A fireplace lintel represents a wood, steel or concrete structure acting as a horizontal support to a fireplace. It is a load bearing member that also serves the decorative purpose.
Uses of Fireplace Lintel
Structural use: A fireplace lintel refers to lintel and post architecture element used in most of the civilization style architecture. Using materials such as steel, wood, concrete etc, the lintels can be constructed. Its structure bridges space between two vertical supports bears the load and its structure below it.
Decorative uses: Lintels are employed as ornamental structures at the structure entrance. These structures have less significance regarding load bearing and are pure decorative elements. Similar structures are found in Buddhist temples caves. The lintels were used in Mayan architecture and South Indian temples as decorative elements.
Types of Lintels
There are two types of lintels widely used in the modern construction and are in high demands as they can be put to various uses.
Catnic lintels: These are steel lintels made by a Tata Steel Enterprise, Catnic. There are Catnic lintel types used for varying purposes based on the load bearing and its type that these lintels are used. The depth, breadth and length also affect the fireplace lintel choice of lintels. The Catnic lintels Cavity Wall may be used for standard and heavy duty load conditions. Another Catnic Lintels variant is called the CXL Extreme loading lintels employed in the construction of the cavity wall where extreme load is expected.
Steel wall lintel: These lintels are for internal or external wall and give support to the wall bearing the wall load. Various fireplace lintel types are available at 95-100mm and 50-70 mm steel cavity wall lintels.
