No lintel in chimney breast

[andsally]

View media item 20188
Hi all

I have just removed a 30 year old gas fire that spanned the length of the chimney breast. This picture shows the supports I found! We only intend the finished opening to be decorative. There is a coarse of five bricks above the horizontal 4x2 timber. The builders' opening is 27 inches wide and 34 inches high. I want to keep this size opening.

I assume that a reinforced concrete lintel of 70 x 100 x 900mm would suffice (where the horizontal batten is).

I think that if I was careful,and added a vertical timber support to the left, I could remove half a brick either side of the opening to insert the lintel with only loosing a brick or two...

Could someone with more experience please advise?

 

[noseall]

Piece of cake.

However i would be tempted to knock out the four or five courses of 'made up' brickwork that presently sits above the timber lintel, insert your concrete fella, then make good properly.

 

[andsally]

Noseall - thank you for that. I've seen your good advice on similar problems and feel more confident.

I quite agree with you about replacing the few "made up" courses after putting in the lintel.

I don't mean to attack existing brickwork with a sledgehammer but from your response I assume that if I go carefully I will not have to worry about the bricks above the "made up" courses collapsing?

 

[noseall]

I don't mean to attack existing brickwork with a sledgehammer but from your response I assume that if I go carefully I will not have to worry about the bricks above the "made up" courses collapsing?

You ain't gonna get no collapse!

I would be surprised if you get more than a couple of errant fallers.

 

[andsally]

Thank you again, Noseall. I will crack on in a couple of days with more confidence; I won't wear slippers whilst i'm doing it!