How best to finish this section of wall?

[construct]

Having removed the original fireplace, and sealing the opening with a section of MDF, what I want to do is plaster over the exposed brick work to blend it in with the surrounding wall before painting it (see pics below) I've never plastered before, and would really appreciate any advice offered by those of you in the know.

Any questions just ask...

Before

After

 

[joe-90]

Put your telly lower down.

 

[construct]

Put your telly lower down.

 

[dazdel]

Are you going to plaster over the MDF ?

 

[Alastairreid]

brick the hole up, leave a hole for a vent, pva the wall, plaster out flush to existing with bonding then skim the whole chimney breast, then fit a plaster vent over the hole you left.
cap off the chimneyhead with a vented cap as well

wait till plaster dries then paint.........sit back and watch your telly

 

[construct]

Are you going to plaster over the MDF ?

I was looking to, yes, if that's possible.

 

[construct]

brick the hole up, leave a hole for a vent, pva the wall, plaster out flush to existing with bonding then skim the whole chimney breast, then fit a plaster vent over the hole you left.
cap off the chimneyhead with a vented cap as well

wait till plaster dries then paint.........sit back and watch your telly

That sounds expensive...

 

[Richard C]

Forget that, you can't plaster MDF. I go with Alistair’s method, it's really the best/correct way to do it if you want to avoid any chance of future damp in the chimney. It's obviously more expensive than sticking a lump of MDF in there but that's hardly making a proper job of it; you could use cheaper plasterboard on a frame but it will probably crack. I’d personally investigate keeping the hole, blocking off (but venting) the flue higher up, finishing it if off with plaster internally to make good, add a shelf or 2 & stick my A/V kit in there.

 

[Toolgirl]

Your piece of MDF will absorb water like a sponge and become a sodden mouldy lumpy disgusting piece of crumbly porridge like mixture if you keep it in your wall to block the hole the fireplace left when you removed it. Believe me my husband has already tried that one, so this is what I have done....... I got a sheet of stainless steel slightly bigger that the size of the chimney width but the same depth, this way when the sheet was pushed up inside the chimney it bowed slightly and now it sits up out of sight of the cavity. I also capped the chimney so no birds or raid or wind could come down the chimney. Next I cut a 20mm marine ply the size of the hole in the wall, I sanded this flat and sealed it all sides, I then screwed a piece of 4x2 along the top and bottom edge so that it would sit inside the cavity without falling out (I made it a snug fit also), then I put a couple of antique cup handles, one top, one bottom, painted the whole thing to match the room, then decided to paint a picture on it, you could wallpaper it or paste a picture on it or stencil whatever you're into but this is what I did (and hubby was please too because that meant he didn't have to do a thing) lucky me!!!!

Nicky

 

[Alastairreid]

no ventilation for the flue then

 

[noseall]

That sounds expensive...

...nice tele though.

We bent over backwards for a recent customer to ensure all the extra works were done fairly and as inexpensive as possible, as she was constantly reminding us of her budget.

She then goes and buys £1200 worth of tiling for the 2.4m x 1.8m en-site she had built. Kinda smacks you in the teeth a bit.

 

[construct]

That sounds expensive...

...nice tele though.

We bent over backwards for a recent customer to ensure all the extra works were done fairly and as inexpensive as possible, as she was constantly reminding us of her budget.

She then goes and buys £1200 worth of tiling for the 2.4m x 1.8m en-site she had built. Kinda smacks you in the teeth a bit.

1. We're currently renting
2. We are on an extremely limited income (working tax credits) due to this wonderful recession.
3. The TV was less than £240 over a year ago, and thanks, it's pretty good.

 

[noseall]

Don't spoil the ship...........