NT wrote:
On Jul 17, 4:44 pm, "Phil L" wrote:
NT wrote:
On Jul 16, 7:13 pm, "Phil L" wrote:
NT wrote:

Not at all. Such minor structural issues arent hard to fix.
However it sounds like it probably just warrants patching up for
now, and leave it. It then might or might not need a more
thorough repair in another 20 years.

Place timber support under the dropped brickwork, rake out the
cracked joints and remortar them. Don't rake out lots at once as
you don't want to destabilise it all, rake & remortar it part by
part.


How would you plan on inserting wooden supports as mentioned in your first
post on this subject? - considering the brickwork is in direct contact with
the frame, where does this wood go?


Firstly bricks interlock. Secondly mortar keeps them in place for as
long as it doesnt fail. Thirdly soldier courses and arches are held by
the fact that they are prevented from spreading sideways, which
generally they would do if they dropped. These are the reasons that
many houses have no lintels and _dont_ need them. There are also a
small subset of lintel-less houses that have no arches and no soldier
courses and even those hold up until the mortar disintegrates, such is
the power of mortar and the tendency of bricks to try to rotate as
they fall, which they are prevented from doing.


Except the whole soldier course has already dropped, causing the courses
above to also drop



It's fine as it is with a frame in place, and I suppose it could be
strengthened up by some fairly strong patch pointing, with the frame
still in place, but removing the frame now would cause the brickwork
to land on the floor

Why would anyone do that?


It was a scenario of installing a lintel now he would have to take the frame
out first, or risk having it smashed to pieces by falling masonry whilst
cutting out for a lintel.

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008