Unusual lintel/frame in ~1950s council house

[georgeclarke]

Hi, in my postwar (c.1950) ex-council house I'm looking to make a double door where there's an existing window - I've removed some plaster to try to understand what the current lintel setup is but have revealed only more questions.

The house is cavity wall (no insulation), c. 60mm, brick inner and outer, soldier courses above windows externally - no lintel visible externally but then windows are practically flush with outer face of brick.

There appears to be a concrete frame of sorts, looks in situ, about 60mm wide at jambs, roughly 260mm at head and extends into cavity, apparently closing it. Never seen the like and anyone I've described it to or shown photos of it to says the same.

I now suspect there is no external lintel and the soldier course has ties into the lintel part of the in situ concrete - I found something that sounds like it in an old book about brickwork:

Some photos of where I've removed plaster:

Second photo, you can see the back edge of external brick, just inside the window frame.

Anyone encountered or aware of this type of construction around windows? As I say, totally new one on me.

 

[wessex101]

That is a very common detail in houses of that era, especially council housing. Most lintels were poured in-situ effectively making it a composite lintel, the outer skin of brickwork is supported by the inner concrete lintel by way of the ties and the general friction between the back of the bricks and concrete.
The problems tend to occur when the old ties rust through and the outer skin of brickwork may de-bond from the lintel and start to sag. If the ties are still in good condition then the brickwork should be fine.

 

[stuart45]

Must be an old book using double headed nails. Looks like an old one from W.G.Nash.

 

[georgeclarke]

Must be an old book using double headed nails. Looks like an old one from W.G.Nash.

You got it - Brickwork, Vol. 2 (Revised)

That is a very common detail in houses of that era, especially council housing. Most lintels were poured in-situ effectively making it a composite lintel, the outer skin of brickwork is supported by the inner concrete lintel by way of the ties and the general friction between the back of the bricks and concrete.
The problems tend to occur when the old ties rust through and the outer skin of brickwork may de-bond from the lintel and start to sag. If the ties are still in good condition then the brickwork should be fine.

Glad to finally meet someone who's aware of it! That tallies with what (with WG Nash's help) I thought - but the jambs, too? Do you know, is that common? Something you've encountered?

We've small children, so I've been trying to keep my attacks at a higher level to begin with but I also drilled down through window board (in line with the cavity), to see if it would tell me whether the concrete makes a frame, and it seems to throw out brick dust (red) for a full 100mm or more

 

[wessex101]

We've small children, so I've been trying to keep my attacks at a higher level to begin with but I also drilled down through window board (in line with the cavity), to see if it would tell me whether the concrete makes a frame, and it seems to throw out brick dust (red) for a full 100mm or more

I've only ever seen a lintel spanning across the top of the opening as in the illustration above. If you've got vertical concrete columns either side of the opening it is more likely to be a concrete framed house.

 

[georgeclarke]

That's the thing - the concrete is just framing the window, up the jambs and across the head, to form a lintel.

It's only 60mm-wide at the jamb and, as I say, extending outwards to rear of outer leaf of brickwork. I think the photos above suggest as much.

The search goes on, for someone who's seen such a thing before!

 

[wessex101]

My bad, I focused on the illustration and missed the original comment about the concrete to the jambs, that is unusual.

I suppose you need to check whether the concrete jamb just extends for the height of the window or whether it runs all the way down to the floor.

 

[stuart45]

You got it - Brickwork, Vol. 2 (Revised)


Glad to finally meet someone who's aware of it! That tallies with what (with WG Nash's help) I thought - but the jambs, too? Do you know, is that common? Something you've encountered?

I'm still on Book one, so can't really help yet. I've heard that @^woody^ has finished Book three, so he's the man to ask.

 

[^woody^]

Never heard of Mr Nash.

My bible was JC Hodge Brickwork for Apprentices. Only one book, which was good for my limited bank balance. Maybe much of the same content, but mine is in metric.

 

[georgeclarke]

I wonder whether a first-edition JC Hodge Brickwork for Apprentices (pub. 1944) would be an interesting read for me!

There's a copy online for £60.00

 

[^woody^]

Mines from 1983 and I recall that it was more or less the same from previous versions from the mid 70's, and TBH I suspect not much had changed from the previous decades either. It was £4.95.

Mine still had references to "plates", not images and also "journeyman" and "french man" - none of which I've ever actually come across in my life!

"Would-be apprentices can therefore enter the trade with the knowledge that it can offer a steady and reliable job, giving good service to the community"