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Does this fireback look like its supporting anything?

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I can't really see a lintel at the top of this fireback. The chimney breast is also on the outside of the house. See images.


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I've built fireplaces like that with a pre-cast lintel with integral throat and gather. There should be a dovetail brick that goes back in the opening. As noseall said in his more technical explanation, the fireback should be non structural to anything.
A bit like this, but with a dovetail removable brick for access when forming the back off the throat on top off the fireback.
 
Last edited:
OP,
Whats your purpose for doing this work?
1980's chimney flues were often built with chimney flue block liners.
Why not get your flue or flues swept and then have a camera dropped down before removing the fire back (if thats your intention)?
FWIW: Removing the fire back shouldn't disturb anything else.
 
OP,
Whats your purpose for doing this work?
1980's chimney flues were often built with chimney flue block liners.
Why not get your flue or flues swept and then have a camera dropped down before removing the fire back (if thats your intention)?
FWIW: Removing the fire back shouldn't disturb anything else.
Yes, it looks like the breast has a liner of some sort when I looked up it from below with my phone camera.

We are removing the fireplace entirely, and these firebacks typically protrude out from the wall. So either they need to be shaved down with an angle grinder (lots of mess and dust, but probably the quickest), or they are removed entirely. I'm exploring the latter option, but open to shaving off the edges that are protruding, and then boarding over it.
 

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