Lintels

The biggest difference, for many people, is the cost. Concrete is a substantially cheaper choice than its steel alternative. However, it’s important to take other factors into account; besides cost; before making a purchase to ensure that you are getting the best product for your needs. Steel is naturally stronger than concrete, whilst being easier to work with, as they have a lighter weight. However, some higher strength prestressed concrete lintels can offer more support than steel. If you are working in a coastal area, the salt that natural lingers in the air can cause steel lintels to corrode whereas concrete is resistant to this. Prestressed lintels are the preferred option for underground applications, as galvanised steel tends to be weakened by moisture with a high likelihood of rust occurring.

Lintel blocks are prefabricated and often made with pre-stressed concrete. They can combine to create lintel beams.

To calculate the load of a lintel, you can use a product selector tool to narrow the range of lintel options by filtering for the type of wall construction and the loading condition.