Re-opening old fireplace

[mike]

I've just removed a hideous gas fire and want to open up the old fire place for a woodbuner. Pic here:

there any likelihood of finding asbestos in the old fire back or cement used? (I think they date from the 1980s.)

Is it best to remove the fireback first and then start on the bricks?

Any gotchas I need to watch out for?

Thanks for any advice.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , mike writes

Can't see why there would be. Anyway you'll be wearing a mask:-)

I would think so. There may be a space behind the bricks to get busy with a club hammer and bolster.

There ought to be a piece of iron supporting that shallow arch.

I've got some pics of ours somewhere.

regards

[Tim Watts]

mike ( [e-mail]) wibbled on Thursday 03 February 2011 19:22:

Fireback is safe to remove (structurely) - but if you start removing bricks, you need to be aware if you are removing load bearing support. Chimney stacks are *very* heavy.

[Tim Watts]

mike ( [e-mail]) wibbled on Thursday 03 February 2011 19:22:

Hang on - just seen your photo - are those red bricks retrofitted into a much larger opening bordered by those brown bricks?

I don't see an obvious problem with opening back to the brown bricks. That arch is something to watch out for - it looks like it might have been designed to be load bearing but it looks a bit on the slime side for such a wide opening.

I'd consider some iron or a concrete lintle there - but that's only going on a photo...

[cynic]

You will find a large quantity of material to remove from behind the red brick wall. Dont disturb the older brick arch. Given that you had to ask your question do you feel competent to cast a sealing slab to run the woodburner flue pipe up through? DIY is good but some tasks need someone who knows the job.

[Tim Watts]

cynic ( [e-mail]) wibbled on Thursday 03 February 2011 22:53:

Does he need a slab? Mine (albeit smaller) was closed off by the HETAS fitter with a sheet of metal about 6" up into the chimney and sprayed black.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Tim Watts writes

Building control was happy with a sheet metal closer secured to an angle iron frame and sealed with fire cement grout.

I suppose an insulated twin wall chimney liner was an added reassurance.

regards

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[stuart noble]

There's probably a metal arch under the brown bricks, usually about

5-10mm thick I think. I'd chip away at that mortar line and make sure it extends into the brown bricks on either side.

[newshound]

I have masterboard and no liner; when it's going, it draws pretty well (3 storeys). But I have checked with a CO monitor

[Andrew Gabriel]

Yes. It is a very shallow arch, and the supporting walls at either side are too insubstantial to support much lateral arch force. I would carefully check for any arch slippage before removing the brickwork underneath. I might even repoint the arch and brickwork immediately above it first if the mortar isn't in good condition.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

I put some photos of one of mine on photobucket. Now if I can only remember the password......

brickwork is corbelled in to form a throat. No working flash on this camera so not easily seen. Chipping off old mortar/render is not kind to soft red brick. Elsewhere I have retained existing render but stopped it short of the brick face to give a cleaner edge. Better photo soon as the other camera is heading home from Lanzarote:-)

My first attempts at matching lime mortar were not good. You need white cement and silver sand.

regards

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