Lintel advice needed

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Hi. The other half has had an idea, now I'm left sorting it.
Making space for a new fireplace.
The attached drawing shows the existing opening and lintel in grey, the chimney flu space in blue, and the new opening that is needed in orange.

From looking around the internet I've seen that I'd need a new lintel that's at least 100mm longer at each end than the new opening (850mm).
The old lintel is 2 courses high but the lintel I've seen at wickes is 60mm.
I'm thinking take out the old lintel, remove bricks on either side and fit the new one.


This guy says " If the chimney breast is brick and the opening no wider than one metre then I am happy to breakout and fit a new lintel without using acroprops. ".
http://www.stovefittersmanual.co.uk/articles/fitting-a-fireplace-lintel/

Is this safe?
Thanks
 
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Is this safe?

No, it can kill you if he chimney collapses. The advice is not good, but it does say if no lintel is existing. Your project is different as you are intending removing a supporting lintel.
NB: I would advise the lintel sits/overlaps by 150mm each side of opening.
 
Thanks.

My first thought was to put the new lintel along the top of the existing one and leaving them both in place.

It would mean removing a single course above the lintel.

Is this doable? If temporary support is needed could I support it brick by brick as they are removed?
 
If you chalk an equilateral triangle above the opening then the only bricks that can fall down are within that triangle. The rest are self supporting. Let the guy get on with it.
 
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We have done dozens and dozens of 1m knock-throughs (door size) without acros. In some instances we have propped what ever is above, whether that is a beam or a floor joist etc.

If the masonry mortar appears to be friable and the bricks unstable, then use your common sense. As Joe says, the worst that could happen is a few bricks may need re-laying.
 
thanks for the replies.

if you had the option of either replacing the existing lintel or putting the new one along the top of the old one which one would you go for?


i'm thinking that putting the new one along the top of the old one seems safer than removing the old one, although it means removing more bricks.


i guess i'd have to remove the old lintel as i'd be removing the bricks from underneath it (sorry if that's very obvious!)
 
It's not just the bricks above the lintel. The added problem with chimneys is that any infill bricks around the flue, tend not to be bonded to the perimeter bricks of the chimney, so can drop with the slightest touch, so prop those with some timber if need be.
 
20150623_131149.jpg


Thanks for the replies.

I was ready to acrow prop and put a new lintel in when I found that I'd just missed the original lintel when I'd first looked for it. It's 15mm high, 30mm above the height of the new opening and is long enough for the opening that I need. Very lucky!

Any tips on how best to proceed? Start by removing the bricks directly below the lintel?
Cheers
 

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