GB2417964A - Brick effect lintel cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A mock arch 100 comprises planar facing 102 and return 104 portions and attachment means 106, 108 which preferably attach the arch to a lintel. The attachment means may comprise a malleable material such as metal or plastic strips, wire or reinforced plastic, it may further comprise a block which cooperates with the lintel. The block may comprise plastic, wood or preferably polystyrene. The planar portions may comprise GRP, GRC, fibreglass, plastic clay or cement. The planar portions preferably represent adjacent surfaces of a single row of bricks. Also claimed is a method of manufacture including making a mould from a traditionally built arch and moulding a material within it to form a mock arch. A damp proof course is also claimed, as is a kit of parts, and sealant to provide mock mortar. In use the mock arch fixes over a lintel to present a traditional brick appearance.

Description

? 24] 7964

MOCK ARCHITECTURAL ARCHES AND RELATED INSTALLATION

METHODS

The present invention relates to the field of mock architectural arches and in particular but not exclusively to the type of brick arch which may be found over an opening in a brick wall which forms a doorway or window.

Traditional brick arches, appearing as that shown in Figure 7, which may be termed 'keystone arches', are not only attractive to the eye but serve a structural purpose. The arched shape and usually tapering bricks spread the weight of a wall above the arch, making the opening below less likely to cave in. However, building an arch is a skilled and lengthy process.

First, the wall comprising building blocks (which may be stone, breezeblocks, bricks or other building blocks) is built up to the height of the opening. Next, a 'temples', which is usually a wooden frame, is made in the proposed shape of the top of the opening and wedged into position with supports. Bricks or other building blocks are then cut into wedge-shapes, usually a different shape for each brick, and cemented into place over the temples using mortar. After this has dried, the supports are knocked out and the temples removed. The rest of the wall can then be built above the arch.

As a result of the time and skill required to produce brick arches, they are not generally incorporated into modern buildings. Instead, common practice has become to use a metal lintel which holds the weight of the wall above. These lintels are generally of a form for use with a cavity wall (a 'double wall' comprising two parallel brick walls separated by a small cavity), but the skilled person will appreciate that lintels are also found on 'solid' walls (i.e. walls without cavities) and comprise an elongate member with an inverted 'T'- shaped cross section. The crossbar of the T is laid over a course of bricks with the upright of the T in the cavity. A course of building blocks, for example bricks or breezeblocks, is laid on top of either side. This is quick to install and requires less skill from the builder, but the pleasing aesthetics of the brick arch are lost.

Recent trends in the building trade have lead increasingly to central manufacture of components which are then assembled on site. This reflects the desirability of repeating designs (in particular in chains of restaurants or supermarkets), increased use of factory machinery, and reduction of the time required to assemble a building. This trend is both a product and cause of a reduction in the numbers of skilled bricklayers available.

An attempt to provide a mock brick arch is seen in the use of 'brick slips', brick cut down from the standard size to a portion of the usual thickness to form the basis of brick cladding. These are cut into wedge shapes and fixed, usually with epoxy adhesives, to wooden boards or to a concrete lintel in the required shapes. Mortar may then be applied to the spaces between the bricks to obtain the finish of a brick wall. However, this method of construction usually does not provide the underside of a brick arch, usually termed the 'return', which is a desirable aesthetic attribute. If a return is provided, this must be formed of further cut down bricks, positioned using mortar, and supported until the mortar is dry.

This is time consuming and not greatly simpler than traditional brick arch methods.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mock architectural arch comprising a substantially planar facing portion and a substantially planar return portion, wherein the facing portion is substantially orthogonal to the return portion, the arch further comprising an attachment means arranged, in use of the arch, to hold the arch in position in a wall.

Preferably, the attachment means is arranged to attach the arch to a lintel.

This provides a convenient means to attach the mock arch to an opening, the structure of which opening is supported by the lintel.

The attachment means may comprise a malleable material arranged to hold its shape. Such a material may be arranged to wrap around the edges of a lintel. Such an embodiment may be particularly suited to use with a concrete lintel. Alternatively, or additionally, some or all of the malleable material may be arranged to wrap around building blocks which are laid on top of a lintel. Such an embodiment may be particularly suited to use with a metal lintel.

In particular embodiments, the malleable material may comprise metal strips, plastic strips, wire, wire reinforced plastics or some other suitable material. These provide convenient, low cost, malleable materials.

