Reducing size of fireplace builders opening

[andy.hide]

I have removed an old backboiler from our lounge fireplace and surrounding filler bricks so now all I have is the original builders opening. The arch has a supporting steel bar underneath it.

I need to reduce the original openings height and width and estimate I will need two rows of bricks to reduce the height to the required size.

What is the best way of supporting these bricks? Should I buy a standard concrete lintel and cut it to size (could be difficult ?) or a steel one (again difficult?). This must be a fairly common scenario so how is it normally done?

[Christian McArdle]

With a stud partition instead, if you don't intend to install a fire.

If you are installing some sort of fire, then I'd use a concrete lintel.

Christian.

[mcbrien410]

Andy, as said above, if you are putting a fire back in then use a lintel. These even have the correct angle for the draughting made into them.

When I moved into my first house, the EXPERTS, had manufactured their own lintel as it was a through the wall type fire place serving two rooms. They made the angle so shallow that 49% of the smoke went into one room, 49% went into the other and only 2% went up the chimney. Luckily the seller was able to with-hold a final payment to said EXPERTS and gave it to me to get the job done correctly.

The internal angle for correct draughting is about 43 degrees. I was able to find it in a book in the library. Probably on the Net now.

Chris.

[mcbrien410]

.........have a look here...

[Mark S.]

Here's one I did earlier:

fireplace04 and fireplace11

Mark S.

[mcbrien410]

Andy, have you looked here for general chimney building............

.....see the lintel angle in Fig-5.

Chris.

[andy.hide]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Looking at my original post I failed to mention that the replacement we are looking at is an inset gas fire.

With this in mind I am not sure whether I need to use a throat forming lintel or standard concrete one.

I will check the position of the vent from the fire. If it doesn't clear the depth of a standard lintel I will fit a throat forming one.

Andy.