Fireplace timber lintel

[Anonymous]

Hi,
Would a timber lintel be strong enough support for an entire chimney stack? I'm considering putting in an exposed timber lintel in when re-opening my fireplace and want to make sure that it will be adequate support!

 

[Anonymous]

How big is your chimney? How big is your lintel?

 

[Anonymous]

Historically, many chimneys are held up by such a lintel... it needs, of course to be up to the job.

Have a look via google at bressumers...

What is your chimney breast currently held up with?

 

[Anonymous]

The lintel would not actually need to provide "support for an entire chimney stack". It only supports the triangle of masonry immediately above it so a hefty beam will probably be an adequate overkill in most situations.

 

[Anonymous]

Of course you can there are thousands of fireplaces with wooden lintols. To be 100% sure you need a structural engineer.
However, on many occasions I have fitted a wider concrete lintol above a wooden one. This is then plastered over and is not seen.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm sure Mike is right but it's often good enough to be 99% sure. Structural engineers are often more expensive than timber. A four or five inch thick piece of oak or beech will give a big enough margin of error to allow a few elephants to climb up your chimney.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm - that is not good advise without first knowing the span to be supported.I would not feel confident with a 4 or 5 inch timber lintel over my fireplace - it's nearly 6 feet wide and would have collapsed years ago! This lintel is a 12 inch chunk of elm has done the job for about 500 years! Thats called making certain! Mike

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, you're quite right. At six foot it would only support a modest hippo.

OK, if you want to be really sure and still don't want to employ a structural engineer then download a copy of SuperBeam 4. It's free but might take you half an hour to get your head round it all.


SuperBeam 4

 

[Anonymous]

Hell Biff, that superbeam stuff is too much for a bear of little brain. Think I'll stick to an engineer when I'm in doubt. Mike.