Alternatively, the attachment means may comprise a block arranged to cooperate with a lintel. Such an arrangement may be convenient for use with the type of steel lintel comprising a substantially horizontal rectangular plate with a vertical strengthening ridge running the length of the plate. Such lintels are intended to support a course of bricks or other building blocks on either side of the ridge and commonly comprise a lip running the length of the plate on either side to assist in positioning of the bricks. The block could be arranged to fit between the ridge and the lip and held to the lintel by an interference fit or by an adhesive.

The attachment means may additionally comprise interference means, for example projections on the return portion and/or the facing portion.

These may interfere with the lintel and/or the lip to improve the security of the fit.

In one embodiment, the block comprises a material arranged to bear the weight of at least a course of building blocks. The material may comprise a plastics material, wood, or any other suitable material. In a particular embodiment, the material comprises polystyrene. This may be advantageous as the weight of the mock arch is not greatly increased.

The use of polystyrene, which may seem unlikely given that a course of bricks may be laid thereon and polystyrene is not often used in such load bearing capacities, is possible as the lintel does not bear the weight of all the bricks vertically above it. Instead, the weight to be supported is limited to the weight of a triangle of bricks with a base the width of the lintel and resting thereon. The compressive strength of polystyrene is sufficient to support this weight. Other suitable plastics include polyurethane, Styrafoam and PVC foam.

Preferably, the facing portion and/or the return portion are manufactured from one of the following materials: glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP), fibreglass, plastic, clay, cement, glass reinforced concrete (GRC) or some other suitable material..

Preferably, the facing portion and the return portion are arranged to mimic the appearance of the face of brickwork. This is advantageous as it provides a desired aesthetic effect. In a preferred embodiment, the return portion is arranged to mimic one surface of course of bricks and at least a portion of the facing portion is arranged to mimic another surface of that course of bricks.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a mock architectural arch comprising manufacturing a traditional brick-and-mortar architectural arch, making a mould of said arch, shaping a mouldable material to said mould and allowing said material to cure to form the mock architectural arch.

The mouldable material may comprise glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP), fibreglass, plastic, clay, cement, glass reinforced concrete (GRC) or some other suitable material.

Preferably, at least one pigment is applied to the surface of said mould before the material is moulded therein. In a preferred embodiment, several pigments are applied which are intended to reproduce the colour of a predetermined brick-and-mortar wall.

It will be appreciated that there are many types of brick available which vary in colour, speckling, surface texture, etc. Further, there are many variations on the colour and type of mortar that are used in building. It is desirable to give the mock arch a realistic appearance, which is preferably arranged to match a wall into which the arch is to be placed.

Alternatively, it may be desirable to provide a brick arch which contrasts with the surrounding wall for aesthetical reasons.

The method may comprise applying the pigment in layers. This may be convenient as the layer applied first will be the 'surface' colour on the mock arch. In one embodiment, the method comprises applying colour to the 'mortar' portions of the mould then to the brick portions. This may allow for less variation in the colour of the mortar portions (the appearance of mortar is usually fairly consistent within a single wall) and more variation in the colour of the brick (which is generally more variable, for example speckled).

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a damp proof course for use with a mock architectural arch comprising a substantially rigid cavity tray comprising an elongate substantially planar horizontal portion, an elongate substantially vertical planar portion and an elongate substantially sloping planar portion, arranged in use to be positioned above a lintel.

As will be familiar to those skilled in the art, prior art cavity trays generally comprise an elongate, substantially rectangular sloping portion positioned along the length of a cavity such that it slopes across the width of the cavity. Moisture above the tray condenses or falls on the sloping portion and slides down the slope toward the outer wall. Prior art trays may further comprise an elongate rectangular upper horizontal portion joined to the sloping portion to be embedded in the mortar of a horizontal joint of the wall at the upper end on the slope and/or a horizontal lower portion joined to the sloping portion, to be wholly or partially embedded in a horizontal mortar joint of the wall at the lower end on the slope.

Such trays are usually laid such that the horizontal lower portion rests on the flange to one side of the vertical strengthening ridge running the length of the plate, the sloping portion running up adjacent to the ridge.

When using a damp proof course in connection with a mock architectural arch, this prior art method may not be possible as the mock arch covers the mortar joint to which moisture would be conducted, preventing its escape. Alternatively, for example, where the attachment means comprises a block, there may be no mortar joint adjacent the flange of the lintel. Therefore, a damp proof course according the third aspect of the invention is convenient as it does not cooperate with the flange.

