Opening up a fireplace

[Adam78]

Can anyone tell if this is the original fireplace or has it been bricked in to make smaller for what was previously an electric heater there. Is it safe to remove those infilled bricks to opening sides and the back. I've looked above from inside of the opening and there appears to be a metal lintel of sorts on top of the opening where that gypsum plaster is.

Any ideas what that gray plaster is - is it sand cement. I know the plaster above it the original lime.

Also despite having the chimney swept I'm still getting a lot of soot coming through. I'm not planning of placing a wood burner. Just want it opened up so that I can place a fire grate in there perhaps.

 

[Jurassicspark]

The lintel will span from the two outer original bricks. The chimney may have been bricked up before but then someone created a smaller opening and added the red colour bricks. Before doing anything, confirm where the lintel is and rip out the plaster to make the brickwork visible then send a picture.

 

[mrrusty]

There may not be a lintel - it could be a shallow arch of bricks with a strip steel under it stretching across and turned down on the outside face of the breast. Knock all the plaster off for a better look.

 

[ree]

OP,
Whats your final purpose in doing this work?
The original fireplace opening is still there - 350mm in on either side.

Dont knock off all the plaster - it could give you extra work, & damage the rounded corner pieces.
All the infill you see can be removed later but first pencil a vertical centre line above the opening.
Then hack off up the pencil line until you hopefully come to a brick arch.
Stay well away from the outside corners. Ignore the metal lintel.

Check for elec devices & cables - check for a gas restrictor & pipe?
The back wall recesses of the room show sand & cement rendered, previous damp proof work.

 

[mrrusty]

Ree has a fair point on the rounded corners. You might want to keep those if you are trying for originality.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I'm not planning of placing a wood burner. Just want it opened up so that I can place a fire grate in there perhaps.

You do know this will make your room much colder?

I was staggered at the difference it made when I stuffed an old pillow up our disused fireplace. Next plan is to get rid completely.

 

[Adam78]

You do know this will make your room much colder?

I was staggered at the difference it made when I stuffed an old pillow up our disused fireplace. Next plan is to get rid completely.

if i was to brick it up it would still need a vent to allow the chimney to breath otherwise it will cause condensation and damp. A question for all, where would you place the vent, at the top of the room or at the bottom around the original fireplace? It will obviously have vented chimney pot, just enquiring wheres the best position to place the vent on the stack inside the room if i decide to brick up entirely?

 

[Adam78]

There may not be a lintel - it could be a shallow arch of bricks with a strip steel under it stretching across and turned down on the outside face of the breast. Knock all the plaster off for a better look.

This is what I can see when I look up the chimney stack immediately above the opening. Two metal strips with bricks lying on top though I suspect there maybe a bricked arch higher up outlined by the arched plaster showing from the outside. I think the metal strips have been added later to create the top of the current narrower opening to fill up to the arch possibly.