Installing an open fire into a timber lined wall??

Hi all,

I have a 200yo house and have had to strip the dining room walls back to the bare stone and finish with a waterproof render and tanking system due to higher ground level outside

Anyway the same room had an open chimney blocked up (which probably helped to cause a lot of the damp!) and we would like to re-instate an open coal fire

The problem I face is that we have lined all the walls with timber studwork

Has anyone got any advice as to how to install the fire to work safely and not have problems with the surrounding timber work?

There's no problem. You often have a wooden mantle and they don't catch on fire so your studwork will be fine.

Cheers for that.

Any tips on how to seal the fireplace in so no smoke escapes into the room from behind the surround?

I think the first reply you have had may not be correct.

You need to say how far away from the grate your studwork is and what you intend to cover it with.

Or by timber studwork does that mean timber boards as facing material ?

mointainwalker said:

I think the first reply you have had may not be correct.

You need to say how far away from the grate your studwork is and what you intend to cover it with.

Or by timber studwork does that mean timber boards as facing material ?

Click to expand...

Hi mountainwalker - I mean the timber framing work, this is lined with foil backed plasterboard.

I have asked the joiner to leave me a 950x950mm opening in the centre of the chimney breast to install a fire insert into - obviosly this opening can be adjusted to suit whatever fireplace we get

You need to study the Building Regs before you go any further, there are several you must comply with & reinstating your fire is controlled building work requiring either a HETAS registered installer who will self certify the installation or a building notice & inspection if you DIY.

You cannot use timber studwork anywhere within 300mm of the fire opening & you cannot use any sort of gypsum plasterboard to line it out either. Although classed as non-combustible, it's only good for 49 degrees C. Regularly expose it to anything much higher than that & it will fail, as will gypsum plaster. Read the archive posts on fire installations before you go any further;
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=183614
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=211524
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=242738
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=250360&highlight=

This one in particular deals with suitability of some fire lining boards;
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=224751