Aesthetically pleasing Lintels?

[Mulberry View]

I need 2 lintels for walls that will be facing brick both sides. One is in single skin brickwork, the other has a 265mm cavity. They are open doorways in my Car Port, so they will not be rendered or plastered and won't be lined or have doors.

 

Are fair-faced Concrete lintels the best bet here? I would use a more conventional cavity lintel for the 265mm position, but it'd need to have a nice smooth underside.

 

Any suggestions?

[Nickfromwales]

Can you bond cement board to them and use micro cement for the look?
 

Is the carport attached to the house? 

[Mulberry View]

2 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Can you bond cement board to them and use micro cement for the look?
 

Is the carport attached to the house? 

 

The Car Port is indirectly attached to the house, but is aesthetically part of it.

 

I'm thinking of using a conventional "Catnic" lintel for the cavity lintel and then seeking or having made a cover-plate for the soffit face of it.

 

I may end up using a "Fair Faced" concrete lintel for the single skin and if I'm not totally happy with the appearance, I could paint it or cover it I guess.

 

I just wanted to check there isn't a more obvious solution that I've missed!

[Oz07]

They stick upvc to underside on developer garage openings if using a catnic

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, Mulberry View said:

 

The Car Port is indirectly attached to the house, but is aesthetically part of it.

 

I'm thinking of using a conventional "Catnic" lintel for the cavity lintel and then seeking or having made a cover-plate for the soffit face of it.

 

I may end up using a "Fair Faced" concrete lintel for the single skin and if I'm not totally happy with the appearance, I could paint it or cover it I guess.

 

I just wanted to check there isn't a more obvious solution that I've missed!

I was just wondering about needing a fire rating for the cavity, if attached, as on garages I’ve had to close the sides and heads of openings where there’s habitable spaces immediately off them. 

[Mulberry View]

Just now, Nickfromwales said:

I was just wondering about needing a fire rating for the cavity, if attached, as on garages I’ve had to close the sides and heads of openings where there’s habitable spaces immediately off them. 

 

Ah OK. Well, the Car Port is open-fronted and is linked to the house only with an open walkway (roofed). Thanks for your input.

[saveasteading]

In my opinion a lintel is a visible and important part of the structure, , and an invisible lintel (eg Catnic) doesn't look right, as if the bricks are floating..

Concrete lintels come in degrees of roughness, so an upside down one might work for you. The tendons will be in the centre so it will be the same strength.

Then you can paint or render it if you want.

 

 

 

 

[Mulberry View]

17 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

In my opinion a lintel is a visible and important part of the structure, , and an invisible lintel (eg Catnic) doesn't look right, as if the bricks are floating..

Concrete lintels come in degrees of roughness, so an upside down one might work for you. The tendons will be in the centre so it will be the same strength.

Then you can paint or render it if you want.

 

 

 

 

 

I've found a "fair-faced" concrete lintel option, I'm just waiting for a price. Hoping I can use those for the "internal" positions, I actually need 2 of those!

 

For the "external" cavity position, perhaps I'll use a Catnic lintel and soldier course bricks?! I can't buy a fair-faced lintel in the width I'd need to bridge the whole lot.

[saveasteading]

You could use 2 x 100mm lintels and pour some concrete in-between. Or make your own, and ensure a stunning finish.

 

Yours is a selling point for buying from a diy or Wickes, as you can choose a lintel that satisfies the surface you seek....some can be a bit rough.

[Mulberry View]

3 hours ago, saveasteading said:

You could use 2 x 100mm lintels and pour some concrete in-between. Or make your own, and ensure a stunning finish.

 

Yours is a selling point for buying from a diy or Wickes, as you can choose a lintel that satisfies the surface you seek....some can be a bit rough.

 

SWMBO suggested I make a form and pour these. I kinda laughed her out of the room. Is it feasible? I'd happily make a nice plywood form and pour it with a super-strong mix and rebar in it. These aren't carrying a lot in all honesty. Do-able?!

 

I could deal with the cavity wall one having a "soffit cover", but the single skin ones are the challenge.

 

Turns out the nice fair-faced concrete option will cost me £300, £200 of that is "haulage".

[Thorfun]

14 minutes ago, Mulberry View said:

SWMBO suggested I make a form and pour these. I kinda laughed her out of the room. Is it feasible?

We have a poured lintel in our basement designed by the SE. 
 

it came out a bit rough but we weren’t going for aesthetics!

 

i’m sure if you tried with decent formwork and the right concrete you could make it look nice.