What is a Lintel and what are the different types of Lintels?
If you’re a builder or have worked in the industry you may have heard the term Lintel but are you sure you know what they are? And what are they used for and the different types? The long and short answer is they are an essential part of any building infrastructure. In this short blog we’re going to take a little deep dive and look at everything you need to know.
Lintel is simply a beam that is usually placed above windows and doors and its main job is to support (hold up) the structure above it although most windows and doors are specially designed to hold their own and can carry weight on their own Lintel are usually found in masonry and brick structures.
What are the different types of Lintels?
There are many different types of Lintels used for many different types of buildings. The type of lintel used often Varies depending on a number of factors such as cost, material and availability. The main types are brick lintel, timber lintel, steel lintel and concrete lintel.
Conrete Lintels
We will start with the most common lintel used in construction that being concrete this is because they can support heavy loads in larger structures and spans. There are many advantages to using concrete lintels the main being they can adapt to any shape or size and can fit comfortably above your windows and doors as well as being economical and most importantly durable.
Although concrete lintels provide many benefits as with anything faults can be encountered, if there are horizontal cracks within the concrete lintel the problem will need to be resolved as soon as possible. Cracks can allow water to seep in over time and can cause the steel reinforcement inside the concrete to rust, if this does occur it might be worth replacing it all together or using another form of concrete production.
Timber Lintels
Timber lintels are a little less common and often used in parts of the country where timber is more accessible, most commonly used in barn conversions with most properties opting to replace timber lintels with something a little more up to date.
Although timber lintels work great in some buildings there can be a few negatives such as they are structurally weak and are a lot less durable. One of the bigger reasons are problems leading to dampness leading to forming and rotting issues as well as the change of woodworms infesting and attacking the timber. If timber lintels become damaged it’s important to treat them or replace them as soon as possible.
Stone Lintels
Stone lintels are another really popular and are used regularly and are often used when stone can be accessed easily. They are not often used on buildings in built up areas (mountainous) simply because they weigh too much.
Their lintels are used in areas of the country where stone is easy to access, although there can be a few problems with stone lintels such as high cost, particularly vulnerable to manipulation (bend) and particularly difficult to transport due to their weight.
Steel Lintels
Steel lintels aren’t always the first choice when it comes to lintels; they are typically used when the load above is heavy and the opening gaps are also large. They are reliable and can last many years as they do not erode or rust.
Brick Lintels and Reinforced Lintels
Brick lintels are mainly used in light buildings where the gap is less than 1m. Usually the brick lintels that are frog filled with mortar provide shear resistance and join ends with the standard blocks that are used typically. Typically reinforced brick lintels used where the loadings are heavy and the span length could cause problems for brick lintels; they also provide more support than brick lintels.
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