The Importance of Lintels in Construction: The Importance of Lintels in Construction

The Importance of Lintels in Construction

In case you are wondering, the lintel is a type of beam supporting the structures above openings such as windows, doors, cupboards etc.

Two main Importance of Lintels:

I. The primary function of the lintel is to distribute the weight of the above structures on the side walls.

II. It also serves as a decorative element in many masonry designs.

Classification of Lintels:

Wooden lintels - these are used on areas with an abundant supply of lumber and the oldest type.

Wooden lintels are rarely used now because it's costly, may catch fire easily, decay and susceptible to termites.

Commonly used wooden lintels are teak and rosewood.

Stone lintels - sturdier than wooden lintels and commonly used on stone masonry structures.

Stone lintels are not commonly used today due to:

costly for quarrying

cannot withstand transverse stresses

transport, dressing and handling is difficult due to its weight

Brick lintels - generally made up of hard, well- burnt, free of defects such as lumps and cracks are used on small openings (less than a meter) with a lighter load.

Bricks on end, on edge or course horizontal, are its usual forms laid over openings. Bricks with frogs filled with mortar provide better resistance at joints than regular bricks.

Reinforced brick lintels - same as brick lintels but reinforced with steel bars in the middle.

This lintel covers a wider area. The spaces in between are covered with cement or concrete mortar.

Not recommended on areas with lots of rain or humidity since it erodes the material.

Concrete lintels - the most widely used lintel in today's construction. The material used is cement concrete.

Two types:

· Plain concrete - prepared with pure concrete. They are not useful for heavy loads. Used for a span of only one meter. Strong in compression and weak in tension forces.

· Reinforced concrete - also known as RCC, is the best type of lintel to use. It is durable, strong, and fire resistant.

Reinforced with a steel bar in the middle, RCC can be used in wider spans of construction. Pre-cast RCC is used if speed is needed in development.

Steel lintels - when the depth of a lintel is restricted on a large span, engineers usually use steel lintels. These lintels can support heavy loads such as used on storefronts, bay windows and areas with smaller but more massive load. Though very good in compressive and tensile strength better than RCC, steel has some disadvantages.

o Concrete usually stops the spread of fire; that's why RCC is used in areas where heat is present. Steel lintels can lose its integrity when exposed to extreme heat and therefore dangerous for it will lose its weight bearing capacity.

o Cold bridging is also to consider when using steel lintels. Concrete can reduce cold bridging and is a better insulator than steel.

o Steel can corrode easily whenever moisture and certain chemicals are present. Some steel also reacts to sea salt, but stainless steel can be a good option when used in these areas.

o The cost is also a determinant when looking for lintels. Concrete is generally much more affordable than steel; that's why this is the most commonly used in construction.