[Misc] Fitting uPVC door, but is there a lintel?

[jcdenton08]

As Mr O'Riley, builder from Torquay, would say, that's a wooden lintel!!

Wasn’t it Stubbs who pointed out O’Reilly had used a wooden lintel? “But that’s a supporting wall!”.

 

[Nottseagull]

Wasn’t it Stubbs who pointed out O’Reilly had used a wooden lintel? “But that’s a supporting wall!”.

I remember that scene so well! It was actually Basil who revealed that O'Reilly had used a wooden lintel because after commenting that the job looked okay, Stubbs asked him "Did he use steel or concrete?" Then after your quotation, "we'd better keep the door closed before the whole thing comes down!" At the end of the episode, Basil went in search of O'Reilly armed with a gnome with a pointy hat....

 

[jcdenton08]

I remember that scene so well! It was actually Basil who revealed that O'Reilly had used a wooden lintel because after commenting that the job looked okay, Stubbs asked him "Did he use steel or concrete?" Then after your quotation, "we'd better keep the door closed before the whole thing comes down!" At the end of the episode, Basil went in search of O'Reilly armed with a gnome with a pointy hat....

After previously threatening to insert it into O’Reilly’s anus

 

[Justice]

Next job is a first ever go at repointing. A bodge job from 25 years ago, the mortar has systematically popped out. I know what to do from experts including the depth. It’s the bothering to get on with it, the concentration not to cut into brickwork with the angle grinder. Going for weather-struck pointing to match the existing.

Another string to your bow?

Next job is a first ever go at repointing. A bodge job from 25 years ago, the mortar has systematically popped out. I know what to do from experts including the depth. It’s the bothering to get on with it, the concentration not to cut into brickwork with the angle grinder. Going for weather-struck pointing to match the existing.

Another string to your bow?

You need to buy some mortar rake bits that attach to your angle grinder loads on Amazon or Screwfix/tool station you won’t damage the brickwork and you will get the perfect depth easily.

 

[Weststander]

I've done pointing before on my first house. It's tedious but satisfying, especially if it's on a spot you view regularly. I found that a tyre lever (plastic or metal) from a bicycle puncture repair outfit was perfectly adequate as it had a curved end. If you're adding lime to the mix as I did (Edwardian house), be aware that it stains the brickwork if you drop some some onto it (you will!) and it's quite difficult to remove.
Do you really need an angle grinder? Maybe search YouTube for less harsh alternatives

I bought the special hammer and pointing chisel for the alternative, but the hammer action itself broke up mortar too deep. Brickies advised me to bin that and use an angle grinder.

 

[Seagull on the Hill]

I already knew about those, but didn't know their name. I did test the underside with a powerful tool-holding magnet strip, but there was no attraction.
I've been on YouTube and found somebody screwing a length of baton into each brick, including the bricks at each end which aren't at risk. I'm going to do the same with a length of hardwood baton, but I'm planning to screw them into the vertical mortar joints instead, to avoid damaging the bricks. This is on the basis that the bricks are bonded to the mortar, although I'll obviously have to screw into the right-most brick. Six more (120mm) screws in the joints to the left of it should suffice. I'm planning to do this and replace the door on Christmas Day, unless somebody convinces me that this is not a good idea

I assume from your answer that you are going to leave the outer leaf without a lintel. Please be aware that a uPVC frame won't support the brickwork as robustly as a wooden frame so if there is any movement above the frame it might cause some distortion.
I have been asked many times in the past to install an outer leaf lintel over doors and windows where a new uPVC frame has been installed and over time the brickwork has dropped causing the top of the frame to bow.

 

[Seagull on the Hill]

Next job is a first ever go at repointing. A bodge job from 25 years ago, the mortar has systematically popped out. I know what to do from experts including the depth. It’s the bothering to get on with it, the concentration not to cut into brickwork with the angle grinder. Going for weather-struck pointing to match the existing.

Another string to your bow?

Very brave to attempt weather struck pointing without any previous experience of repointing.

 

[Weststander]

Very brave to attempt weather struck pointing without any previous experience of repointing.

I do have bricklaying experience, quite a bit, more than the average accountant. Just not that method of pointing.

My cunning plan is to start on the side of the house in an alleyway, to gain the knack, where the learning curve won's be seen.

 

[Nottseagull]

I do have bricklaying experience, quite a bit, more than the average accountant.

That was so funny

Maybe you should have been a quantity surveyor.

 

[Nottseagull]

I assume from your answer that you are going to leave the outer leaf without a lintel. Please be aware that a uPVC frame won't support the brickwork as robustly as a wooden frame so if there is any movement above the frame it might cause some distortion.

Thanks, I didn't know that. I think I will leave this batton screwed in permanently.

I have been asked many times in the past to install an outer leaf lintel over doors and windows where a new uPVC frame has been installed and over time the brickwork has dropped causing the top of the frame to bow.

I'm heeding your advice to some extent, even though the way you've worded that paragraph makes you appear more like O'Reilly than Stubbs

 

[jackanada]

I do have bricklaying experience, quite a bit, more than the average accountant. Just not that method of pointing.

My cunning plan is to start on the side of the house in an alleyway, to gain the knack, where the learning curve won's be seen.

The old brickies were known to cut off the end of an old table knife to square it up and put a bend in it too make a tool to help with weather struck pointing.
This took was known as a Frenchman. I'm guessing because it had had it's head cut off. And was bent.