Lintel or not?

[JohnnyUK]

Hi All

We want to remove the arch in the photos below and widen the gap as much as possible.

What no one at all (including a structural surveyor!) can tell us is whether there is a lintel above the arch and if there is, where does it start and finish?

A bit like buying a dog and barking yerself, I've started to lose my patience with the so-called experts.

So....not being a builder, I've started drilling holes!

What I've found - the arch is made up of a shaped wooden box structure, but of course I cannot see what's above it.

So, I thought I'd drill a couple of other inspection holes and the truth is Idk what I'm looking for....

My cheap flexible camera is now stuck in the wall and I'm very cross!

How do I find someone who knows what they're doing and any clues to the lintel from my photos?

[smokey mow]

If there’s a lintel there (and chances are that there is), the first and second holes that you drilled are too low and the third one is too far away.

A lintel will be above the highest point of the opening ( not below it) and the ends will typically extend 150mm past the edges.

[OutInTheShed]

What's above it?
If it's supporting a brick wall, there will be a lintel or steel beam of some sort.

If it's just stud walls or floor, nothing may be needed.
I had a vacation job in a DIY store, we sold 'arch kits' made of expanded metal to plaster over.

If the house is one of a row, what have the neighbours got?
Might have been double doors when built?

You could take away plaster and plaster board etc until you find what's there, you can't guess what some loon has done in the past.
Of course if there is no lintel there, that's not the same as saying one isn't 'needed' but clearly it's stood up for a while.

[Imasurv]

My starting point is to assume there will be a lintel over there of some form, likely a steel beam. The only way to be certain is to open up more of the wall. How old is the house? Older the more likely it’s loadbearing.

Below that sounds like possibly a timber arch former.

Is the wall loadbearing - are the joists above sitting on it (check the floor boards run parallel to the wall - joists sit on wall)? Is there a masonry wall above it at first floor?

Its possible, but not certain, that the floor joists run parallel to the wall but that there is a wall above (usually between front and back bedrooms, which supports ceiling joists and / or roof members).

The above is based on massive assumptions, we need more info really.

Edited by Imasurv on Wednesday 4th March 20:31

[JohnnyUK]

Thanks all

We've lived in the house since it was built in 2003 and the arch is original.

I guess it is "structural" as there is a bedroom above.

Assuming there's a lentil, I guess it would be the minimum length required for the original archway?

So, if we wanted to remove the arch and widen the gap, we'd need a longer lentil, presumably the famous RSJ (for Gavin & Stacey fans)?

[LennyM1984]

I have recently removed an arch between our bedroom and the "dressing room" bit between our bedroom and the bog. The arch bits were just plaster over a timber former. The lintel was about 4" (ie. a 2 x 4 piece of wood) above the top of the arch. As others have said, I think you've been drilling holes in slightly the wrong places.

[Mad Maximus]

JohnnyUK said:

Thanks all

We've lived in the house since it was built in 2003 and the arch is original.

I guess it is "structural" as there is a bedroom above.

Assuming there's a lentil, I guess it would be the minimum length required for the original archway?

So, if we wanted to remove the arch and widen the gap, we'd need a longer lentil, presumably the famous RSJ (for Gavin & Stacey fans)?

What is directly above the arch upstairs? Floor? A wall? If so what type of wall?



If it turns out it looks to be supporting a wall upstairs you will never know for certain where whatever begins and ends without taking off some plaster properly. Drilling holes might give you an idea but that’s it.