick's classic red color.
How long do steel lintels last?
between five to 10 yearsSteel lintels are fairly durable in nature and can last between five to 10 years before they need replacement. To increase their lifespan, clean out any existing weep tubes or ask a professional to help you replace them if they are clogged.
Is a cracked lintel serious?
Cracking to window lintels is a tell-tell sign of movement within a structure and shows that the lintel that supports the masonry above the window has failed. The threat of collapse is very real in many circumstances and a crack in the lintel should never be overlooked.6 Signs that indicate a possible structural problem in your propertyhttps://protenservices.co.uk › 2017/04 › 6-signs-that-indic...https://protenservices.co.uk › 2017/04 › 6-signs-that-indic...
Does insurance cover lintel failure?
If the cracks in your home are caused by natural settlement, lintel failure or thermal movement, it's unlikely that you'll be covered by your home insurance. This is because these causes are considered wear and tear and normal deterioration to a property over time.Cracks in walls - Home Insurance - MoneySuperMarkethttps://www.moneysupermarket.com › home-insurancehttps://www.moneysupermarket.com › home-insurance
How do I install a new lintel?
4:4711:54How to Install a Lintel and New Opening in Brickwork - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn i have to make sure that it's free from debris free from dust. And it's also wetted down and thatMoreIn i have to make sure that it's free from debris free from dust. And it's also wetted down and that way i'm going to get a good bond. Between this mortar.How to Install a Lintel and New Opening in Brickwork - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › watchhttps://www.youtube.com › watch
Can you drill into lintel?
When drilling into a concrete lintel, you should start with the smallest drill bit for masonry you have in your set. A drill bit of 3mm is a good place to start, and you can then work up from there to get the size of hole you need. When it comes to concrete, the smaller the drill bit, the easier it will penetrate.
How do you tell if there is a lintel?
If you get sawdust-wood, and if you get brick dust then drill upwards about 3" toward the window and 2" in from the corner...if you hit metal you'll hear it and there will be a steel in there.
How can you tell if a lintel is concrete or steel?
The easiest way to tell if a lintel is concrete or steel is by appearance. Concrete lintels are often gray in color and look similar to a concrete block. Concrete lintels have an “unfinished” style and would often look great with brick walls due to concrete's contrasting gray shade to the brick's classic red color.
What causes lintel failure?
Damp is the chief cause of lintel failure within all of the most common building materials used to make a lintel, and moisture will always have a large part to play in the routine degradation of a lintels ability to perform, culminating in total failure.
What to do internally when carrying out lintel repairs?
Now we will take a look at what to do internally. The best course of action is determined by the severity of the cracks and if they run through to the internal leaf of your cavity wall.
How to tell if lintel is failing?
When lintels fail, they often cause vertical cracks to appear in the surrounding masonry. Vertical stepped cracks in the brickwork are therefore the clearest evidence that your lintel has failed. You will generally see vertical cracks appearing diagonally up and in from the top corners of the windows.
What is a lintel?
A lintel is a type of structural support used in buildings. They are installed horizontally above opening such as doors and windows to support the load of the structure above. Lintels can be made of bricks, concrete, timber or metal. They provide additional strength at weaker points - if a load-bearing lintel is damaged then it requires attention.
How far above a window should you install a helical bar?
The installation method outlined below applies to both window and door lintels. It is strongly recommended that you install helical bars at two levels above the failed lintel. Helical bars when used for lintel repairs are available in three and seven metre lengths. These longer lengths allow the bars to extend beyond the window or door by ...
What are the problems with lintels?
Commonly these are brick lintels, steel lintels or concrete lintels. The first signs of a problem with a lintel are usually cracks in the masonry above the windows and doors.
What happens when you add a second bar to a lintel?
With the addition of a second bar, the stress forces that act on the lintel are further redistributed. The tensile strength exhibited by a lintel reinforced with a helical bar surpasses the alternatives, often many times over. With the lintel restored, you remove the risk of the lintel failing and any dangerous repercussions.
