Opening up a fireplace - can I remove these bricks?

[drpepe]

As in the title. On both sides of the fireplace, the inside seems to be constructed of different bricks compared to the outside - the outside seems older / original. Is it a fair assessment to say that the interior bricks were added to reduce the size of the opening or am i on the wrong track?

View media item 82667
This pic shows one side of an iron lintel (?) overlapping the 'new' brickwork by a few cm.

View media item 82668

I will be removing the plaster from the rest of the fireplace - just guesswork but if I reveal an arch higher up that reaches to each side of the 'original' brickwork, can everything from the lintel up to the arch be removed safely?

I would like to use the inside as storage therefore more space in there would be really useful.

 

[ree]

You are probably correct in that you will meet a brick arch a little higher up the face of the c/b. Carefully, knock off plaster for about another 300mm and it might be revealed.

You can remove the later infill brickwork to reveal the original width opening.

The flue must be swept and an air vent inserted below, with an air vent terminal on the stack.

Save the front returns of skirting, they can later be cut to length - they are already mitred.

 

[drpepe]

You are probably correct in that you will meet a brick arch a little higher up the face of the c/b. Carefully, knock off plaster for about another 300mm and it might be revealed.

You can remove the later infill brickwork to reveal the original width opening.

The flue must be swept and an air vent inserted below, with an air vent terminal on the stack.

Save the front returns of skirting, they can later be cut to length - they are already mitred.

Thanks Ree, some good tips there.

The whole room needs reskimming, so the plan is to open the fireplace up up, put some under-floor ventilation through the hearth, then box it in (including the chimney vent) and skim.

Or if we're brave enough we will get the room done in lime plaster as I understand this will help for the damp issues.

 

[ree]

I dont understand: how can you box it in and also use the space for extra storage?

What damp issues are you referring to?

 

[drpepe]

I dont understand: how can you box it in and also use the space for extra storage?

What damp issues are you referring to?

Sorry, I'm using the wrong terminology : i meant to block off the actual chimney with a panel with a vent in it, and reskim or replasterboard the rest of the interior of the fireplace.

The underfloor is full of damp rubble and soil (seemingly left behind by the conservatory builders) - i am in the process of digging that all back out to the level of the original oversite. THis already seems to be helping the damp smell/humidity issues.

Because of the lack of rear airbricks (conservatory) i want to put in extra subfloor ventilation via the hearth.

 

[ree]

I've now checked your user name and historical posts. I didn't realise that i had advised you before.

I would suggest that you at least refer to previous posts on, or in, roughly the same area.

Are you now doing the work- or is a builder doing stuff for you?

Is work being done to a plan or as it appears?

 

[drpepe]

I've now checked your user name and historical posts. I didn't realise that i had advised you before.

I would suggest that you at least refer to previous posts on, or in, roughly the same area.

Are you now doing the work- or is a builder doing stuff for you?

Is work being done to a plan or as it appears?

Hi Ree.

The room/house has multiple issues which are being dealt with piecemeal (when time/money allows) with an overall plan to bring the damp under control, then renovate the rear dining room & kitchen.

As much of the dirty work as possible (soil under the floor and hopefully sorting out the fireplace) is is being done by ourselves and the other stuff will need to be done by the appropriate trades e.g. the builder coming to put in air bricks.

 

[drpepe]

View media item 84418
Have now got around to having another look at the fireplace, hacking away some of the plaster.

Interestingly it looks like the original bricks forming the cheeks have been nipped away to add the newer(?) internal brickwork. e.g. You can see on the LHS of the picture that the new brickwork is tucked in at the bottom (floor level) and top (metal lintel level). The new cheeks are built on footings of what looks like crumbly concrete, whereas the 'originals' brickwork continues into the ground level.

When I started poking away in the ground, one of the bricks just fell away from the bottom of the right hand 'new' cheek:
View media item 84419
I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas whether:

These are actually 'new' and 'old' bits, or are they all original?

