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Hi
I have searched all over the internet and haven’t managed to find anyone with the same problem as me so I thought I’d try posting!
I recently bought a very old stone built Cornish farmhouse with hideous 70s fireplaces.
Having stuck my head up one I could clearly see a larger opening with brick arch and metal lintel so knocked it out.
I then stuck my head up again and saw a much bigger lintel higher up the wall.
I took the plaster off and found a huge wooden lintel over the original fireplace which has been bricked in to make a smaller opening.
The wood lintel is suffering from wet rot and woodworm but when scraped back there is good wood underneath but there are places (supporting stones above) that are 10cm of packed dust.
I would like to restore the original fireplace and ideally keep the lintel, though I’m not opposed to inserting an additional lintel or inserting steel rebar into the wood to strengthen it.
Firstly does anyone have any advice?
Secondly, if I’m getting a tradesperson in to advise who do I need to talk to? (Builder/Carpenter/structural engineer?)
I have searched all over the internet and haven’t managed to find anyone with the same problem as me so I thought I’d try posting!
I recently bought a very old stone built Cornish farmhouse with hideous 70s fireplaces.
Having stuck my head up one I could clearly see a larger opening with brick arch and metal lintel so knocked it out.
I then stuck my head up again and saw a much bigger lintel higher up the wall.
I took the plaster off and found a huge wooden lintel over the original fireplace which has been bricked in to make a smaller opening.
The wood lintel is suffering from wet rot and woodworm but when scraped back there is good wood underneath but there are places (supporting stones above) that are 10cm of packed dust.
I would like to restore the original fireplace and ideally keep the lintel, though I’m not opposed to inserting an additional lintel or inserting steel rebar into the wood to strengthen it.
Firstly does anyone have any advice?
Secondly, if I’m getting a tradesperson in to advise who do I need to talk to? (Builder/Carpenter/structural engineer?)