1st Row Of Bricks On Lentil Dry, In Mortar, Or Either?

TomBrooklyn

When putting the first row of bricks on a lentil, is it OK to put them on the lentil dry (without mortar?). Or should they always be in a mortar bed, or does it matter?

I had a situation yesterday where I put a row in dry because I had just about enough room for a row of mortar above.

Today I have a situation where I'd like to put in a thick mortar bed because I don't have enough room for three rows of bricks, but two rows is short and I have to use wide mortar joints.

This is for the opening for a basement door below a front porch.

stacker

i have never had a problem laying them dry or with a mortar bed.most times if your lentil is put directly on the top of a brick,then the thickness of the lentil makes up for lose of a mortar bed,therefore mud is not needed.

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Tscarborough

The most import thing to determine if you place a bed joint will be continuity of the coursing with the rest of the wall. I have seen it both ways.

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Tommy C

Lentils are what goes in my mother's soup. A Lintel is an architectural detail.

Just messin' with ya...both methods are fine.

TomBrooklyn

OK. Thanks. Cheers.

masonking02

i would only use mud on a lintel to cacth my hights if im a low crossing over the jams

mickeyco

After 40 or 50 years they crap out, why not use stainless (I know cost) or coat them with something? They appear to come with a primer coating, do you guys paint them or just slap them up?


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masonking02

we use galvanized lintals so they dont rust over the years

raskolnikov

Hey mickeyco,
We paint it all, lintles, dampers, cast fresh air feeds, it just adds to the shelf life! A couple of cans of Rustolium aint gonna break the bank and it help's to seperate the men from the boys! Although I'd like to be a boy again...

D.

TomBrooklyn

Where I get mine they come with a light coat of rust. I didn't paint them as I wanted to get them in right away, but I'll paint the underside and edge (it's over a door.)

If I thought about it, I could have thrown a coat of rust proof primer on it. Next time I will. Good idea.

TomBrooklyn

We install galvanized gutters and leaders sometimes. They rust out eventually. I don't think they last any longer than aluminum although I could be wrong. They both last around 25+ years.

Tscarborough

Primed and flashed, they will last a couple hundred years if not for the lifetime of the building.

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cvspude

a row of brick

tkle

Inside the house,the only thing affecting the angle iron is heat. They would have to be repainted often. On the outside I don't leave them exposed. I notch my brick around them.

mickeyco

course of bricks

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6stringmason

of course

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