lentil question

[sawtooth]

I need to install a 2.5 to 3.5 mt lentil in an eighty year old house with rough sawn 4 x 2" hard wood timbers. I would appreciate some guidance (links) to the best material and size to use for the job?

Yeeaaahhhh; the wall is holding up that part of the house!!

[orraloon]

Sawtooth,
4x2 is way too small for any loading bearing lintel. steel is mostly used in modern construction but if you are keeping the old look then measure the old one first. Old lintels are chunky in the 10x4 or larger range. If it is supporting a lot of stone or brickwork then it is going to be a trickey operation to replace. Perhaps you need a pro for this one. Have an ask on the renovate forum of this site and see what they reckon. A couple of picks of the job would help also.
Regards
John

[sawtooth]

Thanks John

This will be a new opening in the wall ( between living room and Kitchen area) I only mentioned the 4 x 2 as that is what is used in the construction of the house framing.

As it will be plastered the material look does not matter

I have just found the reno forum and now realize this maybe the wrong place for the question. Mods are welcome to close or remove it.

[woodhunt]

I can't say how disappointed I was when I read this thread and found no advice on restoring lentils.

[ian]

This will be a new opening in the wall ( between living room and Kitchen area) I only mentioned the 4 x 2 as that is what is used in the construction of the house framing.

As it will be plastered the material look does not matter

is the wall load bearing? i.e. does it support part of the roof?

If no, you might just be able to cut a whole in the wall and put a truss (faces with gyprock) across the gap above what will be the opening.