Victorian terrace - brick arch slipped - what to do?
Discussion
Victorian terrace with kitchen at back.
Little wood conservatory to side of kitchen.
Looks like they used expansion bolts for wood to support plastic roof.
caused brick arch to slip above kitchen door/window and cracks.
We want to replace connservatory with something more solid.
So we want to make sure that wall is ok to affix stuff to. Maybe joists.
What is the best course of action?
Rebuild arch?
New lintel above or replacing arch?
Brick it up?
Thanks.
Little wood conservatory to side of kitchen.
Looks like they used expansion bolts for wood to support plastic roof.
caused brick arch to slip above kitchen door/window and cracks.
We want to replace connservatory with something more solid.
So we want to make sure that wall is ok to affix stuff to. Maybe joists.
What is the best course of action?
Rebuild arch?
New lintel above or replacing arch?
Brick it up?
Thanks.
I am not a builder but that's an odd arrangement. It looks like the door has been widened and the arch part just hanging there!? I had something similar where a window had been widened and the lintel above was bearing on about 1" of crumbly plaster. Fortunately the builder knew what he was doing and got supports in then built a proper support up to it. I had a couple of sleepless nights mind! I'd guess you'll need to do something similar, or maybe prop up above it and get a proper lintel in. Not something I'd attempt DIY though!
Is there a lintel behind that top moulding on the inside of the doorframe? I'd suggest you expose some of that to see what shape that's in, particularly the right hand end of it. If it looks OK, then you might be able to just remedy the cosmetic movement of the brick arch. On the other hand if they've both moved you'll definitely need to get someone who knows what they're doing to sort it.
If you don't want to lose the brick arch you can use resin and rods to create a brick lintel, but again that's probably not a DIY job and I have no idea how expensive it is.
If you don't want to lose the brick arch you can use resin and rods to create a brick lintel, but again that's probably not a DIY job and I have no idea how expensive it is.
Expansion bolts might not have helped but they haven't caused that, an arch doesn't just drop because of a small amount of local pressure, there has to be space for it to move.
Has it been fiddled with previously? Brickwork to me looks a bit inconsistent.
Don't think it's the most challenging fix but depends what else is going on.
Has it been fiddled with previously? Brickwork to me looks a bit inconsistent.
Don't think it's the most challenging fix but depends what else is going on.
philv said:
Th arch is original.
The brick arch IS the victorian lintle .
I don't care about the arch.
Just want it solid so the wall above can support a heavier roof.
Our brick arches have a wooden lintel behind them holding up the inner skin of brick. If you don't, that's the first thing I'd be propping up. The brick arch IS the victorian lintle .
I don't care about the arch.
Just want it solid so the wall above can support a heavier roof.
Looking at the exterior brickwork above the arch it's a proper jumble, it's quite common for brickwork without much weight on it to be looser too, so I'd get that properly checked out before I attached anything to it.
There might have originally been a strip of iron between the wooden window frame and the 'arched' bricks.
My first house had a strip of rust...
That's by the by.
As a way forwards, I'd suggest an old school builder will have that apart and insert a galvanised lintel of some sort, then reinstate the bricks.
If you want to replicate the arch, you'll perhaps need a blacksmith/welder kind of chap to make a curved lintel. If you do that, it's not expensive to get it galved, but adds a delay, so if it's going to be 'indoors' you could be excused for not bothering.
My first house was 1897 I think, and I had it in the 1990s. Back then there were still similar houses which hadn't been mucked about much, so there were local builders around who understood how there were put together originally.
My first house had a strip of rust...
That's by the by.
As a way forwards, I'd suggest an old school builder will have that apart and insert a galvanised lintel of some sort, then reinstate the bricks.
If you want to replicate the arch, you'll perhaps need a blacksmith/welder kind of chap to make a curved lintel. If you do that, it's not expensive to get it galved, but adds a delay, so if it's going to be 'indoors' you could be excused for not bothering.
My first house was 1897 I think, and I had it in the 1990s. Back then there were still similar houses which hadn't been mucked about much, so there were local builders around who understood how there were put together originally.
OutInTheShed said:
There might have originally been a strip of iron between the wooden window frame and the 'arched' bricks.
My first house had a strip of rust...
That's by the by.
As a way forwards, I'd suggest an old school builder will have that apart and insert a galvanised lintel of some sort, then reinstate the bricks.
If you want to replicate the arch, you'll perhaps need a blacksmith/welder kind of chap to make a curved lintel. If you do that, it's not expensive to get it galved, but adds a delay, so if it's going to be 'indoors' you could be excused for not bothering.
My first house was 1897 I think, and I had it in the 1990s. Back then there were still similar houses which hadn't been mucked about much, so there were local builders around who understood how there were put together originally.
The likes of Catnic also do curved lintels to custom measurements. Not cheap, but local builders merchant will be able to order. My first house had a strip of rust...
That's by the by.
As a way forwards, I'd suggest an old school builder will have that apart and insert a galvanised lintel of some sort, then reinstate the bricks.
If you want to replicate the arch, you'll perhaps need a blacksmith/welder kind of chap to make a curved lintel. If you do that, it's not expensive to get it galved, but adds a delay, so if it's going to be 'indoors' you could be excused for not bothering.
My first house was 1897 I think, and I had it in the 1990s. Back then there were still similar houses which hadn't been mucked about much, so there were local builders around who understood how there were put together originally.
philv said:
The arch is original. The brick arch IS the Victorian lintol .
I don't care about the arch. Just want it solid so the wall above can support a heavier roof.
If there's no historic value and you want to support unknown future works then just replace the arch with a 203 UB although the bearing access may be tricky.I don't care about the arch. Just want it solid so the wall above can support a heavier roof.
I am not a structural engineer or builder - guy who built my garage used steel I beams across the garage door and the window. Said beams got wet. Said beams are now rusting, thus lifting the bricks above it and cracking the render.
If I was not bothered about the arch, I would get a decent builder in and remove the arch and replace with a good lintel that stretches to a good padstone either side.
If I was not bothered about the arch, I would get a decent builder in and remove the arch and replace with a good lintel that stretches to a good padstone either side.
Peanut Gallery said:
I am not a structural engineer or builder - guy who built my garage used steel I beams across the garage door and the window. Said beams got wet. Said beams are now rusting, thus lifting the bricks above it and cracking the render.
If I was not bothered about the arch, I would get a decent builder in and remove the arch and replace with a good lintel that stretches to a good padstone either side.
Sorry to hear of your problems; that's a poor show. I beams can come galvanised and/or with good paint systems. Quality of workmanship and detailing is often poor, e.g. no top coat of paint. There should also be some form of waterproofing so that the galvanising/paint is a secondary line of defence. Overall, steel beams are an area of concern but you should get 100 years life.If I was not bothered about the arch, I would get a decent builder in and remove the arch and replace with a good lintel that stretches to a good padstone either side.
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