A masonry opening requires support. Whenever a window, door, or other opening interrupts the load-bearing layer of a brick wall, the load above it must be safely transferred. The facing lintel fulfills this function in the visible outer shell of a double-shell masonry wall: It is the structural and design element that supports the facing course above an opening, transfers loads to the flanking wall sections, and significantly shapes the appearance of the facade. Anyone familiar with facing lintel solutions understands a central aspect of masonry architecture.

• What a facing lintel is and how it differs from other types of lintels
• What structural principles underlie load transfer in double-shell masonry
• What types of facing lintel structures exist: steel lintels, precast lintels, arched lintels, and others
• How facing lintel solutions are implemented in practice and what to consider during planning
• What role thermal bridges, waterproofing, and drainage play in facing lintels
• How the facing lintel influences the appearance of the facade and what design possibilities it offers
• Which standards and regulations govern the construction of facing lintels
• What typical errors occur during planning and construction, and how they can be avoided

Facing Lintel: Definition and Classification within the Masonry System

The facing lintel is a lintel located exclusively within the facing shell of a double-shell exterior masonry wall. To understand this definition, one must be familiar with the structure of double-shell masonry. This wall system consists of two separate wall shells: the load-bearing inner shell, which is constructed of calcium silicate block, aerated concrete block, brick, or another masonry material and bears the building’s loads, and the outer shell in front of it, known as the facing shell or parapet shell. Between the two shells is an air gap, which is often filled with thermal insulation, and both shells are connected to each other by stainless steel wire anchors.

The facing shell is generally not load-bearing in terms of building structural engineering. It supports its own weight and transfers it to the structure via supports that are attached at specific intervals to the inner shell or to the rough ceiling. At window and door openings, however, the facing shell must extend across the opening without resting on a continuous substrate at that point. This is precisely where the facing lintel comes into play: It spans the opening in the facing shell and transfers the weight of the overlying facing masonry to the nearest load-bearing abutments on either side of the opening. The facing lintel is thus functionally limited to the facing shell and operates independently of the lintel of the load-bearing inner shell, which bears the actual building loads.

This structural separation is a key feature of double-shell masonry and fundamentally distinguishes the facing lintel from a single-shell masonry lintel, which spans the entire wall thickness. In technical terminology, the facing lintel is occasionally also referred to as a “front lintel,” although both terms refer to the same structural element. The inner shell has its own lintel, which is designed and constructed independently of the facing lintel. Both lintels may be made of the same material or of different materials; they are typically located at different heights, and their loads are transferred separately.

Structural Principles: Load Transfer and Structural Requirements

The facing lintel must support the dead weight of the facing shell above the opening. Since the facing shell itself does not bear any building loads from floors or the roof, the load acting on the facing lintel is small compared to that of a load-bearing lintel. It results primarily from the weight per unit area of the facing masonry multiplied by the area of the triangle that forms above the opening when a vaulting effect is assumed—in simplified terms, a triangle with the opening width as its base and a height of approximately half the opening width. This arching effect, which begins in the masonry above the lintel once the wall reaches a certain height, significantly reduces the load on the lintel, provided there is sufficient masonry on both sides of the opening to act as abutments.

The design of the facing lintel must comply with the requirements of DIN EN 1996 (Eurocode 6) for masonry structures as well as the associated national application documents. In addition, the approvals and technical data sheets from the manufacturers of facing lintel products are authoritative. The minimum support depth of the facing lintel on the lateral abutments is specified by standards and is generally at least 100 to 150 millimeters per side, depending on the opening width and the type of lintel used. If this minimum support depth is not met, spalling or cracks may occur in the area of the lintel ends.

An important design consideration is the decoupling of the facing lintel from the inner shell. Since the two shells expand and contract differently due to temperature and humidity fluctuations, the facing lintel must not be rigidly connected to the inner shell. Expansion joints in the facing shell, arranged at regular intervals and especially at the corners of openings, accommodate these dimensional changes and prevent internal stresses that would lead to cracking. The design of these joints is an integral part of lintel design and is often neglected, resulting in characteristic diagonal crack patterns at the corners of openings.