What is a lintel in a building?
A lintel is a type of structural support used in buildings. They are installed horizontally above opening such as doors and windows to support the load of the structure above. Lintels can be made of bricks, concrete, timber or metal.
Details of Lintel
While preparing the reference to the lintel, you have to take care of the structural support, which has been horizontally installed above the windows and doors for supporting the load above it. In terms of lintels, materials are prepared with bricks, concrete, metal, or timber for fitting the structural and aesthetic requirements of the building.
Failure of Lintel
When you can find some damage in load-bearing lintels, then it will need quick repairing. If you can suspect the failure of the lintel, then you have to consult with a professional lentil repair or replacement contractor as soon as possible.
Techniques of Repair
The traditional approach for Lintel repair is labor-intensive and time-consuming. There are various types’ lentil repair and replacement. The most prevalent techniques are reinforcements, deploying helical bars, and fixings. This can be installed very easily and quickly and obviously can be hidden with the help of masonry.
The main Process
Instead of an older labor-intensive lintel replacement that requires removing brickwork and masonry, fixings, reinforcement, and helical bars as described above, allow the support to be installed within an existing masonry. The first step of installing helical bars is to clean and chase the slot where the bars will get placed.
Conclusion
A speedy repair and replacement of the lintel are always necessary to maintain the base of the windows. So hire a professional window sill contractor Flushing in Queens, NY, for a better result.
What happens when a lintel fails?
Under normal circumstances, when the lintel fails, it will cause the brick above the header to sag and eventually crack. Over time, this can lead to the header completely failing and the brickwork falling off the house. Our system addresses this issue by adding much needed support underneath the sagging lintel.
What happens if a lintel is left unaddressed?
If left unaddressed, the structure can lose all support and collapse. This can be a major safety concern for those who may walk into and out of the garage, and can also cause damage to vehicles that may occupy the garage. If you notice signs of sagging lintels, be sure to contact a professional immediately. LINTELLIFT PRODUCTS.
What does sagging lintel mean?
Sagging is a telltale sign that the lintel is failing and not providing adequate support to the structure. It is important that these issues get addressed quickly, as they can rapidly develop into more serious structural problems. Sagging lintels can be a result of many things.
Why does my garage door lintel sag?
Is it more common in two-car garages due to the higher pressure placed on the lintel to support a longer opening. However, regardless of the size of your garage, it is important to keep an eye out for sagging lintels. Sagging is a telltale sign that the lintel is failing and not providing adequate support to the structure. It is important that these issues get addressed quickly, as they can rapidly develop into more serious structural problems.
Why is my lintel sagging?
These can be installation errors such as lack of space for the lintel to expand in warmer months, causing pressure on the structure , as well as environmental elements and deterioration over time. If left unaddressed, the structure can lose all support and collapse.
What is a lintellift kit?
LintelLift products are sold as complete packages to repair a single sagging lintel or as individual parts. The kit includes a top beam, two side columns, and the decorative covers as well as all hardware required for a clean installation.
Can you use lintellift to repair brick?
The LintelLift system can also be installed during construction of the home and pre-stressed ahead of laying the brickwork. Once the mortar is cured, it can be released and will prevent future sagging of the lintel. LintelLift products are sold as complete packages to repair a single sagging lintel or as individual parts.
Why do you need a lintel for masonry?
Because masonry goes together wet and cures to a hardened state after 28 days , it is impossible to install masonry over a door or window without using a masonry support during the curing process.
What happens to a lintel when it gets hot?
When steel gets hot, its molecules expand, making the lintel vulnerable to sagging under immense weight. At this point, the lintel is in place, it’s level, it’s the correct size to carry the load, and it’s bolted into the header. With the appropriate size of lintel bolted into the header and brick ties throughout the brick work, ...
What is a lintel made of?
