Loose Lintel for Brick Veneer 1

[cedent]

I am having a few issues with the loose lintels on a building project. The architect is showing 6" metal studs + 5/8" sheathing + 2" Rigid Insulation + 1 1/2" air space + brick veneer. This means that the total distance from outside face of sheathing to outside face of brick is 7 1/8". This leaves me with the need to update my lintel schedule on the job. I have sized a L7x4x3/8 lintel on a maximum opening width of 5'-0".

Limiting the deflection to L/600 and tip rotation to 1/16", I am finding that this L7x4 is right at it's limit. I'll have to have the architect move his joints off of the edges of the windows to ensure full arching action.

I am fortunate that I don't have any larger openings on this metal stud back-up.

My question is this: Have any of you encountered a similar condition? (This is the largest cavity I've seen. The architect tells me the new energy codes are driving this.) If so, are you moving away from loose lintels?

Thank you for your time and help.

 

[McGill10]

Hello there, I also have a question regarding loose lintel. AS this thread is about the same topic, I am adding my question here as well.
We have multiple window openings spaced 1ft apart ( 4-5 ft wide windows opening size). My concern is:1 ft wide available brick wall support will act sufficiently for the bearing load?.
Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[dik]

It might... depends on how much brick over... also as a veneer, it has to be suitably anchored to whatever backing is available.

Dik

 

[BAretired]

If the lintels bear 4" at each end, there would be only 4" between lintels. I think I would want to anchor the end of each lintel to the brick below as well as the backing.

BA

 

[McGill10]

The brick veneer above the window is 12ft high.And this is cold formed stud load bearing wall system. Definitely, the veneer will be anchored for wind load on back up but now I am concerned about vertical load of brick.
As the window openings are about 6 ft wide, I have jamb studs on every 6ft.
I see one of my option as attaching shelf angle to window header studs. Another option attaching only to jamb studs and spanning between jamb.As not much experience on light gage design system.

As Both of you Dik and BA mentioned about anchoring to back up system- do you guys means anchoring the lintel angle to jamb and header. Little more about anchoring types/details would help me alots.
thanks

 

[XR250]

This is done commonly around here without incident (that I have ever seen). Since the brick column is anchored every 24" (typically), Euler buckling usually is not an issue so it really comes down to the compressive strength of the brick - which is pretty darn high.
Trying to use the studs to support the lintel is a waste of time IMHO (I am a light gage designer) The light gage system is typically much more flexible than the brick in a vertical sense due to track to stud tolerances etc. Also, the brick may grow over time due to moisture absorbsion so the lintel may possibly want to pick up the framing at some point.

 

[hokie66]

I wouldn't want all that brick supported on 12" long sections of brick. Neither would I want it supported on light gauge studs. I think you need structural steel jambs, providing support for shelf angles rather than loose lintels.

 

[BAretired]

The brick veneer is not capable of resisting wind loads by itself. The backup system, which in this case is light gauge steel framing must be designed to resist wind. The brick pier and steel lintel must be anchored (laterally but not vertically) to the wind resisting structure, otherwise the veneer is unstable.

The brick pier is carrying a 12'x7' area of brick. At 40 psf, that would be 3360# which results in an average bearing of about 70 psi on the brick pier. That should be no problem for the pier provided it is laterally braced.

BA