Designs of the facing lintel: From steel angle to arched lintel

In practice, various designs of the facing lintel have become established, differing in material, manufacturing method, and aesthetic expression. The most common solution is a facing lintel consisting of one or more steel angle profiles, which are placed on the inner shell or on wall-embedded brackets and serve as supports for the facing shell. The steel angle—typically made of hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel—supports the facing blocks on its horizontal leg, while the vertical leg runs behind the facing shell and connects it to the inner shell. This solution is structurally sound, easy to install, and allows for precise height adjustment.

Another common design is the precast facing lintel made of reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete, which is specifically dimensioned for the facing shell. These precast elements have a width that corresponds to the thickness of the facing shell—typically 115 millimeters for a standard-size facing brick—and are designed to blend visually into the pattern of the facing shell. Some manufacturers offer precast lintel units whose visible surface is clad with a facing brick or colored to match the facing masonry, in order to achieve as uniform a facade appearance as possible. The precast facing lintel is a cost-effective and reliable solution, especially for larger opening widths.

The masonry arched lintel is more sophisticated from a design perspective; it was the dominant lintel form in historic architecture and is still used today in historic preservation as well as in upscale residential construction. In an arched lintel, the facing stones are cut into a wedge shape or used as voussoirs so that they form an arch spanning the opening. Load transfer here occurs not through bending but through compressive forces that arise within the arch and are transferred to the abutments. Flat-arch lintel solutions with a low rise are structurally more challenging than round arches, as the horizontal forces acting on the abutments are considerably greater in flat arches. Craftsmanship and carefully constructed formwork are essential for building masonry arch lintels.

Finally, there are combined solutions in which a steel angle or a precast reinforced concrete element serves as the load-bearing member, with a masonry-style arch made of facing bricks arranged above it; this arch is purely decorative and serves no structural function. Such false arches are frequently found in contemporary clinker facades and allow for the aesthetic effect of an arch lintel without the structural complexity. Distinguishing between a genuine load-bearing arch lintel and a decorative false arch is important for the planning and evaluation of facades, as both solutions have different requirements in terms of construction and maintenance.

Thermal Bridges, Waterproofing, and Drainage at the Facing Lintel

The facing lintel is located in a structurally sensitive position. It sits at the interface between the facing shell and the window opening area, where thermal insulation, the air gap, and the window frame meet. Steel lintel solutions made of angle profiles are particularly prone to thermal bridges because steel has very high thermal conductivity. A steel angle that extends from the exterior of the facing shell to the interior shell can conduct a significant amount of heat from the heated interior to the exterior, thereby locally lowering the surface temperature on the interior side of the wall area above the window. In the worst-case scenario, this temperature drops below the dew point of the indoor air, which promotes condensation and, consequently, mold growth.

To minimize this risk, lintel solutions made of thermally broken steel profiles or materials with lower thermal conductivity are preferred. Stainless steel alloys conduct heat slightly less efficiently than standard structural steel, but the difference is minimal. A more effective approach is to use precast lintel components made of reinforced concrete or aerated concrete blocks, which have significantly lower thermal conductivity. In buildings with high energy efficiency requirements, such as low-energy houses or passive houses, lintel solutions made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic or special precast insulated concrete elements are used, which virtually eliminate the thermal bridge effect.

In addition to the thermal bridge problem, drainage of the air gap in the area of the facing lintel is a critical issue. Driving rainwater that penetrates the air gap between the inner and outer shells must be drained in a controlled manner. To this end, drainage openings are provided in the facing shell at the base of the facing lintel—that is, at the upper edge of the window opening. These so-called slotted bricks or open butt joints allow water that has collected on the waterproofing membrane to drain away. The waterproofing membrane itself—which is attached to the inner shell behind the facing lintel and extends outward over the lintel—directs the water toward these openings. A missing or improperly installed waterproofing membrane on the facing lintel is one of the most common causes of moisture ingress into the wall structure and of efflorescence on the facade.

Design and Aesthetic Impact of the Facing Lintel

The facing lintel is not only a technical component but also a design element of the clinker facade. The way an opening in the facing shell is finished significantly shapes the character of the building. A straight, horizontal lintel made of facing bricks in a stretcher bond creates a calm, understated effect that fits well with modern facade designs. A segmental arch with a shallow curve lends the facade a classical touch, while a round arch or a pointed arch references historical models and is used in historic preservation or in new buildings designed in a historicist style.

