Opening Up Chimney Breast

[bennno2005]

Hi Guys,

Looking to open up the chimney breast in my house.

Its a 1900 victorian terrace house and I want to open up the chimney in the living room and install an open fire basket, possibly further down the line opt for a log burner.

Obviously there will have been a fire in there at some point and its been boarded over and plastered with no vents.

I know that I will need to create a hearth, test the chimney for draw and leaks as well as having it cleaned and get a suitable fire basket.

What else am I likely to come up against?

Would I be OK testing the chimney with some form of smoke bomb?

Cheers

Ben

 

[foxhole]

Get a HETAS guy in to check it out.

 

[vinn]

There are lots of recent posts on here about this very subject. Why not do a little research?
First, you should open up to the dimensions of the existing fire place.
Have the flue swept & smoke tested - smoke "bombs" are not used.
Think about which wood burner you would like, and get its Mfr's appliance opening & hearth installation dimensions - make a decision to do the work once or twice?

If one flue is being swept and tested then its good practice to do all flues in the property.

 

[bennno2005]

There are lots of recent posts on here about this very subject. Why not do a little research?
First, you should open up to the dimensions of the existing fire place.
Have the flue swept & smoke tested - smoke "bombs" are not used.
Think about which wood burner you would like, and get its Mfr's appliance opening & hearth installation dimensions - make a decision to do the work once or twice?

If one flue is being swept and tested then its good practice to do all flues in the property.

I've been researching and all the threads on here didn't seem to be answered, there isn't really any "how - to's" so have just asked on here.

I want to expose the brickwork as I like that.

Hoping to achieve something similar to this.



Here's where I'm up to so far....







I've carefully removed 3 bricks above the smaller arch inset, I'm now a bit unsure as to whether this can come out without any further supporting work required, it looks like there are walls either side the arch running to the back wall which are supporting some sort of shelf in the chimney above and these walls seem to be forming separate channels up either side - does anyone know what they could be?

There isn't anything above the inset arch itself other than the few courses going up to the main arch.

.....difficult to describe in words really.

I'm going to try and get a second opinion from someone in the know before I take any more out....

 

[bennno2005]

Found this thread and what the OP describes is similar to what I've found.

//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/opening-up-a-fireplace.157681/

 

[vinn]

There's masses of recent posts on this very subject. See Similar threads below & their Similar threads.
You claim: "all the threads on here didn't seem to be answered" - That is so wrong.

What is your purpose in removing brickwork above the arch? What required dimensions are you using?

 

[bennno2005]

There's masses of recent posts on this very subject. See Similar threads below & their Similar threads.
You claim: "all the threads on here didn't seem to be answered" - That is so wrong.

What is your purpose in removing brickwork above the arch? What required dimensions are you using?

The threads I've come across don't answer the questions I asked. If you can find an example of one that would be useful and many of the thread related to opening up chimney breasts aren't answered, most seem to be relating to lintels and forming openings, which wasn't my question.

I'm not removing brickwork above the main arch, just the smaller inset one to see if I could remove it.

I've cleared it all out now.

Not working to any dimensions, I want to use the original builders opening which is huge.

It looks like this now.





Obviously it needs cleaning up a few bricks replacing, repointing and sealing. I'm also going to have it swept and smoke tested.

I plan to build a low level hearth 150mm above FFL.

I'm then going to build a shelf above to house a fire basket and will see how I get on with that before forking out for a log burner.