walls not level enough for lintel - do we cut the bricks

[LSB]

we are converting a barn and one of the foundation levels has turned out to be marginally higher than the next one when building the wall.

the 2 walls have a French door way in between and now need the lintel, but they are not perfectly level

 

The total wall length is 18.4m with 4 door openings into the garden (in separate rooms)

Each bit of wall has been built separately, 5 of them as all the doors are level thresh-hold.

That is 5 walls.  rough drawing

 

The wall between D1 & D2 is higher than the rest meaning that the lintel can't be installed, 

 

 

2nd picture not very clear.

 

 

Do we cut those bricks to make this wall the same level as the string and level with all the other walls.

 

Or, something else.

 

Help please from novice builder.

 

TIA

 

 

 

[twice round the block]

Cut the bricks. The lintels will be bedded  down on muck. You can use layers of coursing tiles or slivers of cut bricks with muck in-between to get levels spot on.

[Declan52]

How much higher??

Would be easier to pack up the lintels on the rest and then bed a deeper mortar bed as you build along to a string line so they all end up the same height. But will obviously depend on how much higher it is.

[LSB]

36 minutes ago, Declan52 said:

How much higher??

Would be easier to pack up the lintels on the rest and then bed a deeper mortar bed as you build along to a string line so they all end up the same height. But will obviously depend on how much higher it is.

the top of the bricks on the one wall is about 1/4 brick thickness, we are going to get the laser on later when it's not so hot and bright as can't see it in this light.

 

[Declan52]

So maybe 15mm???

How much more has to be built on top of these walls and along the lintels???

[saveasteading]

What is the problem really? No physical space to get the lintel in, or that they arent in line?

 

Using the 2 bricks is a good detail for allowing adjustment usjng the mortar thickness. If thin beds doesn't  work then yes cut bricks or blocks.

 

Next time you know what to do, measure everywhere, and adjust in the first courses.

15mm high footings is very common. It seems like nothing when slopping concrete in a hole.

[Canski]

Cut the whole top course to be in line with the others.

[ETC]

Firstly fire the bricklayer.

Secondly take the brick down and start again this time with a proper level string line.

[LSB]

1 hour ago, ETC said:

Firstly fire the bricklayer.

Secondly take the brick down and start again this time with a proper level string line.

The bricklayer is my husband 🙂

He is not experienced at bricklaying, but it's this particular row of 2 bricks that is the issue.  All the others are level.

I guess the mistake was he built the 5 sections separately with string lines on each one, but this block must have been wrong from foundation level.

We had a concrete man who has since been 'let go' who just tipped it all in one place on this pour and didn't move the chute at all making it very difficult to rake it level and I think this bit was slightly higher and we make the novice mistake of not checking it then.

 

That said, it is what it is, and we need to recover and we can't take the whole wall down so need to get level where it is.

 

 

[Pocster]

18 minutes ago, LSB said:

The bricklayer is my husband 🙂

He is not experienced at bricklaying, but it's this particular row of 2 bricks that is the issue.  All the others are level.

I guess the mistake was he built the 5 sections separately with string lines on each one, but this block must have been wrong from foundation level.

We had a concrete man who has since been 'let go' who just tipped it all in one place on this pour and didn't move the chute at all making it very difficult to rake it level and I think this bit was slightly higher and we make the novice mistake of not checking it then.

 

That said, it is what it is, and we need to recover and we can't take the whole wall down so need to get level where it is.

 

 

HiD needs to be given a break .

I built an entire blockwork wall used a string , spirit level and laser - paranoid about drift . 1st time is learning , 2nd time is practice, 700000th time is skilled 😊 . It’s fixable ; that is what matters !! 👍🍷

[ETC]

49 minutes ago, LSB said:

The bricklayer is my husband 🙂

He is not experienced at bricklaying, but it's this particular row of 2 bricks that is the issue.  All the others are level.

I guess the mistake was he built the 5 sections separately with string lines on each one, but this block must have been wrong from foundation level.

We had a concrete man who has since been 'let go' who just tipped it all in one place on this pour and didn't move the chute at all making it very difficult to rake it level and I think this bit was slightly higher and we make the novice mistake of not checking it then.

 

That said, it is what it is, and we need to recover and we can't take the whole wall down so need to get level where it is.

 

 

Lol. Just stirring the pot. As others have said just cut the brick at the bearing points only - you won’t need to do the whole row just the length of the required bearing for the lintel. Level up with cut bricks and mortar or cast in an insitu padstone for the lintel.

[LSB]

6 hours ago, Declan52 said:

So maybe 15mm???

How much more has to be built on top of these walls and along the lintels???

3 blocks to wall plate

 

[Canski]

If you have 3 courses of blocks on top of the lintel to wall plate then best to get the pillars level all the way through then the next bit is easier. Straight block courses and no cutting.

[Declan52]

Put a string line right across the front from one end to the other and see if it's just the one pillar out. You want the underside of the lintels to all be in line or you will notice it. Use a block on each end and corner blocks if you have them and move the line up on each side until they are all in line. Once you are happy they are all in line see how much exactly your out. Then it's up to you to either remove the 2 course of bricks and build them level to the line or pack the other lintels up to the high point and bed up so after the 3 course they will be all level. You can easily take 15mm out over 3 course. There really wouldn't be much difference in time either way.