Bain Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I always thought alternating the headers and stretchers was strictly a matter of aesthetics, but I noticed a building with Flemish-bond brick today and the building didn't appear to have (visible) lintels above the doors or windows. So I'm curious. Are the bricks interlocked in some way that obviates the need for lintels? Or were the lintels likely hiding behind the mortar joints? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 I always thought alternating the headers and stretchers was strictly a matter of aesthetics,... The headers "bond" the wythes together. In a 2-wythe wall (the wall is 2 bricks thick) The inside surface bricks are bonded to the outside surface bricks.Click to Enlarge 2.75 KB ...but I noticed a building with Flemish-bond brick today and the building didn't appear to have (visible) lintels above the doors or windows. So I'm curious. Are the bricks interlocked in some way that obviates the need for lintels? Or were the lintels likely hiding behind the mortar joints? A majority of the brick & stone buildings that I inspect (17th, 18th & early 19th century) don't have lintels or even headers as we think of them today. The joined mortise & tenon window and door frames are the only structural support for the masonry walls above. You don't want to be yankin'-em out to install vinyl-framed windows!Click to Enlarge 54.72 KB Thick stone walls will have some timber headers above the openings behind the joined frames too. Click to Enlarge 15.94 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Yep. Kinda cool, it is...... That window isn't holding up the entire wall; it's really only holding up a relatively small area of masonry directly over the window. Think about it as an arch; most of the wall load is bearing on the wall sections either side of the window, not on the window. If you've ever pinned a masonry wall to remove a section, it's amazing how "self supporting" double wythe walls really are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bain Posted August 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Thanks for the info. I kinda figured you two would be the ones to 'splain it to me. It's only downtown, in the oldest houses that were built barely pre-1900, that I find Flemish-bond brick installations. They're normally pristine . . . unlike their newer cousins in the 'burbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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