Hi,

About 20 years ago my father had one of those steel double glazing
windows installed in the kitchen. Its about 1m wide by 1/2m high. We
live in terraced house and the kitchen is downstairs (all that just
for info).

We had it done by a friend of ours who must have told my father he
knew what he was doing.

I have now realized that he probably didn't

Where he made the hole in the wall for the window, I am almost sure he
should have used a lintel across the top of the window which should be
visible from the outside - but he didn't. There is just a line of
bricks which he used to fill in the remaining gap after installing the
window.

The result is that there is now a long crack in the in side wall from
about the ceiling of the kitchen to the window (ie in the plaster).
This is I guess because there is no lintel. It is also visible from
the outside but it is not as obvious as from the inside.

We now want to brick the window up because a) the problem mentioned
above; b) it dont look that good anymore (rest of the house is uPVC
dg) and c) we have a chance to fit a new kitchen.

Can I just have it bricked up? or should I put a lintel in prior to
bricking up (mainly to prevent further movement of the wall when the
window is removed).

Would there be problems in fitting a replacement window (ie different
size and or location on same wall).


Bhupesh

On 25 Feb 2004 06:36:01 -0800, wrote:


Where he made the hole in the wall for the window, I am almost sure he
should have used a lintel across the top of the window which should be
visible from the outside - but he didn't. There is just a line of
bricks which he used to fill in the remaining gap after installing the
window.

[T] Is it possible he used something like a Catnic lintel that may not
be obvious from the outside (look for what looks like a flat thin
strip of metal along the top of the window)

There *could* be a lintel but it may not have been fitted properly or
that there has been some movement in the house anyway? (not uncommon
these days as the water table drops?).

All the best ..

T i m

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote:

Hi,

About 20 years ago my father had one of those steel double glazing
windows installed in the kitchen. Its about 1m wide by 1/2m high. We
live in terraced house and the kitchen is downstairs (all that just
for info).

We had it done by a friend of ours who must have told my father he
knew what he was doing.

I have now realized that he probably didn't

Where he made the hole in the wall for the window, I am almost sure he
should have used a lintel across the top of the window which should be
visible from the outside - but he didn't. There is just a line of
bricks which he used to fill in the remaining gap after installing the
window.

The result is that there is now a long crack in the in side wall from
about the ceiling of the kitchen to the window (ie in the plaster).
This is I guess because there is no lintel. It is also visible from
the outside but it is not as obvious as from the inside.

We now want to brick the window up because a) the problem mentioned
above; b) it dont look that good anymore (rest of the house is uPVC
dg) and c) we have a chance to fit a new kitchen.

Can I just have it bricked up? or should I put a lintel in prior to
bricking up (mainly to prevent further movement of the wall when the
window is removed).

Would there be problems in fitting a replacement window (ie different
size and or location on same wall).


Bhupesh


The purpose of a lintel is to support the brickwork and other structure
above the window. If you brick up the opening, the new brickwork will
provide the necessary support without needing a lintel.

If you find that there *is * already a lintel which - as someone else has
already suggested - may not be obvious from the outside, there's no need to
remove it - just brick up to the underside of it.

If you want to fit a window which is wider than the existing one, or in a
different position, you'll need a new lintel. If there *is* already a
lintel, and you want to replace the window with one of the same width and
top position, but extending down further, you just need to lower the cill.

Depending on what you do, you may need building regs approval. It's as well
to have a word with one of the building inspectors at your local council.
They will advise you.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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