Chimney breast removal masonry stitching

[Corjj]

Previously the chimney stack was removed from the roof during some roofing works and taken down to just underside of the roof rafters in the loft
I am now starting to removed the brickwork and had a few a things I've been pondering over..
For background, I'm a chartered civil engineer with experience with structural engineering design, although not in buildings. I want to get thoughts from those who may have done this. I have added it to my building notice I've put in for other works, so building control are informed.

I'm aware the chimney breast isn't toothed in to the surrounding wall (party wall 1 brick thickness - i.e. ~ 230mm thick) and as the neighbour has removed their side down to the level I'm proposing - the central section of masonry will be largely unrestrained. My intention is to tie in every 4 courses or so with threaded bar / 6mm helical bars to stitch the the adjacent wall as a precaution.

I will then break the protruding parts of the bricks off - however, my neighbour has new bathroom tiles on the other side of the wall, so I'm a bit hesitant using an SDS to break the bricks.

I'm then going to repair the hole in the floor and ceiling and likely coat the back in SBR slurry before I have someone repair the plaster, as my skill level doesn't extend that far! I will also put a few bricks back at the top of the wall.

Any thoughts on what I'm planning - especially with relation to the stitching in. Thanks in advance!

 

[^woody^]

The stack may not be tied to the party wall and the withes - the brick that separates the flues (soot covered) are not normally tied to the stack and liable to just drop out.

You need to be very careful not to disturb the bricks on your side and those of the neighbours as full bricks will cross the party wall.

Use very light taps with a hammer and chisel, or cut soft mortar with a hand saw and wiggle the bricks out

Then just bond new bricks back in. Nothing extravagant with tie bars, just bricks and mortar.

Seal the top of the party wall and around that purlin with rockwool and fire foam.

 

[Scally-Ho]

I'd cut full bricks with a masonary saw (hand or powered) rather than risk loosening anything on the party wall with a hammer.

 

[ree]

OP,
Whats your final purpose with this work?

Your stack ( was it a shared stack?) having been previously removed it leaves the remains of the loft chimney breast.
The pic shows a single flue opening with a soot covered back wall - the back wall is probably the party wall.
No flue feather can be seen? The feather is the dividing brickwork between flues.
Maybe the backwall was a feather that divided a shared chimney breast?
How many fire places are below ie. fire places that feed into a flue in that chimney breast?

You say the chimney breast is not "toothed into the party wall" - then you've no need to be cutting bricks. You simply have to prise up each brick. But what are the "protruding parts" if its not "toothed in"?

Presumably you have stuffed the flue (or flues) to prevent material dropping.
The soot on the back wall will need to be cleaned off - and, if you intend to inhabit the loft then the party wall should be rendered with a 3:1 sand & NH lime render mix.

No need for "stitching".
Brick up the party wall as high as possible, & then pack the gap with "fireproof" insulation.
Chimney can breasts act as buttresses.
Maybe BCO will have something to say?

 

[Corjj]

The stack may not be tied to the party wall and the withes - the brick that separates the flues (soot covered) are not normally tied to the stack and liable to just drop out.

You need to be very careful not to disturb the bricks on your side and those of the neighbours as full bricks will cross the party wall.

Use very light taps with a hammer and chisel, or cut soft mortar with a hand saw and wiggle the bricks out

Then just bond new bricks back in. Nothing extravagant with tie bars, just bricks and mortar.

Seal the top of the party wall and around that purlin with rockwool and fire foam.

Yes, not tied at the sides or to the dividing feathers (newly learnt term from ree's post). Agreed - it will save lots of hassle by taking it slower.
To bond it back in are you saying to then remove half the stretcher either side of the chimney and use that slot to tie into?

 

[Corjj]

OP,
Whats your final purpose with this work?

Your stack ( was it a shared stack?) having been previously removed it leaves the remains of the loft chimney breast.
The pic shows a single flue opening with a soot covered back wall - the back wall is probably the party wall.
No flue feather can be seen? The feather is the dividing brickwork between flues.
Maybe the backwall was a feather that divided a shared chimney breast?
How many fire places are below ie. fire places that feed into a flue in that chimney breast?

You say the chimney breast is not "toothed into the party wall" - then you've no need to be cutting bricks. You simply have to prise up each brick. But what are the "protruding parts" if its not "toothed in"?

Presumably you have stuffed the flue (or flues) to prevent material dropping.
The soot on the back wall will need to be cleaned off - and, if you intend to inhabit the loft then the party wall should be rendered with a 3:1 sand & NH lime render mix.

No need for "stitching".
Brick up the party wall as high as possible, & then pack the gap with "fireproof" insulation.
Chimney can breasts act as buttresses.
Maybe BCO will have something to say?

Thanks for your comments.

Final purpose is leaving the chimney breast downstairs only and having flat wall in the upstairs bedroom - the loft to remain a loft.

The back of the chimney is the party wall. Thinking about it, I believe there may have only have been a downstairs fireplace, as this profile of the chimney continues through the bed room below and then widens on the ground floor. I'd never really given it much thought.

The chimney breast is toothed into the wall, but not to the rest of the wall - only to the neighbours side of the chimney, which has now been removed.

I've done a rough sketch illustrating what I believe is there. I can see how to bond the part of the stack in the wall without adding pins at an incline or stitching across - without of course removing half of the bricks that are currently headers and turning into stretchers (i.e. where I've highlighted green).


Yes flue stuffed with an old blanket in a bag.