Fireplace cleaning and pointing

[tubby the tuba]

Hi guys,

I pulled out the fireplace in my cottage and am going to fit a woodburning stove in its place. I want to keep the lower part of the fireplace open so the stone wall behind it is visable, but alot of the stones are black with soot, whats the best way to clean off the old soot on the stone walls?

Also alot of the morter has crumbled away from between the stones, whats the best way to build that up, just a sand and cement mix?

Thanks

Untitled

• tubby the tuba
• 8 Jun 2008
• 1

 

[roy c]

Try wire brushing it, you will have to keep at it as its not easy,but most of it should come off. If you mix up a dry sand and cement mix 6-1 (just enough water in it to hold together when you squeeze it) no additives. Rake any loose mortar out first then wet the old mortar up with a brush and water, try not to get any water on the stone-work and hold your hawk against the stone work with your mix on and trowel it in to the joints don't worry what it looks like. Let it go off for an hour and then get a pointed stick and scrape around the face of the stones and just cut the mortar back so the edge of the stone is proud from the mortar. Then when you have done that get a nice fine paint brush (about an inch wide) and gently brush in the mortar any execess mortar left on the stone work (If it got wet) can be cleaned off with clean water and a sponge, make sure there are no mortar stains left on it ,keep cleaning your sponge... Thats how to point up old stone-work....

 

[tubby the tuba]

Thanks Roy, will try that!

 

[ratboy13]

WIRE BRUSH ,THEN BRICK ACID ,WEAR RUBBER GLOVES AND GOGGLES.

 

[stuart45]

Paraffin can help clean off soot.