Opened up fire place lintel advice

[ScottishGasMan]

Finally got round to removing some bricks from fireplace, with the intention of fitting a stove style fire, left red engineered half bricks in on right hand side as lintel only seems to over hang original yellow brick by an inch if we're lucky.

What type of lintel and where would I be best cutting it in in this case? Seems to be a mash up of different bricks with almost a 3/4 arch above but not quite.

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Assuming it's long enough would this be suitable to cut in to replace lintel with?

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Never mind, just seen its 10mm wide not thick.

 

[vinn]

Do you have the manual for the appliance you intend to install, or the installation dimensions for the builder's opening?
I can see you are a gas man but are you familiar with this kind of alteration and installation?

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Yea I've got a few manuals as installation will obviously depend on what opening I can produce.

Width I'm happy removing the red brick at either side giving an opening of approx 640mm which is fine. Height I'm looking at removing current cracked lintel and replacing with if possible a steel flat bar directly under the cream coloured bricks just above the cast lintel, which would give 1m height (over the 300mm top clearance I'd like)

Just really wanting to know if a flat bar is suitable and where to get them? Seems to be all the rage in Australia but don't see many on uk sites.

 

[vinn]

If you dont mind can I back up a bit?
You need the specific manual for the appliance you have selected - in that manual will be the Building Opening dimensions necessary for that particular appliance.
You must work to those dimensions.
If you want to change the dimensions then contact the Mfr's for their advice.

If I understand your post, you intend to remove the large concrete lintel and want to replace it with a steel bar lintel?
Why dont you have a look at the thread "sprite1275" thats near yours in the forum and see how that builders opening to a c/breast was done?
At the moment perhaps dont do anything else until the lintel is propped.

Flat steel bar lintels were and are sometimes used but I think that you would be better off with a conventional lintel or an angle iron.

 

[ScottishGasMan]

Thanks for your input. The dimensions for stove type units, regardless of gas or solid fuel, in manufacturers instructions are always the minimum opening area, so if you can get at least that, then more is not a problem, the hearth/opening isn't as big as id pictured but with the big lintel gone and replaced with something higher up it will be tall enough for either appliance I'm looking at,

My issue is more with what type of lintel is be best using as the building work side of things is something that I don't tend to do as much, particularly chimneys.

 

[vinn]

Fair enough. I wasn't certain if you were reducing the min. dimensions.

Given that the c/breast will be rendered with no brick exposure then as I said above, an angle iron or a conventional concrete lintel will do.
Do you want a steel bar so that you can shape it for a segmental arched "lintel" over the steel?

 

[ScottishGasMan]

No the steel bar idea was simply so I could use the big angle grinder and drill to cut in a 10mm (ish) thick slot into the mortar and bricks to chap it in the full width of the breast as the bricks are so uneven/in level across it

 

[vinn]

No, dont mess about like that.

Use a Strong Boy in the centre of the c/breast, & remove any thing below it to the height you want & then insert your lintel.
Dont touch the concrete lintel until the Strong Boy is in place.
Two of you would be safest lifting out the lintel.