While a lintel can be made from timber, stone, or concrete, it’s almost always made of steel when used in masonry. Steel lintels can be flat bars which are either used flat or bent into other shapes, such as an arc when used under a brick archway; however, most steel lintels used in masonry are what are known as angle iron lintels. ...
How big should a lintel be for a garage door?
For example, a standard size for a lintel that is intended to span a 16-foot garage door is 4” x 6” x 17’ x 3 /8”. Because the back or vertical wall of the lintel is where it gets most of its strength, a flat lintel can bow under its own weight, but an angle iron lintel won’t allow the bottom to bow without crunching the vertical wall of the lintel. Therefore, a 1/4-inch-thick angle iron lintel is actually more supportive than a 1 inch thick, flat lintel.
Can you install a lintel on either side of a garage door?
Prior to the installation of the lintel, the brick must first be installed on either side of the garage door to an elevation equal to the top of the garage door, and both sides must be perfectly level to each other. Once this is step is completed, it’s then ready for the lintel.
Can you install an angle iron lintel over a garage door?
When installing an angle iron lintel over a garage door or any other opening, there is a process to follow, and if any step in that process is omitted, it will almost certainly lead to a failure of the lintel’s ability to support the weight load.
Why do steel lintels need to be replaced?
This occurs due to corrosion which is really nothing more than the inherent tendency of metals to revert from a processed, metallic state to their more natural state, which we commonly call “ore”. The freeze thaw cycles and ensuing water intrusion takes a heavy toll on the steel eventually causing need for steel lintel repair or replacement. This will also likely contribute to quite expensive masonry, window and door frame repairs due to deflection, movement from swelling, rust, etc. if not properly monitored and maintained.
Can you replace lintels immediately?
Heaven forbid, if the lintels need replaced, do so immediately – procrastination will likely cause more headaches, hassles, and lots more money in damages to other adjacent building materials and structures.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Lintel Yourself?
However, homeowners can maintain intact lintels according to their material type (e.g., priming and painting steel lintels), which helps prevent costly issues down the line and extend the lintel’s lifespan .
What Factors Influence the Cost to Replace a Lintel?
While the lintel used to be a decorative piece, it was slowly integrated into modern housing structures to support the weight of the wall above doors and windows. The final cost of a lintel replacement depends on the following key factors.
Does lintel reinforcement reduce headroom?
Also if there is room for lintel reinforcement or if it as set as low as the bottom of the door header so reinforcing under neath would reduce headroom for car entry. Depending on what a Structural Engineer determined, might require total replacement of the header beam and removal and replacement of a substantial amount of overhead brick ...

Details of Lintel
- While preparing the reference to the lintel, you have to take care of the structural support, which has been horizontally installed above the windows and doors for supporting the load above it. In terms of lintels, materials are prepared with bricks, concrete, metal, or timber for fitting the structural and aesthetic requirements of the building. The lintels of the window are very importan…
Failure of Lintel
- When you can find some damage in load-bearing lintels, then it will need quick repairing. If you can suspect the failure of the lintel, then you have to consult with a professional lentil repair or replacement contractor as soon as possible. Commonly this Lintel failure gets recognized when upgrading to the modern double-glazed window or at the time of window replacement.
Techniques of Repair
- The traditional approach for Lintel repair is labor-intensive and time-consuming. There are various types’ lentil repair and replacement. The most prevalent techniques are reinforcements, deploying helical bars, and fixings. This can be installed very easily and quickly and obviously can be hidden with the help of masonry. By using this method, you...
The Main Process
- Instead of an older labor-intensive lintel replacement that requires removing brickwork and masonry, fixings, reinforcement, and helical bars as described above, allow the support to be installed within an existing masonry. The first step of installing helical bars is to clean and chase the slot where the bars will get placed. Following that, a particular anchor group is applied befor…
Conclusion
- A speedy repair and replacement of the lintel are always necessary to maintain the base of the windows. So hire a professional window sill contractor Flushing in Queens, NY, for a better result.