The horizontal portion may be provided with weep vents. The weep vents may be arranged to be positioned within a vertical mortar joint in a wall. )

The damp proof course may further comprise stop ends arranged in use to protect the lintel from moisture. This may be particularly advantageous in embodiments for use with metal lintels as the stop-ends may protect the lintel from rust.

As will be familiar to the man skilled in the art, prior art stop ends are generally found at the end of cavity tray runs, for example at the end of walls. Stop ends generally comprise a substantially horizontal rectangular top plate, arranged to overlap with the ends of the lower horizontal portion of a cavity tray, a sloping side plate leading away from the tray and sloping downwards to a horizontal base plate. In some embodiments, the sloping side plate may be replaced with a substantially vertical side plate. Stop ends may further comprise a substantially vertical backing plate arranged to lie against the wall opposite the wall to which moisture is being conducted and being connected at to edges to the edges of the sloping portion and the lower horizontal portions of the stop end.

Preferably, the stop ends according to the present invention are arranged such that, in use with a mock architectural arch, the top plate is arranged to cooperate with the attachment means of the mock arch.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing the impression of brick arch within a brick wall comprising building a wall either side of an opening to the height of the opening, laying a lintel across said opening, attaching a mock architectural arch according to the first aspect of the invention to said lintel and building the wall above said lintel to the desired height.

The method may further comprise including a damp proof course above the lintel. This may be advantageous in cavity walls as it solves the At/ ': problem of moisture in the cavity by directing to one side, usually the external side, of the wall.

The damp proof course may comprise a cavity tray. This is a commonly used form of damp proof course.

The cavity tray may be formed of rigid material. This may be advantageous as it allows the tray to maintain its own weight. Such a damp proof course may be laid on top of a lintel, rather than being build into the wall. Alternative damp proof courses, which are intended to be embedded in horizontal mortar joints or otherwise supported, may comprise flexible material.

The damp proof course may be provided with weep vents arranged to conduct moisture to outside the wall cavity. A weep vent is usually positioned in a vertical mortar joint and takes the form of a plastic housing with channels therethrough (although other arrangements are possible), allowing the cavity to be in fluid communication with the outside of the wall.

The damp proof course may further comprise stop ends arranged to stop moisture from falling from the ends of a cavity tray.

The damp proof course may comprise the damp proof course according to the third aspect of the present invention.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit comprising a mock architectural arch, a lintel and a damp proof course. / \

The mock architectural arch may be an arch according to the first aspect of the present invention.

In one embodiment, the kit comprises a mock architectural arch comprising the attachment means in the form of a block arranged to cooperate with a lintel, a cooperating lintel, and a damp proof course according to the third aspect of the present invention.

The kit may further comprise adhesive and/or sealant arranged to adhere/seal an overlap between a cavity tray and stop ends.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sealant arranged to provide the appearance of a mortar join comprising a mixture of silicon sealant and sand.

Such a sealant may be convenient in supplying a seal with the appearance of mortar to gaps which are too small for the ready application of real mortar. In particular, the sealant may provide a convenient finishing product for the unskilled user, for example a 'Home-Improver'.

Preferably, the sealant further comprises a pigment intended to mimic the colour of mortar. This may improve the visual appeal of the finished result.

In a preferred embodiment, the sealant is provided in a tube for use with a sealant gun. As will be familiar to the man skilled in the art, a sealant gun comprises a frame into which a tube of sealant is inserted, a handle and a plunger which acts on the base of the tube when the handle is squeezed. The base of such a tube is moved inside the tube walls and sealant is forced from the tube tip. )

In perhaps a preferred embodiment, the sealant comprises approximately 60% silicon sealant and 40'o sand. This produces a suitable mixture. The mixture may then have added thereto 5'o pigment.

However, the mixture may comprise other proportions. For example, the mixture may comprise between 50o and 70'%o sealant and between 50o and 30o sand. Some embodiments of the invention are now described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying figures of which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a mock architectural arch according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the reverse of the arch of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the arch of Figure 1 in conjunction with a concrete lintel; Figure 4 shows a side view of the arch of Figure 1 in conjunction with a metal lintel and courses of breezeblocks; Figure 5 shows a side view of the arch of Figure 1 in conjunction with a metal lintel and courses of house bricks; Figure 6 shows an architectural arch according to a second embodiment of the present invention in conjunction with a metal lintel; Figure 7 shows an architectural arch in situ; Figure 8 shows the process of making mock mortar according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 shows a perspective view of an attachment means for a mock architectural arch in combination with a damp proof course comprising stop ends; Figure 10 shows a face view of an attachment means for a mock architectural arch in combination with a damp proof course comprising stop ends; Figure 11 shows a cross section of an arch and a damp proof course in situ in a cavity wall; and Figure 12 shows detail of the stop end shown in Figures 9 and 10.

