Stone Lintels

Lesson 16 : Lintels

Classification Of Lintels

Stone Lintels

Stone Lintels are used at places where good quality stones are available. Stone lintels can be found in plenty in old temples, forts etc. Its use is usually confined to stone masonry structures or buildings faced with stone. Now a days use of stone lintels is rare. 2

The stone lintels consist of slabs of stones which are placed across the openings. Stone lintels may be formed of a single piece or more than one piece. Stone lintels are not generally favoured, due to the following reasons

  • Stone possesses low tensile resistance. Hence, relieving arches are to be provided when the span exceeds 1 meter. Otherwise, depth of stone lintel becomes considerable. The depth of stone lintel should be at least one mm per one cm length of the opening.
  • It is difficult to obtain a good stone of required depth. Hence, stone lintels prove to be costly at places where stone is not available. Moreover, stones which are to be used for lintels are to be properly dressed on site of work. This will increase the cost of work. Also they are likely to fail under fire.
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Last modified: Saturday, 21 April 2012, 7:10 AM