Opening a fireplace

[jashararr]

hello,

im lookimg for soe advice on what to do with a fireplace, as you can see from the pic theres already and opening but i would likeot increase the hight of the fireplce and insert an oak lintel. does anyone have any experience of this? would it be very costly, can i do it myself with a hamer and chisel? will removing the brick arch make everything fall down? i already have some 200 year old oak beams to put in.
this is waht i want it to look like

Oak-surround-ctwp

• jashararr
• 1 Apr 2016

this is what it currently looks like

Remove11

• jashararr
• 1 Apr 2016

Remove1

• jashararr
• 1 Apr 2016

many thanks in advance

 

[roboughton]

The fireplace you want it to look like seems to be non supporting (as in its only a face) If you want to remove the arch I would think it will need some sort of lintel above (maybe your oak) but then you will need to set the down legs in to. I saw a program once where they did it but knocked holes up higher in the fireplace to hold it all up with supports while they did it, the only thing is yours is brick facing and they just filled the holes and re plastered.

Someone with a bit more knowledge than me is required here I think.

 

[jashararr]

brill thanks, i wouldnt mind it looking a bit like this one:

Air-dried-oak-mantel-2

• jashararr
• 2 Apr 2016

maybe like this?

Remove311

• jashararr
• 2 Apr 2016

any advice is greatly appreciated, or any example(with pics!) of what other people have done(and how!)

also can i plaster straight onto brick?

thanks again

 

[vinn]

You would be best off using an Acrow Strongboy a few courses above where you've marked in red.
But first you should call in a HETAS for a heads up regarding whats existing and what you propose. eg the what looks like wall papered panelling surrounding the stove could be against Regs and maybe dangerous.

Its sometimes the case that a thin slice of oak "beam" is fixed to look like a full beam but its only for effect, its not structural: the structural lintel is hidden behind it.

 

[jashararr]

You would be best off using an Acrow Strongboy a few courses above where you've marked in red.
But first you should call in a HETAS for a heads up regarding whats existing and what you propose. eg the what looks like wall papered panelling surrounding the stove could be against Regs and maybe dangerous.

Its sometimes the case that a thin slice of oak "beam" is fixed to look like a full beam but its only for effect, its not structural: the structural lintel is hidden behind it.

Thanks for this, the old owners have papered the inside for some reason. this will be removed and ill check its linned correctly with fire boards/cement/render to make sure its safe.