Packing under a lintel, how far can I go?

[dobbslc]

I have a new lintel to install but the brickwork has come up a little short to get the clearance for the door lining, how much is acceptable to pack it up on a dry mix bed?
It needs about 18mm.

 

[gaz1]

normally its fit a padstone and trim down what you need to use

but yours isnt holding much weight above so mixed between a good wet base of cement and blue slate will do you

 

[striker]

I've seen slate used for this before.

 

[brightspark]

as gaz said roofing slate and mortar

 

[dobbslc]

Lovely, I have some slate.
So bed a bit of slate down let it set then bed the lintel on top of that?

 

[brightspark]

Lovely, I have some slate.
So bed a bit of slate down let it set then bed the lintel on top of that?

you will need a couple of layers and sandwich some mortar in between

 

[gaz1]

make sure the slate covers over the half brick so it acts like a brick placed there but you can build up rather well with the layers but allow yourself some jamb in cement at the ends of the slate

 

[dobbslc]

I've got about 9" of the lintel bearing on the bricks at both ends.

 

[pedrobedro]

We used old quarry tiles.

 

[123hotchef]

steel shims! its a welding forum

 

[li150ss]

Or turn last course to brick on edge

 

[Erie Fred]

Sounds allot like when we bed in a machine tool, we use grout.
IIRC 2" is the max. thickness.

 

[Shedendman]

Just noticed,that a wood lintel?
NO,wood and muck aren't the best of friends,plus if thats softwood,few coats of primer on it 1st

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Thought the wood was just as an example?....surely the lintel is concrete...then you'll brick it all in. There's no load above...but wood is asking for cracks?

Steel packers are allowed here I believe...my neighbour had one cut incorrectly and I hit the pieces (20mm thick).....comes in very handy for metal bashing in the garage.

 

[Pete.]

You can dry pack a lintel or anything else up to 50mm thick IIRC. Sharp sand and cement in 3:1 plus if you want you can add some non-shrink additive (aluminium something or other, comes in little pots that you add 1 per gauge). Or you can just buy it pre-mixed just add water. You mix it so that it will just clump in the hand but is not sticky. Put a timber backer one side then feed the material in the other, ram it with a piece of timber and hammer. When it stops ramming in scrape the face off flat and you're done. Take care not to use too much water.

 

[Smallfry]

Most wallplates I have seen seem to be bedded on mortar .........

Most old houses have wooden lintels and have been there for many years in a dry environment. Probably in a lime mortar too, and do not seem effected (awaits ajelectronics comment ) by rot much.

 

[gaz1]

Most wallplates I have seen seem to be bedded on mortar .........

Most old houses have wooden lintels and have been there for many years in a dry environment. Probably in a lime mortar too, and do not seem effected (awaits ajelectronics comment ) by rot much.

most old houses had weathered logs or beams that had been dried out over long times nowadays the wood is that wet its a joke

 

[Erie Fred]

Or turn last course to brick on edge

"soldier coarse" and as my instructor said "not drunken soldiers".

 

[Pete.]

Soldier course round here is bricks on end. What he's on about is bricks on edge.

 

[pedrobedro]

Soldier course round here is bricks on end. What he's on about is bricks on edge.

On end or on edge, soldier course is wall capping or over doors and windows for decorative effect.