[dataway]

I know very little about brick exteriors on houses other than their weight is supported by a foundation ledge, and they are tied to the sheathing for stability.

My question is, how is the weight of the brick supported above openings? I assume windows have some kind of Lintel? But what about large openings like a garage door in a two story brick wall?

What about where a two story brick wall is joined at a right angle with a one story non-brick structure ... how would the brick above the roof line of the attached structure be supported?

As seen in this image .... would the brick wall where the garage is attached continue down to the foundation? So there would basically be a brick wall INSIDE the interior walls of the house? If not, what would support the brick wall above the lower roof?

Might be a silly question, but I'm just not sure how this is accomplished in new construction.

[TAKerry]

Can be done in different ways. Over doors and windows a simple angle iron lintle is typically used, for a bit more money and style a brick jack arch is constructed. The area at the roof line and garage is a bit more tricky structurally speaking but very doable. I watched a large custom home being built across from me quite a few years ago and the builder had no clue. He pretty much had the same situation with the roof line. He ended up sawing the face off the brick and setting them on a mortar bed much the same as how 'lick-m-stick-m' stone is applied. Not the right way.

[dataway]

Personally I'd be fine with vertical gaps in the brick to join the framing of the two parts of the structure and the rest of the wall encased inside the interior walls, and a opening in the brick wall for the door from the garage to the house. But I seriously doubt that's how they would build this in new construction. But I could be totally wrong.

I can see that if the brick exterior was on an existing structure and they were joining the two they would probably just frame right up to the brick wall and then enclose it with firring and sheet rock on the garage side.

In this example that's a lot of weight to hang on a wall with no masonry support to the foundation.

It's bothering me in my Revit project seeing that brick inside the separating wall without knowing if it should be there

[indymanjoe]

Not an expert but the house is too big and the garage is too small. LOL

[dhcarguy]

Brickwork over 48" openings would use a 4"x4" x 5/16" angle Iron. 8' or 9' garage opening would use a 4" x6" high x 3/8" angle iron. The brick work above the open porch roof will still be supported by the brick / foundation. Can be done in a few different ways. Over the garage is not a problem. You would need to have at least one foot of brickwork on the left side. you span that opening with a 4"x 8" concrete lintel above ceiling height inside. Just one way to do that.

[dataway]

Thanks much, great info. So would they set that concrete lintel on top of a framed load bearing wall and on masonry columns/wall left and right?

Angle iron like you describe is used as a lintel on the entry door to my present garage which is concrete block.

Appreciate the information.

[dataway]

Originally Posted by indymanjoe

Not an expert but the house is too big and the garage is too small. LOL

Tried to tell my wife that.

[sdbob]

We never set steel or concrete on a wooden support.

[dataway]

That makes sense, was just wondering how a concrete lintel can span 20'ish feet if it's only 4" x 8" ... now that I think about it, it would probably be supported by masonry on either end, and then steel columns rather than framed walls. Since it's not really a "span" but just a section of interior wall.

[lfdsteve]

Brick would run all the way down to the foundation then you would build garage off of that. No way setting brick along a roofline will hold up over time unless its the 1/2 thick brick “tiles “. Its been done but it will be problematic over time. If they engineered the crud out of it maybe but then it’s just cheaper to run the full wall down to a brick ledge anyway. If it was going to be covered, they would just run sloppy joints to save time (money) but I would leave it exposed!
It will look cool if you leave that wall exposed in your garage!