Central posts are they supporting

[chipswitheverything]

Hi. I have an opening in wall 2.2metres long. I can see a steel lintel where the plater has come off. But it has two round steel posts in the middle. Can I take these posts away or are they structural. How can I tell? 

[Mr Punter]

It is hard to say for certain but it looks like the steel supports are structural.  Was this 2 openings?  The outside post looks fairly corroded.  I think a structural engineer would be best placed to advise.

[chipswitheverything]

There was a half wall and window which I've taken away

[chipswitheverything]

The corroded one was buried in concrete 

[George]

I would err on the side of caution and say yes, they are load bearing.

Edited March 9, 2024 by George

[chipswitheverything]

OK thanks for that. I was suspecting they were. 

[Alan Ambrose]

Well whoever put them in must have thought they were necessary otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered.

 

i wonder whether there’s a clever way to find out how much load they’re supporting? What’s above them?

Edited March 10, 2024 by Alan Ambrose

[chipswitheverything]

It's the back of a 2 story house gable end made of stone rubble wall 1 metre thick 🤔

[chipswitheverything]

However there is a garage door way opening on the next wall perpendicular that has a 3 metre opening and no central pillar........!!! 

It seems a little bizarre 

[George]

It depends on what the beam / lintel is.

 

A small lintel means the post is doing some work. But if the beam is capable of spanning the gap then the post won't be doing very much.

[chipswitheverything]

I can see a steel lintel. I'll go knock off some cement to see. I'm guessing it spans the flange at the top you can see. About 400 centres so steel must be at least 600mm