Advice on cutting fire back panel

[b21playa]

Hi all

When we purchased our current house the fireplace had been blocked up and we are now looking to fit a gas fire but need to get the chimney inspected first. How can I cut a hatch in this back piece so the engineer can get this camera up there as well as sweep the chimney?

Thanks

 

[footprints]

if it is solid stone a diamond core bit (115 mm or so) is the way to go.

 

[b21playa]

if it is solid stone a diamond core bit (115 mm or so) is the way to go.

Yes it looks like inch thick stone. Will an angle grinder work as ultimately I’ll need a cutout for the fire itself.

Just need to keep dust at bay

 

[footprints]

You can get add on ones for angle grinders to extract dust, lots on Amazon, grinder should work fine.
You will need to cut out a large catchment area for a gas fire, used to be around 16" x 20" in old money, but do a small hole first and check the final size with your installer.
Be ready for the whole slab to fall out though! Main thing is to avoid any hammer action on a core drill if you go that route which is why I suggested diamond.

 

[b21playa]

You can get add on ones for angle grinders to extract dust, lots on Amazon, grinder should work fine.
You will need to cut out a large catchment area for a gas fire, used to be around 16" x 20" in old money, but do a small hole first and check the final size with your installer.
Be ready for the whole slab to fall out though! Main thing is to avoid any hammer action on a core drill if you go that route which is why I suggested diamond.

Thank you.

I thought of angle grinder when you mentioned diamond as I have some diamond blades. I was thinking of a 12x18” hole for now and then the installer can enlarge for final fire as we haven’t selected one yet and not sure if it needs lining

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Are you absolutely sure it is stone? I would guess at it being perhaps ply panel, as there seems be what looks like a finger hole bottom centre, to be able to grip it and pull it out. Around the edge, there appears to be sealant.

 

[b21playa]

Yes it’s stone. The hole at the bottom in where an extension lead came out of for the electric fire they must of had there. I chopped that out a while ago

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Yes it’s stone. The hole at the bottom in where an extension lead came out of for the electric fire they must of had there. I chopped that out a while ago

As it is definitely stone, it was either cut surprising accurately, to slide in that space, or fitted before the fireplace surround. If it is fitted behind, might it be much less messy and easier to just remove and refit the surround, rather than trying to cut that stone?

 

[b21playa]

As it is definitely stone, it was either cut surprising accurately, to slide in that space, or fitted before the fireplace surround. If it is fitted behind, might it be much less messy and easier to just remove and refit the surround, rather than trying to cut that stone?

Looks like it was done prior to fitting as they had fitted a flex cable which came out to the side of the chimney breast to plug into a socket.

I can’t see any visible fixings for the surround, not sure how to remove without damaging plaster etc.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Looks like it was done prior to fitting as they had fitted a flex cable which came out to the side of the chimney breast to plug into a socket.

I can’t see any visible fixings for the surround, not sure how to remove without damaging plaster etc.

It will involve some cutting of plaster, but that can be patched. Usually they have metal brackets or lugs, fixing it directly back to the bricks. A metal detector might help you locate them, so you know where you need to chop into the plaster to release it. Messy, but a lot less messy than an angle grinder with will send dust throughout the house.

Another way, if the stone slab is not too thick, would be to hit it with a lump hammer, to see if it will crack into bits, to get it out.

 

[b21playa]

It will involve some cutting of plaster, but that can be patched. Usually they have metal brackets or lugs, fixing it directly back to the bricks. A metal detector might help you locate them, so you know where you need to chop into the plaster to release it. Messy, but a lot less messy than an angle grinder with will send dust throughout the house.

Good shout, I’ll look for a metal detector.

m will the panel be fixing to the wall?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Good shout, I’ll look for a metal detector.

m will the panel be fixing to the wall?

The surround look like cast iron, so run the detector slightly away from that, to pick out the brackets.

The panel could be fixed to the wall, but probably not.

 

[b21playa]

The surround look like cast iron, so run the detector slightly away from that, to pick out the brackets.

The panel could be fixed to the wall, but probably not.

I’ll check later when I’m back but sure it’s timber or plaster

 

[b21playa]

Finally got round to cutting the panel. Did it with a diamond blade.
Turns out there is a flue liner already in there, but also the old remnants of an open fire, so guessing someone had an outset fire at some point