The stone sizes and laying patterns in the lintel area are another design element. Stacked courses, in which stones are set on edge on the lintel, are a classic motif of clinker facades and emphasize the opening with a striking horizontal finish. Arched lintels made of wedge-shaped bricks require precise planning of the brick sizes, as the joint width must be evenly distributed across the length of the arch to create a visually convincing, craftsmanship-driven appearance. Modern clinker facades occasionally deliberately forgo any emphasis on the lintel and extend the bond pattern across the opening as if it were not there, creating an abstract, two-dimensional facade character.

The choice of color for the lintel bricks in relation to the rest of the facing masonry is a subtle yet effective design tool. Contrasting lintel bricks made of a darker or lighter clinker highlight the openings and add texture to the facade. In contrast, monochromatic solutions, in which the lintel and wall surface are made of the same STEIN, emphasize the uniformity of the surface. These decisions are part of the architectural concept and should be made early in the design phase, as they influence the choice of lintel type and construction details.

Standards, Regulations, and Common Design Errors

The design and construction of the facing lintel are governed by several sets of regulations. The fundamental standard is DIN EN 1996 (Eurocode 6) with its national annexes for the design of masonry structures. For double-shell masonry with a facing shell, the technical guideline from the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBT) and the technical guidelines from the Federal Association of the German Brick Industry are authoritative; these contain detailed recommendations on lintel types, support depths, drainage, and expansion joints. Manufacturer approvals for specific facing lintel products supplement these general regulations with product-specific requirements.

One of the most common design errors is insufficient consideration of expansion joints in the facing course. Facing masonry expands and contracts due to changes in temperature and humidity. Without sufficient joints, internal stresses develop, which tend to manifest as diagonal crack patterns at the corners of openings. These cracks are not only visually unsightly but can also allow water to penetrate the wall structure. The spacing and positions of the joints must be determined during the planning phase and coordinated with the laying pattern of the facing blocks.

Another common mistake is the absence of or inadequate waterproofing behind the facing lintel. If the waterproofing membrane is not carefully connected to the lintel and extended outward, water accumulates in the air gap and can penetrate the inner shell or the window frame via capillary action. Efflorescence on the facade in the area of window lintels is often an indication of this defect: The water dissolves salts from the masonry and carries them to the surface, where they become visible as whitish deposits after evaporation. Rectifying this defect usually requires extensive work to open up the facade.

Finally, the minimum support depth of the facing lintel on the side abutments is occasionally not met when openings are located near building corners or close to one another. In such cases, the support depth must be structurally ensured, if necessary by extending the lintel profile or by adding additional brackets. Insufficient support depth leads to stress concentrations at the ends of the lintel, which manifest as spalling or longitudinal cracks in the facing masonry.

The Facing Lintel as an Integral Element of the Clinker Facade

The facing lintel is a component that combines structural necessity and design expression within a confined space. It is small in relation to the overall building, but of considerable importance for the durability of the facade and for the quality of its appearance. Those who carefully plan facing lintel solutions must simultaneously consider structural requirements, building physics risks, the feasibility of craftsmanship, and design intent. This convergence of multiple requirements makes the facing lintel a prime example of how architecture and engineering are inextricably linked in masonry details.

The development of the facing lintel technique reflects the history of double-shell masonry as a whole. Historical clinker facades were often constructed as single-shell structures, with the lintel spanning the entire wall thickness. With the introduction of core insulation and the double-shell wall construction in the 20th century, it became necessary to structurally separate the lintel from the facing shell. The industrial production of facing lintel profiles and precast lintels has simplified and standardized the construction process without altering the fundamental structural principles.

For architects and designers working with clinker facades, knowledge of facing lintel details is indispensable. The decision to use a specific lintel shape has implications for the facade design, the thermal performance of the building envelope, and the durability of the structure. A carefully planned and executed facing lintel is a sign of craftsmanship and design expertise that is evident in the quality of the facade for decades to come. Those who understand the principles of the facing lintel understand an essential part of what makes a good clinker facade.