Which component is installed above a door opening to transfer loads around the opening?

Which component is installed above a door opening to transfer loads around the opening?

• A. Door Frame
• B. Header
• C. Jamb
• D. Lintel

Answer: (D)

Loads from the wall above a doorway must be carried across the opening. The component placed directly above to take that load and pass it to the sides is the lintel. It acts like a beam spanning the opening, transferring weight to the surrounding wall. In masonry construction, lintels are typically made of steel, reinforced concrete, or stone. In wood framing, a similar function is performed by a header, but the term lintel is used for openings in masonry. Jambs are the vertical sides of the opening, and the door frame is the whole assembly that surrounds the door but doesn’t primarily transfer the load above the opening.

Loads from the wall above a doorway must be carried across the opening. The component placed directly above to take that load and pass it to the sides is the lintel. It acts like a beam spanning the opening, transferring weight to the surrounding wall. In masonry construction, lintels are typically made of steel, reinforced concrete, or stone. In wood framing, a similar function is performed by a header, but the term lintel is used for openings in masonry. Jambs are the vertical sides of the opening, and the door frame is the whole assembly that surrounds the door but doesn’t primarily transfer the load above the opening.