Do You Need a Lintel Above Patio Doors?

You just finished your new patio and you’re also installing a patio door. One common question that comes to mind when doing this is whether or not you need lintels above the patio door. The lintel is a beam that runs across your patio door and supports the weight of your patio roof above.

In this blog post we will go over whether or not you need a lintel above patio doors.

Learn: “Can You Put a Patio Set On Grass? (Is it Possible)“

Short Answer To The Question do you need a lintel above patio doors:

The answer to this question is not necessarily, but you do need something to support the weight of the house above your patio.

What Can Go Wrong If There Is No Lintel Above a Patio Door?

If you do not have lintels there is a chance that the beam joist will sag. The beam joist sags because it has no support from lintels or headers to prevent it from bending downward under the weight of your home.

Although this may seem minor, if the beam joists are curved up over time, which is known as hogging, then your door may bind up or not open properly. The lintel prevents the beam from hogging and allows for a more ligneous support of the patio roof.

Do all doors need a lintel?

As long as it’s a door around the outside of a building or house , lintels are a requirement. It’s just the smart thing to do in order to preserve the structural integrity of your home.

Can you use wood as a lintel for your patio door?

Wood could definitely be used as a lintel for your patio door but if you want to make it the most sturdy lintel possible, I would recommend steel or concrete lintels.

What can you use instead of a lintel for your patio door?

Helical bars work great as lintels for patio doors. They just need to be properly sized and supported.

What Can You Do If Your Patio Door Lintel Is Cracked?

If your concrete lintel is cracked then you might want to replace the lintel entirely. If you just patch it up with some spackle or whatever, then the lintel is more likely to crack again in another location and at a later time.

Plus the fact that the lintel cracked is a sign that it hasn’t been working properly. That lintel was never meant to hold up your patio door, so let’s get a lintel that actually can do the job it is supposed to do.

If it’s a steel lintel most of the time the corrosion of the steel is what caused it to break down. Its recommended that you replace the steel lintel with a brand new one.

How Do You Replace a Lintel On a Patio Door?

You need to cut into the mortar, use props to support where the lintel was supporting, take the old lintel out, and then put a new lintel in. The last step is to surround the lintel with metal lath and then pour concrete around the lintel to help support it.

It’s highly recommended not to do this yourself , that’s what professionals are for. So the best thing to do is call a professional and they can replace your lintel.

Is a Concrete Or Steel Lintel Better For a Patio Door?

Steel lintels are stronger than concrete lintels. And they weigh less too. That makes them a lot easier to Install.

Things To Look Out For When Installing a Lintel For Your Patio Door

Make sure there’s no defects:

It’s important to make sure there are no cracks or defects in your lintel. If there is any damage then it makes the lintel much less effective and also more likely to crack or break down faster.

A lintel is made to support the weight of your home above it. If there are defects, then that lintel isn’t supporting any weight at all. That’s why lintels need to be very strong and be in perfect condition before installation.

There are regulations When It Comes To Lintels In Certain Locations

In some areas or under certain circumstances, special design considerations must be made for lintels since they might have to be placed slightly differently to meet code requirements. These are typically because of building codes that are in place to protect the structural integrity of the home or structure.

You have to abide by the size requirements as well as the type of lintel.

This is very important because if you don’t follow this and your house collapses, your insurance provider may not cover the damages.

Should I Replace a Wooden Lintel Above a Patio Door?

A lintel is a lintel and it doesn’t matter if the lintels material is wood or what. If it’s not reinforced, then it’s not designed to take on outside forces. Unless it shows signs of decay, you should leave it alone and let it be.

Just know in the future instead of using a wood lintel you should use a lintel made out of steel or concrete to keep it from caving in.

Conclusion:

The lintel on patio doors is an important part of the structure of your home, so don’t ignore it.

Leave a comment down below if you have any lintel questions or suggestions.

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Do You Need a Lintel Above Patio Doors?