Recent content by Schmikester

Finally cleared the fireplace today. For info, on the inside of the chimney above the join is an unloaded 'gap' (pic below, you can just make out the join below the gap). The weight is being distributed in a triangle towards the edges above the 'lintel' so that almost no weight is actually...

We started to remove the bricks today, current state shown below. There is no joggle visible on the back side so far, so I think it is genuinely an unsupported two-part stone lintel. The plan is to install an oak lintel underneath the stone, currently underpinned by props although the structure...

Thanks for your replies. Yep, its definitely limestone having sanded it a bit to check - pics below show better the centre join and dowels, and the join between sides and top of the stone. Its in a 17th century cottage so goodness knows how long its been there, I assume its been like that for...

Hi, I'm currently refurbishing a cottage and have found a bricked up stone fireplace under layers of plasterwork on the chimney. So far so good. I'm planning to remove the bricks, however the lintel seems to be in two pieces with a zig zag 'l' shape join at the centre. Clearly this is a planned...

Mike's house