More renovation woes...cracked lintel...help?

[jungle_jim01]

Here we go again! Amazing/scary what's hidden behind plaster!
I'm probably over reacting since the house has stood fine but given i'm knocking off the plaster i've taken the precaution of wedging some wood just in case. Acro props would be better i know but making do with what i have to hand at the moment.

The wall is the original gable wall for the 200yr old Yorkshire sandstone. The original doorway has been bricked up on one side to leave a recess on the other (something we'd like to keep). The old stone lintel has a vertical crack (see photo). The plaster over this wasn't damaged indicating no recent movement.


Another doorway has been cut into the gable at some point. Although there is no lintel this is held up by 3 wooden beams recessed into the opening. The cracked stone appears to overlap these beams but only along one edge. The plaster over this had a narrow crack but i don't think it enlarged since we bought the house 3 years ago.


So what should i do? Repair, Replace, or Do nothing? Any advice very much appreciated as usual.
I'm planning on getting a builder in to look at it but just interested what my options are. I've read some comments that cracked large stone lintels aren't a big problem because of the 'arch' effect as each side pushes in against the other. My worry is that this is the gable end of the house and needs supporting properly. I'm also curious as i can't find any instructional info online about replacing old lintels, i'm interested what the method would be.
I know it's not in periodproperty style but as the wall's going to be plastered i'm looking for easy/cheapest fixes, maybe replacing with concrete (sorry!)?

Thanks again and an early Happy New Year to everyone.

 

[skier-hughes]

Could you take a wide shot so we can see it in context to the rest of the wall/doorway?
I am right to assume that it is no longer going to be a doorway?

 

[DJH]

Ok Jungle if you are not intending to render for a while you could consider putting a 'tale tell' there which is a small piece of glass bridging the crack and fixed each side to the stone with resin type glue. The theory is that if there is movement the glass will either crack or pull the resin with it on one or both sides away from where it's stuck.

Failing this I would drill holes at an angle from one side of the crack into the other, not with a drill on hammer action but just on rotary so that you don't disturb the stone too much as you don't want to shake the mortar out. If you can drill up to 20 mm all the better. After you've drilled the hole blow out as much dust as you can( big tip here, keep you eyes closed when blowing . then squirt in as much chemical anchor resin as you can pushing in the correct length of 20 mm stainless steel threaded bar and let it set, usually about 20 minutes. It's important to use threaded stainless steel bar, or rod, as it gives the resin something to key on to.

That's what I'd do.

Doug

 

[jungle_jim01]

As requested (sorry about the acute angle, it's a narrow room)
The original doorway we're going to retain as a recess for a cupboard. The added doorway is to the right and the only one open and so we're going to keep that.


(The wall above this includes 1stfloor and attic)

 

[jungle_jim01]

Thanks for the advice Doug. I'm assuming you mean 20mm diamater? Any suggestions on the length?
I hadn't thought much about threaded bars...that may be the solution for the left, original doorway. Particularly as there hasn't been any movement on that (or at least the render wasn't cracked.) Any idea where I can buy the bars & grout?

The right i'm thinking may need more in the way of structural support. The right edge of the stone isn't really sat on anything and the inside edge is only about 1inch on the beam. So i was thinking about cutting out notches to add an extra beam infront of the existing ones.