# Forum Home Renovation Brickwork  Help me get rid of this brick arch!!!

## Stu

Hi all, 
I am wanting to square up this brick arch before I directfix gyprock to the walls. This is the last exposed brick we have in the house. Have taken plenty of arches out of timber framed houses but unsure on how these brick arches are built and how I go about squaring it up.
Do I need to put in a steel lintel before cutting into the bricks?? Or can I go ahead and cut into it??
Please see attached pic, any help greatly appreciated.
Cheers Stu.

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## joe greiner

Don't see how this could function as a true arch, with such a long flat portion, especially without a keystone as in a "jack arch." Must be a lintel around somewhere, but might not extend full span. I suggest you drill some probe holes in the first mortar joint to determine its extent. If too short, you'll likely have to replace it with something long enough. 
Joe

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## Stu

I have drilled some holes in the motar both one and two bricks above the arch, cant seem to find a steel lintel in here at all  :Mad:  .
What type of lintel would I need to put in before I start in with the grinder??

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## rona

Hi Stu,
         This is a strange one, not really an arch as arches go, however there
must be something holding it up. I would tend to go two courses above and cut the course out and extend the bar six inches past the arch curve. With the angle grinder you should be able to cut into the course to allow a steel lintel
probably about 75mm wide by 5mm to push in. You will need to underpin the arch before doing this, so it is kept firm at all times until the bar is in place. 
             Cheers,
                        Ron.

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## AndrewPatrol

How far in did you drill? Which courses? I would aim for the mortar above the bottom bricks and drill up from bottom in a couple of places. Lintel usually is not full depth of brickwork. then try next one up.
If still no luck then brickwork could have been laid over a form which was pulled out later. So you can sleep at night, I'd be pulling a brick say three courses up sticking a chunk of timber thru' fr to back and supported front and rear. Then cut out curved bits and maybe bottom course of bricks to get a bit more height. then put in a gallintel ( building suppliers ) behind. Finish brickwork back up and around lintel. Doesnt have to look great but just right strength mortar and full joints. Leave a couple of days and pull support then stick back brick. If any brick work cracks you'll have to fix that too.
Just occurred to me after alll this typing, that if brick does not support anything above (unlikely 'cos arch is not supportive if no lintel ) then just cut straight up either side and then re-plaster. could even include with fridge next door 
Phew!!! Finger ache

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## Stu

At the moment there is a false ceiling in behind the arch approx 50mm up from bottom row of bricks, so was hoping to leave this in situ as it has exhaust fans etc in it. The wall in behind the benches are double brick and load bearing, it doesnt appear that the arch is. I have drilled to a depth of 60mm in both first and second course of mortar and alas no steel lintel.
Cheers Stu

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## AndrewPatrol

looking back at pic, maybe support centre brickwork, just-in-case, but keep it away from rear edge of underside of bricks in "arch". Take out bricks on sides that are in the curve part of arch and those beside them. The aim is to get the lintel bearing on those bricks in the verticle part of the "Arch" at sides. you'll have to use larger mortar joins by the look of it so when the brick immediately under lintel, directly supports steel.  
Unless .... you make opening narrower!!!!!!!! 
Hope that helps.

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## Bleedin Thumb

Stu,   whata you mean?? remova tha arch??? you a crazy????? itsa beuuuutifulll!!!!

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## Rossluck

Stu, 
I'm not a builder or brickie, but I can tell you what I'd do with it.  
We have a cavity brick house and have plastered it. I'd take the cornice off and cut straight up the vertical lines to the ceiling and remove the whole overhead. That space looks a little cramped anyway, and to lighten the area and square it up at the same time I'd get rid of the "cubby house" effect.  *Check that there are no services running through the bricks (gas, electricity or water).*  
Draw a line and gently run a saw up the line to a depth of about 10mm, then using that line as a guide you can get serious. Hire a Partner or Stihl diamond saw, because they are faster, cut deep enough to go through the brick, are easier to keep in a straight line, and the water keeps the dust down and makes the clean-up ten times easier.  
Once these cuts are made, run the saw horizontally through the mortar above the bricks you want to remove and gently tap them out one brick at a time [I use a circular saw with a masonry disc here because it's easier to hold]. If you don't bash at it, you should be safe. 
Replaster, refit the cornice, and paint (those tiles have to go as well. I don't like'em :Wink:  ).

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## pawnhead

Get up in the roof to see if it's supporting anything first. I doubt that it would be, and I doubt that there'd be any bar in there. There's probably just bricktor in there (there should be if they had any sense at all). 
If it's supporting anything, you may be able to strut the roof elsewhere, or install a timber beam inside the ceiling, then just knock the bricks out with a hammer, starting from the top, and cut the sides with a bolster. They look like extruded bricks, so they should snap pretty easily, but even if they're solid it won't be hard to just bolster them off. 
Of course protect your benches and floors with something solid before you start. 
I'd cement render it, but gyprock glued with cornice cement would do. 
A lot easier than mucking around with supporting needles and steel arch bars for mine.  :Wink:   Cheers

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