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Chapter 6.56.1.12 Lintels
Lintels, and supporting beams, shall be installed correctly, safely support the applied loads and be of the type and dimensions appropriate to their position within the structure. Issues to be taken into account include:
- thermal insulation and condensation
- durability and resistance to water entering the home
- placing lintels.
Concrete, steel and reinforced brickwork are acceptable materials for use as lintels. Timber lintels should not be used, unless:
- protected from weather
- they do not support masonry or other rigid or brittle materials.
Lintels should:
- comply with BS EN 845-2 ‘Specification for ancillary components for masonry’, where steel or concrete
- be designed in accordance either with Technical Requirement R5 or the manufacturer’s recommendations
- be provided where frames are not designed to support superimposed loads
- be wide enough to provide adequate support to the walling above
- not have brickwork or masonry which overhangs more than 25mm
- have cavity trays where they are specified in the design
- have padstones and spreaders provided under the bearings, where necessary
- not have concentrated loads applied before the manufacturer’s requirement of fully bedded brickwork is met (this is to avoid overstressing).
Lintels should extend beyond the opening (at each end) by the minimum lengths shown in Table 5.
Table 5: Lintel bearing
| Minimum bearing length (mm) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Span (m) | Simple lintel | Lintel combined with cavity tray |
| Up to 1.2 | 100(1) | 150 |
| Over 1.2 | 150 | 150 |
Notes
1. Minimum bearing lengths should be in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations.
Where steel lintels are used:
- the manufacturer’s recommendations for providing adequate fire resistance should be followed, particularly to the lower steel flange
- the inner and outer leaf should be built up together to avoid twisting the lintel flange
- the difference in height between the leaves should not exceed 225mm.
Where separate lintels are used to support the inner and outer masonry leaves:
- the cavity, at the head of the opening, should be closed off with an insulated cavity closer
- a cavity tray should be installed to protect the cavity closer from moisture in the cavity
- the cavity tray should be built into the inner leaf and taken to the outer face of the external wall directly over the outer lintel and not between the cavity closer and lintel.
Thermal insulation and condensation#
The risk of condensation at potential cold bridges, such as reveals and soffits, increases as the level of wall insulation increases. To avoid cold bridging:
- wall insulation should abut the head of the window frame
- insulation should be provided at the underside of the lintel unless the manufacturer produces an alternative.
Durability and resistance to water entering the homes#
Cavity tray/damp proof protection should be provided:
- over all openings, either combined as part of the lintel or separate
- where the outer leaf is fair faced masonry or where full-fill insulation is used, all cavity trays (separate or combined) should have stop ends.
Separate cavity tray protection should be provided when corrosion protection to the lintel is inadequate, or where required by the manufacturer, or the shape of the lintel is unsuitable, such as when:
- the profile of the lintel does not form a cavity tray
- steel lintels in external walls have material/coating in accordance with L11, L14 and L16.1, see Table 4.
In Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and areas of severe or very severe exposure to driving rain, a separate cavity tray should be provided over all lintels.
Lintels should be:
- austenitic stainless steel (molybdenum chrome nickel alloys) where used in aggressive environments, eg coastal locations
- located and sized so that the external edge of the lintel projects beyond, and therefore offers protection to, the window head.
Placing lintels#
The design should be checked and lintels should:
- be an appropriate size for the opening and the end bearings (at each end)
- have padstones where required, eg for long spans
- be installed level on a solid bed of mortar (not soft or non-durable packing)
- be set out to ensure that lintels bear on a full masonry unit
- not have brickwork or masonry which overhangs more than 25mm.
Concrete floor units or other heavy components which bear on lintels should be positioned carefully to avoid damage or shock load.
Last updated: 2nd January 2024