Brick arch - look OK?

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Hacking away at a bricked-up fireplace trying to sort out some damp, I find this:

PICT0201.jpg


The span is 1.2m, and at either end are 40cm by 50cm brick piers. There is also a curved steel bar (not visible in pic.) about 5cm wide and 7mm thick under the arch. Rusty but intact. As 'original features' go it's not great, but it's the best we're going to get...

Obviously, this is the original fireplace and I would like to remove the brickwork below the arch. I also don't want the wall to fall down. Does it look OK? Or do I call the structural engineer (again)? I've done a couple of these before in a previous house, which were in much worse condition initially with no problem, but (a) they were smaller and (b) maybe I shouldn't have.

Second thing: the back of this is a single skin of brick. I'd rather not leave it like that (there's no possibility of using the fireplace - structual steel for an attic conversion near the top). I'm thinking of building a new inner leaf - 50mm insulation, 40mm air gap as in some new work done on the house elsewhere to just above the height of the arch. Then close the chimney with a sheet of insulation, sitting on a batten fixed to the inside of chimney breast and the top of the new wall (this would not be fixed, and neither would it close off the chimney completely). I could also new airbricks to the outside. OK? Mad?

Thanks again,
Neal
 
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Think it's being fixed: lowered ground level outside, cleaned out cavity, cleaning out fireplace (full of bits of brick, stone, soot, mortar, all a very soggy). There's been a bit of discussion here: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25230. All seems to be drying out, but it's early days (and pretty dry of course).

Neal
 
I had a very similar situation when I was reinstating a cast iron fireplace into my house.

As long as the mortar is ok, you should be fine, that arch looks very strong. On the ends of the arch, on mine, there are two bricks sticking out of each side that support the last brick on each side of the arch. Does your arch have these bricks? If they've been hacked off, just take the rest of the brick out and put a new(ish) one in.
 
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Tom. said:
On the ends of the arch, on mine, there are two bricks sticking out of each side that support the last brick on each side of the arch. Does your arch have these bricks? If they've been hacked off, just take the rest of the brick out and put a new(ish) one in.

Nope, don't have these - and no sign they were ever present. As it happens, our structural engineer's just seen it and OK'ed it. Was around to check some lateral restraint work had been done correctly and had a quick look - so we don't get charged unless we want it in writing :D

Thanks again,
Neal
 
Got one very similar. Did the struct engineer want the rusty steel band treated in any way?
 
ian_bates said:
Got one very similar. Did the struct engineer want the rusty steel band treated in any way?

Nope - it currently isn't really in contact with the arch, and he reckoned it was essentially just a former during construction in practice. (As in, even if the original builders intended it to support the arch, it never was really doing that.) He did tell me not to take it out (not that I intended to) but only because that would disturb the ends of the arch.

Regards,
Neal
 

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