Hi there, I've just removed a cast iron reproduction fireplace from our lounge and would like to place a fire basket in the open fireplace. The opening appears to be in good order and I've had a sweep come and check the chimney. Couple of questions,
1) The brickwork inside the opening is exposed in places and needs to be made good again - is there a certain cement mix I should use for this?
2) The floor of the fireplace is now some distance from the opening of the chimney - the sweep suggested this needed building up (probably to the height of a couple of bricks, to make a shelf on which the basket will sit. Again, is there a certain cement I could use for this? (e.g. fill the space with the rubble that was left behind from the cast iron fireplace and cement over making a 'step' on which the basket sits)
The tiled hearth in front of the fire is in perfect nick and there is a bit of plastering that needs doing to fill in the rebate left by the fireplace but otherwise all looks good. Any help or suggestions appreciated I can find very little information on the web. Also, is it safe to lining paper over the plaster up to the edge of the opening?
Depends. Above the actual combustion area the fire will get hot enough to degrade brick..unless you intend putting in a cast iron fireback you will need to do something.
There are high temp renders around buit don;rt ask me what they are...
Under basket temperatures are not nearly as high as immediately above. The hot gases go upwards and in use the stuff that falls down generally does so into a bed of ash. You should be able to get away with standard stuff. My hearth is quarry tiles over concrete done with a 6:1:1 mix of sand, white cement and lime, AFAICR. (Moirtar for tiles: NOT the concrete)
You should raise the basket until the aperture (the area of the opening above the burning area) is less than 7 times the area of the flue immediately above the aperture, and a bit less is better for avoiding smoke in the room.
Or lower the flue towards the fire with a smoke hood. If I have your fireplace pictured aright that might be mo more than a sheet of copper coming down to lower the lintel (?) of the fire as it were.
Should be. My experience is that the most intense heat is in the basket itself (these eventually sag and break) and immediately above this towards the flue entrance. Brick is not an especially good conductor of heat, and you find the rest of the fireplace gradually gets warm, as does the wall, but not hot.
The part under the firebasket will be xposed to hot ashes, but thi sis well within brick/mortar comfirt zones.
I cannot emphsises enough that there are three extremely dangerous parts to an open fire - smoke inhalation apart.
First is the absolutely intense heat in the basket itself and immediately above it. This is enough to distort cast iron and erode brickwork fast. White hot is pretty much possible, with good materials and a good draught.
The second is the possibility of a chimney fire - in itself spectacular but not too dangerous, but combined with a leaking flue anywhere near timber structures, enough to set a roof alight etc.
The third is burning material ejected from te fire..logs spit and crack and can propel stuff a long way. Logs can roll out of a fire too.
Combustible materials nearby can also catch fire.
So regard buidling regulations for hearth sizeds and so ion as an absolute miniu7mum, bugger is better, and a ridged edge to sotop buring stuff riolling out is a damned good idae, and DO NOT hacve nice carpet up close. Get a cheap rug to put in friont, that will get scorched if a small tarcer round pops out, that you can replace without heratbreajk.
And NEVER leave an open fire unattended without a mesh guard.
In laws came back after lunch at the pub..and there wasn't a house at all. Just a couple of fire engines. Banked up with logs, more logs either side, newspapers for starting just in front..you can work out what probably happened.
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