supporting beam

[NickB_99]

Hi all,

Just started renovating the hall to tidy up the plaster cracking, by stripping back to brick and re-doing the float & set.

House was built circa late 1960s and plaster not had much attention since (beyond a coat of paint or two).

The pic below shows what it looked like before I stripped off the plaster.

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• NickB_99
• 8 Jan 2011
• 2

I've now stripped it back to block ready to re-inforce the cracks with EML and tidy up.

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• NickB_99
• 8 Jan 2011
• 1

The crack in the two blocks below the pad stone concerned me, so thought I'd post a pic to see what you guys think.


The right hand side pic is also included, if that helps.

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• NickB_99
• 8 Jan 2011
• 1

TIA.

 

[Deluks]

How wide is the door? The beam extends too far on the right, 150mm is usually suffice. Does it look like there was a wider or double door there at some point? Which may have been replaced with a smaller one?

Crack is no big deal, the steel is likely overkill, a simple concrete lintel would've sufficed. I'd be more bothered about the diagonal cable run.
No doubt Geraint will be along in a minute to tell me that I'm wrong to answer your questions, as I'm not on site with a micrometer.
So I'll just say that this is just my opinion based on the limited information to hand, and that on no account should it be taken as gospel.

That should keep him away

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No doubt Geraint will be along in a minute to tell me that I'm wrong to answer your questions as I'm not on site with a micrometer, so I'll just say that this is just my opinion based on the limited information to hand an that in account should it be taken as gospel.

That should keep him away

You reckon?

 

[NickB_99]

How wide is the door? The beam extends too far on the right, 150mm is usually suffice. Does it look like there was a wider or double door there at some point? Which may have been replaced with a smaller one?

Crack is no big deal, the steel is likely overkill, a simple concrete lintel would've sufficed. I'd be more bothered about the diagonal cable run.

Door's width is 80cm.
I've taken another pic -

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• NickB_99
• 8 Jan 2011
• 1

The white area used to be a glass 70s style of 4 obscured windows between hall/lounge - which I had bricked up and re-plastered about 12 mths ago.
Well guessed

Thanks for the feedback on the crack.

I'm hoping it's fine - house has been up for 40yrs +, and I'm sure it's the original plaster. It's the same the house over.
I was wondering if there is anything simple that can be done to strengthen it up a bit, before I plaster over.

As to the elecs, yep, the house has a lot similar - tho not as bad as this one!!

 

[^woody^]

The crack does not look like a problem with the bearing, rather it seems like a thermal crack where some contraction along the longer side of the beam as pulled the bearing and the blocks below and above it slightly.

If there is no other sign of ongoing movement to the areas at the other end of the beam, or to upper floors, then assume it is just a "one-off" crack

Fill the crack with come cement slurry,and fix some mesh across it prior to plastering

 

[NickB_99]

If there is no other sign of ongoing movement to the areas at the other end of the beam, or to upper floors, then assume it is just a "one-off" crack

Fill the crack with come cement slurry,and fix some mesh across it prior to plastering

Other end of the beam fine and ok upstairs too.
Will follow your advice and then re-cover.

Thanks Woody