Opening up a fireplace puzzle

[ieuanhuw]

Hello all,
now i know there are a few threads on here about opening up a fireplace but any help on this one would be helpful. I've started opening up the fireplace in the front room of our victorian terrace and so far it looks like this:

You may be able to see the steel/iron strap near the top but id doesn't do the job of a lintel because it stops short of the outside line of bricks on either side. The next door neighbours have opened theirs out to the outside line of bricks up to a height of about 4 feet.

Should i keep going up in the hope of finding a proper lintel or look into ways of inserting a lintel myself?

 

[lostinfens]

I can't really see the image that well, but it looks like the brickwork jambs have been closed in to accomodate a fire surround. This is common practice in fireplaces, they were just built and filled in later. If the house is Victorian, you will almost certainly find an arch above the steel. This means that the 9" brick pier either side within the breast and anything up to the arch was added later and forms no structural part of the chimney breast
The best way to be sure is to hack off more plaster. What is your ultimate goal by the way?

 

[noseall]

Keep going higher with the plaster knock-off.

Often the chimney breast would be built with a 'builders' opening' which would be wider and higher than needs be. Typically a brick and a half each side and up to about 4' high.

This opening would then be tailored to suit the new fireplace, usually with crude but effective brickwork inset.

 

[ieuanhuw]

Thanks, the goal initially is for something a bit nicer to look at than the poor plaster job with plastic grill that was there before. Eventually I'd like to put a wood burner in.

I reckon I've already gone up to 4' but will keep going and post a better pic. When i stopped last night, it was looking like the next line of bricks was keyed in all the way accross which made me think I'd gone far enough.

Also, strangely, at about 2' up, there are bits of wood mortared into the original brickwork at both sides of the fireplace. Can't really think why they would be there. Could they be old props used to remove a lintel - probably a bit low for the builder's opening - or packing done in the bricking up?

 

[noseall]

Also, strangely, at about 2' up, there are bits of wood mortared into the original brickwork at both sides of the fireplace. Can't really think why they would be there. Could they be old props used to remove a lintel - probably a bit low for the builder's opening - or packing done in the bricking up?

In the days before plug and screw, builders would hammer in timber 'plugs' to facilitate the fixing of later fittings. These are likely to coincide with the original fireplace surround.

 

[lostinfens]

Timber pallets for fixing were still around when I was a lad.I remember building them into door jambs or suffering the wrath of the Chippie.
You should be safe taking out a fair portion of brickwork (within reason) even if there is no lintol or arch. The breast should be capable of taking a fair amount of abuse, they are pretty structurally self supporting, just look out for any "mid feathers" tumbling down within.

 

[ieuanhuw]

Right, after going up to around 5' I can pretty much say there's no lintel. Next door have a lovely arch at about 4' but although I can see the angle on the side bricks. None of the arch remains. What anyone was doing removing the arch is beyond me. Maybe it was defective.
Don't think I'm up to putting a lintel in. Any idea how much it woul cost? Actually won't need a plaster job to finish it off cos the damp guys are in in a fortnight to replaster the whole downstairs. How much woul just the brickwork cost to put right?
Cheers...

 

[lostinfens]

A concrete lintol would cost less than a tenner and an hour or two to put in at most, so realistically expect to pay for half a day. Are you really letting damproofers loose on your home?

 

[ieuanhuw]

Yes, sadly. Gotta be done I'm afraid. Part of the mortgage conditions. It is pretty wet in places to be fair. Gonna dig out the garden myself as it's above ground level which can't help.
Kinda feel I'd love to have a bash at putting a lintel in but probably not the time to experiment as I've never done any brickwork before.