Lintel Repair and Replacement NYC
A rusting lintel quietly cracks the brick over your windows and doors until the damage is impossible to miss. We repair and replace lintels on homes and buildings across NYC, rebuild the masonry around them and seal the opening, with every job handled by a licensed and insured contractor.
What a Lintel Does and Why NYC Lintels Rust and Fail
A lintel is the horizontal beam that spans the top of a window or door and carries the weight of the masonry above it. On most NYC brick buildings, that beam is a steel angle hidden behind the first course of brick, while older buildings may use stone, brownstone or brick arches instead. Steel lintels do their job well for decades, until water starts reaching them. Once mortar joints wear out or flashing fails, rain soaks the brick and sits against the steel. The steel rusts, and rust takes up several times more space than the metal it came from. That swelling pushes the brick upward and outward, a process known as rust jacking.
The signs usually show up as horizontal cracks along the top of the opening, stair-step cracks running from the corners, bricks pushing out over the window, or rust stains bleeding through the masonry. Painting the visible edge of the lintel or filling the cracks with caulk does nothing to stop the steel underneath from rusting. In most cases, a proper fix means temporarily supporting the brick above, removing the masonry to expose the lintel, replacing it with new galvanized or protected steel that sits properly on both sides of the opening, installing flashing with weep holes so water can escape, and then rebuilding the brick to match. That is the difference between a repair that lasts decades and one that cracks again in a few winters.
Lintel Repair and Replacement Services Across NYC
From one cracked window head on a rowhouse to dozens of openings on an apartment building, here is the lintel work we handle.
- Steel lintel replacement with new galvanized or coated steel sized for the opening
- Rusted lintel repair where the steel is still sound enough to clean, treat and protect
- Window and door lintel replacement on brick homes, rowhouses and apartment buildings
- Brick rebuilding above openings with matched brick and mortar after the lintel is replaced
- Lintel flashing installation with end dams and weep holes that carry water out of the wall
- Stone and precast concrete lintel repair for cracked or broken lintels on older buildings
- Brick arch and jack arch repair where arched openings have slipped or cracked
- Garage and storefront lintel replacement for wider openings that carry heavier loads
- Lintel repairs for Local Law 11 reports where rusted lintels were flagged by an inspector
If you are planning new windows, it is the perfect time to check the lintels too, since both jobs work on the same opening.
Lintel Work in NYC Done With the Whole Opening in Mind
A lintel replacement touches the steel, the brick, the flashing and the window all at once. We handle every part of it, so the opening ends up stronger and drier than it was before.
Masonry Supported Safely During Work
Galvanized Steel With Proper Bearing
Flashing and Weep Holes Installed
Licensed and Insured Masonry Crews
Step by Step, How We Replace a Lintel
Inspect the Opening
We check the cracks, rust stains and brick movement around the opening and confirm whether the lintel can be repaired or needs replacing.
Shore, Remove and Replace
The masonry above is temporarily supported, damaged brick is removed, and the old lintel is swapped for new steel set with proper bearing.
Flash, Rebuild and Review
Flashing and weep holes go in over the new lintel, the brick is rebuilt to match, and we walk through the finished opening with you.
Lintel Replacement Projects in NYC
Lintel Repair and Replacement Services Near You in NYC and Westchester
We repair and replace lintels on brick homes, rowhouses and apartment buildings in every area we serve. Choose your location for local lintel repair details.
Signs of a Failing Lintel Above Your Windows and Doors
Lintel problems almost always show up in the brick first. These are the signs to watch for.
- Horizontal cracks along the top of a window or door
- Stair-step cracks running from the corners of the opening
- Bricks bulging out or shifting above the opening
- Rust stains or flaking steel visible at the window head
- Windows or doors that start sticking as the opening shifts
Cracks above openings get worse every winter, so it pays to have them checked before loose brick becomes a safety problem.
Lintel Repair and Replacement FAQs for NYC
A lintel is a horizontal support beam over a window, door or other opening that carries the weight of the wall above it. On most NYC brick buildings, lintels are steel angles hidden behind the brick, while older buildings may have stone, brownstone or brick arch lintels.
When water reaches a steel lintel, it rusts, and rust expands to several times the thickness of the original steel. That expansion pushes the brick above the opening up and out, which causes horizontal and stair-step cracks. This is called rust jacking, and it is one of the most common masonry problems in NYC.
Sometimes. If the rust is light and the steel has not lost much thickness, it can be cleaned, treated and protected, with flashing added to keep water off it. If the steel is heavily corroded, bent or has pushed the brick out of place, replacement is the safer and longer lasting option.
Usually not. The work is done from the outside by removing the brick above the opening, so the window can stay in place and be protected while we work. That said, if you are already planning new windows, doing both at the same time can save work and cost.
Often, yes. Rusted lintels and the cracked brick around them are among the most common conditions found in NYC facade inspections under Local Law 11. We replace flagged lintels and provide documentation of the completed work for your inspector.
A single window lintel typically takes one to two days, depending on access and the amount of brick that needs rebuilding. Buildings with many openings or high floors that need scaffolding take longer, and we plan the schedule with you before starting.
Lintel replacement is structural work, so it often requires a DOB permit, especially on larger buildings or when scaffolding or a sidewalk shed is involved. Landmarked buildings also need LPC approval. We confirm what your project needs before any work begins.
Lintel replacement cost in NYC depends on the number and width of openings, the floor height and access, how much brick needs rebuilding, and whether scaffolding or permits are required. A single rowhouse window costs far less than multiple openings on an apartment building. We inspect and give you a written estimate before starting.