do i need to protect the back wall in an old brick fireplace

[snowdmc]

Hi,
I've just removed a gas fire from an old brick fireplace in a c.1900 house, there is no back plate in the fireplace as the back of the fireplace is the rear wall of the house.

I've recently installed a fire basket and was concerned about the heat from the fire, the sweep reckoned if i just kept it about an inch of the brickwork it would be ok?

What i did...... i had a set of original handmade house bricks and put these against the back wall of the fire.


My Question

Should i just do what the sweep said, as my bricks maybe transferring more heat making the back wall hotter (am worried about cracking bricks and mortar). or leave as is?


I've searched on here, and can't find any similar stories .

Many Thanks

David

 

[Chukka63]

you should have proper fire bricks or a fire back to protect the "normal" masonary in/around the fire.

 

[snowdmc]

i've seen that, made of thermalite i think, quite cheap on ebay, out of interest how far up should it go on the back wall? the fireplace is 30" by 20" approx, so the back wall is 30".

 

[stuart45]

It's made from fireclay, not thermalite.

 

[snowdmc]

thanks for that i've seen the bricks i need which are 8" high so i'm going to put 2 of these high all the way round and set with fire cement.. Anything else i need to do?

 

[Chukka63]

8" high?.not seen them,dont do many fireplaces these days with fire bricks tho.

 

[snowdmc]

ah might be my mistake, i saw someone on ebay selling 8" stour's for making a larger back brick, but have found the correct ones at buildbase, which are made of fire clay but are normal brick sizes.

 

[Chukka63]

sounds more like it.