Figures 1 and 2 shows a mock architectural arch lOOa comprising a substantially trapezoid facing portion 102 with a top edge roughly parallel to and longer than a bottom edge. The facing potion is joined to a substantially rectangular return portion 104 in a region of its bottom edge. Both the facing portion 102 and the return portion 104 are manufactured from Glass fibre Reinforced Plastic (GRP) which has been formed in a mould, perhaps a rubber mould formed from a pre-existing brick arch. The front side of the facing portion 102 and the return portion 104 are suitable textured and coloured to have the appearance of a brick keystone arch held together with mortar, although such detail is not shown on the reverse. As the skilled person will appreciate, the term arch' applies in this context to non-curved structures as well as curved structures.

The arch 100a further comprises an attachment means comprising four bendable metal strips comprising two lintel engagement strips 106a, 106b and two brick engagement strips 108a, 108b.

Figure 3 shows the arch 100a in use with a concrete lintel 300. Such a concrete lintel 300, as will be familiar to the person skilled in the art, comprises a three-dimensional rectangular concrete block which is long enough to bridge the opening it is required to support. As is shown in Figure 3, the strips 106a, 106b, 108a, 108b are bent around the concrete lintel 300. In use of the arch 100a in this context, the strips 106a, 106b, 108a, 108b are bent around the ends and the upper face of the concrete lintel 300. The concrete lintel 300 is then placed into position as in its standard application and further courses of bricks lay using mortar to either side and on top of the concrete lintel 300.

As the skilled person will appreciate, the lintel 300 will extend beyond the sides of the opening it bridges. Therefore, in other embodiments, the return portion 104 may be cut back at each side such that the lintel engagement strips 106a, 106b extend along a portion of the underside of the lintel 300 before being wrapped around its ends.

Figures 4 and 5 show cutaway views of the arch 100a in use with a metal lintel 400. The metal lintel 400 comprises a steel elongate rectangular plate bent along a lengthwise axis so as to incorporate a raised portion flanked on either side by a substantially horizontal potion. The raised portion forms a strengthening ridge. The horizontal portions are intended to lie on top of a course of building blocks and to receive a further course of building blocks which may be laid on top of the metal lintel 400.

In Figure 4, the arch 100a has been placed with the reverse of the return portion 104 against the underside of one of the horizontal portions of the metal lintel 400. This forms a space between the facing portion 102 and the raised portion of the metal lintel 400. The lintel engagement strips 106a, 106b have been bent around the ends of the metal lintel 400 and layer of mortar 402 has been laid on the horizontal portion of the metal lintel 400 in the space. A course of breezeblocks 404 has been laid on top of the mortar 402 in the space and the brick engagement strips 108a, 108b have been bent around the top of that course. A further layer of mortar 402 has been laid over the top of the blocks and a further layer of blocks 406 placed thereon.

In Figure 5, the arch 100a has again been placed with the reverse of the return portion 104 against the underside of one of the horizontal portions of the metal lintel 400, forming the space between the facing portion 102 and the raised portion of the metal lintel 400 described above. The lintel engagement strips 106a, 106b have been bent around the ends of the metal lintel 400 and layer of mortar 402 has been laid on the horizontal portion of the metal lintel 400 in the space. A course of house bricks 500a has been laid on top of the mortar 402 in the space, followed by a layer of mortar 402, a further course of bricks 500b, a further layer of mortar 402 then a further course of bricks 500c. The brick engagement strips 108a, 108b have been bent around the top of that course of bricks 500c.

A further layer of mortar 402 has been laid over the top of the bricks 500c and a further course of bricks 500c placed thereon.

The skilled person will appreciate that it is not essential that the same material be used for every course of bricks in a given wall. Some other suitable types of building blocks include cut stone and natural stone.

Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of an architectural arch lOOb. The arch lOOb has some features in common with the arch 100a described above and like features have been labelled with like numbers. However, in this embodiment, the arch 100b comprises a three dimensional rectangular polystyrene block 600 which operates in conjunction with interference means provided by frictional engagement ridges 602 to form an attachment means. The polystyrene block 600 is secured with an epoxy resin to the reverse of the facing portion 102, leaving a gap between the bottom face of the polystyrene block 600 and the reverse of the return portion 104. The reverse of the return portion 104 carries the ridges 602, which comprise GRP mouldings running the length of the return portion 104.

The arch 100b is shown in conjunction with a metal lintel 604 similar to that described above but incorporating along an edge region of one horizontal portion a turned lip 606 In use, the arch 100b is placed against the lintel 604 such that the horizontal portion bearing the lip 606 is inserted into the gap between the polystyrene block 600 and the reverse of the return portion 104. Some pressure will have to be applied to move the lip 606 over the ridges 602, and once the lip 606 has passed over the ridges 602 a substantially solid interference fit is formed between the lintel 604 and the arch 100b. In alternative embodiments, an adhesive may be used to add strength to the fit. A course of building blocks may then be laid using mortar over the polystyrene block 600.

Figure 7 shows an embodiment of a mock arch 100c in situ over an opening 700 in a brick wall 702.

The flowchart of Figure 8 shows a process for making mock mortar which forms a sealant which may be used to fill small gaps, for example where an arch lOOa, 100b, 100c meets brickwork.

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The 'mock mortar' sealant is made by adding sand 800 to a silicon sealant 802, such as is supplied by Jewson of Merchant House, Binley Business Park, Coventry, CV3 2TT, UK roughly in the proportions 60o silicone sealant to 40o sand. The components are mixed 804 and a colour in the form of a polyester pigment paste is added to produce the desired colour of mortar. The product is placed into tubes 806 suitable for use with sealant guns and may then be applied to gaps as any other sealant.

Figures 9 to 12 show an embodiment of the present invention including a damp proof course. The figures show the attachment means comprising a polystyrene block 600 described above, although the arch has been omitted from Figures 9 and 10 for clarity. It will be appreciated that, in use, an arch 100 could be attached to the block 600 and a lintel 604 in the manner shown in Figure 11.

The damp proof course comprises a cavity tray 900 and stop ends, of which the right hand stop end 902 is shown (although it will be appreciated that a left-hand stop end, being a mirror image of the stop end 902 shown, is provided on the other end of the cavity tray 900).

The cavity tray 900 is pre-formed of a substantially rigid rectangular plastic sheet shaped to comprise an elongate substantially rectangular horizontal portion 904, an elongate substantially rectangular vertical portion 906 and an elongate substantially rectangular sloping portion 908.

In use, the horizontal portion is placed on top of the block 600, the vertical portion extending vertically upwards into the cavity and the sloping portion 908 sloping up and away from the block such that, in situ as shown in Figure 11, the edge of the sloping portion 908 contacts the ) inner skin 909 of the cavity wall (the arch being positioned on the outer skin 907).

The stop end 902 is shown in detail in Figure 12. The stop end 902 comprises a substantially right triangular backing plate 910, with its tips removed. The plate 910 has mounted thereon orthogonally projecting plates comprising a substantially horizontal rectangular base plate 912, connected at one end to substantially vertical rectangular side plate 914, which in turn connects to a substantially horizontal rectangular top plate 916. In use, the backing plate 910 is arranged to lie against the wall opposite the wall to which moisture is being conducted, the top plate 916 is arranged to overlap the ends of the horizontal portion 904 of the cavity tray 900, the side plate 914 runs parallel to the end face of the block 600 and the base plate runs substantially parallel to the base face of the block 600.

The stop ends 902 will be attached to the cavity tray 900 by use of an adhesive which may act as a sealant. Alternatively, the stop ends 902 may be separately adhered to then sealed with the cavity tray 900.

Although not shown in the Figures, the skilled person will appreciate that weep vents may be arranged on the horizontal portion 904 of the cavity trap 900, passing through a vertical mortar joint when positioned in a wall, to allow the moisture collected on the tray to escape the cavity.

The skilled person will also appreciate that the vertical side plate described in relation to the stop end may be replaced with a sloping side plate.

Other embodiments which do not depart from the scope of the invention are anticipated.

Claims (38)

1. A mock architectural arch comprising a substantially planar facing portion and a substantially planar return portion, wherein the facing portion is substantially orthogonal to the return portion, the arch further comprising an attachment means arranged, in use of the arch, to hold the arch in position in a wall.

2. A mock architectural arch according to claim 1 in which the attachment means is arranged to attach the arch to a lintel.

