The lintel is the horizontal beam used to support walls, ceilings, floors, decks, bridges, and other structures where a load-bearing beam is required. Lintels are generally flat or triangular and often come in prefabricated sections that can be bolted together on-site, depending on your needs.
Lintels are made from several materials depending on the job at hand. Let’s look at the three most common types of lintels and their uses.
Timber Lintel
Timber lintels are the oldest form of lintels and can be used to support ceilings, floors, or even walls where the required load is not high. This type of lintel is still used today, although it can still be found in many older structures that have stood up to the test of time.
The timber lintels help spread the weight of a beam onto other supporting beams below them, which helps reduce any strain on the structural supports. This then prevents any damage that would occur if too much pressure was put on one section or support beam.
This type of lintel is made from wood and can either be flat or shaped as a triangle. These wooden beams are mostly used in older buildings as they do not take well to changes in temperature and humidity. This can cause them to warp and change shape, which makes them unsuitable for most modern construction projects.
Steel Lintels
Steel lintels are now more commonly used than timber beams as they are much more durable and easier to maintain. They can take a much higher load than timber and don’t suffer from changes in temperature or humidity like their wood-based counterparts. Steel lintels are also less prone to warping, splitting, and rotting.
Steel lintels are used the same way as timber ones, but they tend to be used more frequently where heavy loads need to be distributed onto other supports below. This can help with supporting heavier columns or beams that would ordinarily be able to be supported by just one section of wood or steel-based material.
Reinforced Concrete Lintels
These beams are used primarily in building construction where concrete is used in the structure itself instead of just for its strength. Reinforced concrete is very strong when compared to wood or steel, although it’s much heavier than timber.
In these instances, a reinforced concrete lintel will be used to support the weight of all the concrete that will sit atop it and the load from whatever structural members have been placed beneath.
In most cases, reinforcing material such as steel will be added to a concrete lintel beam. This helps spread the weight around a larger surface area so less pressure is put on any one section, which can cause damage over prolonged use.
If you’re looking for lintel repair and replacement services in Boston, we can help you. AMN Masonry offers a range of restoration services, including lintel stone lintel repair, commercial concrete restoration, basement waterproofing, and more.
Contact us to learn more about our services.