Are the 'new' cheeks required structurally? (given the nipping away of the originals) - can they be removed up to the arch?

 

[ree]

Pic 1. shows the front hearth area as tile on earth - presumably the joists are sitting on the earth?
How is that suspended floor ventilated?
Pic 1. also shows damp on the RH side of the opening on the face of the c/breast (the cheeks are the returns of the c/breast). No DPC can be seen.
When re-rendering, use sand and lime render, dont use any gypsum plaster.

Before re-rendering, remove the remaining skirting, and knock off plaster on both cheeks to an 800mm height. What condition is the main wall skirting and plaster in?

Pic 2. shows heavy soot in the flue - a c/sweep can remove this with a wire flail. It must be removed.

Pic 3. you can safely remove all the later in-fill brickwork up to the arch.

I suspect that that floor arrangement will continue to give further difficulties.

 

[drpepe]

THanks for your comment, Ree.

Pic 1. shows the front hearth area as tile on earth - presumably the joists are sitting on the earth?
How is that suspended floor ventilated?

The joists are resting on a low stone wall that forms 3 sides of a rectangle (the shape & size of the removed hearth). We will need to extend the joists to the fireplace when the floorboards are replaced. The floor is ventilated by an airbrick in the rear wall (which we recently replaced with a larger one), we added a couple of holes in the interior wall towards the front of the house (between dining room & lounge) as there were none. The lounge at the front has 3 airbricks to the exterior.

Pic 1. also shows damp on the RH side of the opening on the face of the c/breast (the cheeks are the returns of the c/breast). No DPC can be seen.
When re-rendering, use sand and lime render, dont use any gypsum plaster.

Yes, i started hacking off the plaster to examine the bricks for damp - the bricks themselves don;t appear particularly damp - but there is a lot of damp soil and wood under there.

Before re-rendering, remove the remaining skirting, and knock off plaster on both cheeks to an 800mm height. What condition is the main wall skirting and plaster in?

Not in great condition, all lined with thick paper. We will be replacing it all when we get the extension built. Given the extent of our damp problem, any new plaster in the house will be lime.

Pic 2. shows heavy soot in the flue - a c/sweep can remove this with a wire flail. It must be removed.

Pic 3. you can safely remove all the later in-fill brickwork up to the arch.

I suspect that that floor arrangement will continue to give further difficulties.

IS it just a case of knocking bricks out ?


Yes there is loads of damp soil under the floor, no DPM anywhere to protect the woodwork, very high humidity in the house (75%-85% constantly). The main problem seems to be the conservatory on the back (hence only one airbrick at the rear). Hopefully getting sorted in the next year or so.

 

[ree]

Are you saying that there is an adequately ventilated void below the joists? I doubt it - you need a constant flow of air, and "a couple of holes" wont do.

All damp soil should be removed but dont undermine the brickwork. Also remove all damp wood - replace it.

Loose Lay plastic as membranes wherever possible. Rubble bags opened up, can be used as DPM's.

Are you saying that the c/breast and wall are going when an extension is built? Presumably the conservatory is also going?

Yes, simply knock out the bricks, carefully slide/prise the steel lintel out, and drop the upper bricks below the arch. If the arch bricks seem loose then rake out and point up before moving the bricks below.

 

[drpepe]

View media item 87278
Hi thanks for all the replies - as you can see, we have now removed the brickwork under the arch and the firebricks at the rear to make the opening taller, wider and deeper. The arch seems very stable.

View media item 87279
In order to extend the joists and floor into the new opening, i will extend sister the joists using several bolts - any recommendation on the length of overlap?

Obviously more than those 2 joists will be required to board out the new area - what would be the best way to go about this? bolt supporting timbers to the wall? or lay a couple of bricks on cement to support the joists?

Any advice appreciated!

 

[drpepe]

View media item 90328

 

[j9e]

Hello

This is the fire place I was referring to the in the message I sent you

Suggestions re mine would be greatly appreciated

 

[drpepe]

What do you want to do with the fireplace? Have you removed everything under the arch?