This is how bad lintels can get. And these pictures show why it’s a really bad idea to wrap lintels with aluminum.
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- Lintels can rust so bad they disintegrate.
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- Here’s a measurement showing the original 1/4″ thick flange
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- Here’s the end where it rusted so bad it’s now 1″ thick. Anything jacking up masonry 3/4″ or more will do serious damage to the surrounding masonry.
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- This shows the previous shot from another angle. That big thick part on the right isn’t a chunk of cement; it’s delaminated and expanded steel. Yikes!
'How Bad can Lintels Get?' have 4 comments
September 13, 2015 @ 6:37 pm Tom Raymond
That’s a lot of rust. Is this all from wrapping them in aluminum or where there other issues that lead to this?
September 13, 2015 @ 6:53 pm Kurt Mitenbuler
They all rust, some more than others. Wrapping them in aluminum accelerates the problem exponentially.
September 13, 2015 @ 6:50 pm Marc LeBlanc
I don’t see many problems with lintels in my part of the country. Maybe it’s climate related. Yet another factor in why lintels corrode.
Marc
September 13, 2015 @ 6:54 pm Kurt Mitenbuler
It’s a major issue here. It takes about 90 years for stuff to get really messed. Maybe yours aren’t that old yet.