3. A mock architectural arch according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the attachment means comprises a malleable material arranged to hold its shape.

4. A mock architectural arch according to claim 3 in which the malleable material comprises one or more of: metal strips, plastic strips, wire, wire reinforced plastics.

5. A mock architectural arch according to claim 2 in which the attachment means comprises a block arranged to cooperate with a lintel.

6. A mock architectural arch according to claim 5 in which the block comprises a material arranged to bear the weight of at least a course of building blocks.

7. A mock architectural arch according to claim 6 in which the material comprises one or more of: a plastics material, wood, polystyrene.

8. A mock architectural arch according to any preceding claim in which the attachment means comprises interference means arranged to co-operate with an element within the wall.

9. A mock architectural arch according to any preceding claim in which the facing portion and/or the return portion are manufactured from one of the following materials: glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP), fibreglass, plastic, clay, cement, glass reinforced concrete (GRC).

10. A mock architectural arch according to any preceding claim in which the facing portion and the return portion are arranged to mimic the appearance of the face of brickwork.

11. A mock architectural arch according to claim 10 in which the return portion is arranged to mimic one surface of course of bricks and at least a portion of the facing portion is arranged to mimic another surface of that course of bricks.

12. A method of making a mock architectural arch comprising manufacturing a traditional brick-and-mortar architectural arch, making a mould of said arch, shaping a mouldable material to said mould and curing the material to form the mock architectural arch.

13. A method of making a mock architectural arch according to claim 12 in which the mouldable material comprises one or more of: glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP), fibreglass, plastic, clay, cement, glass reinforced concrete (GRC).

14. A method of making a mock architectural arch according to claim 12 or claim 13 in which at least one pigment is applied to the surface of said mould before the material is moulded therein. :

15. A method of making a mock architectural arch according to claim 14 which comprises applying pigment in layers.

16. A damp proof course for use with a mock architectural arch comprising a substantially rigid cavity tray comprising an elongate substantially planar horizontal portion, an elongate substantially vertical planar portion and an elongate substantially sloping planar portion, arranged in use to be positioned above a lintel.

17. A damp proof course according to claim 16 in which the horizontal portion provided with weep vents.

18. A damp proof course according to claim 16 or claim 17 which further comprises stop ends arranged in use to protect the lintel from moisture.

19. A damp proof course according to claim 18 in which the stop ends are arranged such that, in use with a mock architectural arch, the top plate is arranged to cooperate with the attachment means of the mock arch.

20. A method of providing the impression of brick arch within a brick wall comprising building a wall either side of an opening to the height of the opening, laying a lintel across said opening, attaching a mock architectural arch according to any of claims 1 to 11 to said lintel and building the wall above said lintel to the desired height.

21. A method according to claim 20 which further comprises including a damp proof course above the lintel.

22. A method according to claim 21 in which the damp proof course comprises a cavity tray.

23. A method according to claim 22 in which the cavity tray is formed of rigid material.

24. A method according to any of claims 21 to 23 in which the damp proof course comprises a damp proof course according to any of claims 16 to 20.

25. A kit comprising a mock architectural arch, a lintel and a damp proof course.

26. A kit according to claim 25 in which the mock architectural arch is an arch according to any of claims 1 to 11.

27. A kit according to claim 25 or claim 26 which comprises a mock architectural arch comprising the attachment means in the form of a block arranged to cooperate with a lintel, a cooperating lintel, and a damp proof course according to any of claims 16 to 20.

28. A kit according to any of claims 25 to 27 which further comprises adhesive and/or sealant arranged to adhere/seal an overlap between a cavity tray and stop ends.

29. Sealant arranged to provide the appearance of a mortar join comprising a mixture of silicon sealant and sand.

30. Sealant according to claim 29 which comprises a pigment intended to mimic the colour of mortar.

31. Sealant according to claim 29 or claim 30 which is suitable for use with a sealant gun.

32. Sealant according to any of claims 29 to 31 which comprises approximately 60% silicon sealant and 40% sand.

33. A mock architectural arch substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures 1 to 7.

34. A method of making a mock architectural arch substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures 1 to 7.

35. A damp proof course for use with a mock architectural arch substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures 9 and 10.

36. A method of providing the impression of a brick arch within a brick wall substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures.

37. A kit comprising a mock architectural arch, a lintel and a damp proof course substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures.

38. A sealant substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures.