Opening up fireplace (builders opening)

[sprite1275]

Were doing up our living room and decided to take out the fire place.

Plan is to open it up for a wood burning stove although a stove will go in at a far later date when funds allow.

For now we will just put an electric lookalike in.







As you can see I've took the surround off and I'm waiting for a gas engineer to cap off the gas inlet.

Question is from what I'm aware is that you can open up the builders opening to around a meter square before you need to start using props and strong boys.
Is this right?

Obviously I'll put a lintel in when I get the desired hight.

House age is around 1950s ex council house.

 

[Newboy]

There's a few possibilities - there are new bricks above the existing fireplace.

Best to take out the existing unit and surround then post back with new photos.

 

[sprite1275]

There's a few possibilities - there are new bricks above the existing fireplace.

Best to take out the existing unit and surround then post back with new photos.

Yes I'm wodering what them new bricks are. Might chase some of the plaster upwards to see if there is a lintel of some sort. Will post new pics when the fire comes out.

 

[Newboy]

It's just possible it may have had precast /sectional flue

 

[vinn]

Read back on here the recent posts giving detailed information on what you are asking about.

Its always best to open up and lintel to the new appliance Mfr's dimensional requirements, otherwise you will have to do the work twice.

The lintel is probably behind the surround so you would have to remove the surround to see it.


Your will have a brick flue.

 

[sprite1275]

Heating engineer came today and capped off the gas pipe. This is what's behind the marble and I've also chased a bit of the plaster to reveal a lintel.

From what I can see there are 2 pillars with the lintel sitting on top. Looks to me the brickwork in between was put there to fit the gas fire (that's a threshold strip holding the bricks up :/ )

So am I right in thinking I can start removing the brickwork under the lintel?

 

[Gerrydelasel]

So am I right in thinking I can start removing the brickwork under the lintel?

Yes.

 

[motorbiking]

i wouldn't do this without a stove in mind. the build regs are very specific to the stove. You might find all this work needs redoing when you make the fire place compliant for the dimensions of the stove you want.

 

[sprite1275]

Yes.

Great I'll start taking them out tomorrow.

 

[sprite1275]

i wouldn't do this without a stove in mind. the build regs are very specific to the stove. You might find all this work needs redoing when you make the fire place compliant for the dimensions of the stove you want.

The opening will not be able to go any bigger anyway so I'll be going ahead with the work.

 

[vinn]

Presumably, the gas was capped off well away from the chimney breast and hearth area? Its best practice to remove an abandoned gas line.
You might start thinking about an elec feed for the new fire - from where - how? Or any future elec device high on the c/breast.

Your present fire opening has been bricked up at the sides and back - its an in-fill in the original opening which was wider, and would have been open up to the concrete lintel.
When the infills of brickwork are removed the throating will also drop down to reveal the full flue.
The (metal bar) lintel I referred to can be seen in a photo.

FWIW: the original opening dimensions will probably be well adequate for most any new appliance - but you must still work to Mfr's dims.

 

[sprite1275]

Presumably, the gas was capped off well away from the chimney breast and hearth area? Its best practice to remove an abandoned gas line.
You might start thinking about an elec feed for the new fire - from where - how? Or any future elec devise high on the c/breast.

Your present fire opening has been bricked up at the sides and back - its an in-fill in the original opening which was wider, and would have been open up to the concrete lintel.
When the infills of brickwork are removed the throating will also drop down to reveal the full flue.
The (metal bar) lintel I referred to can be seen in a photo.

FWIW: the original opening dimensions will probably be well adequate for most any new appliance - but you must still work to Mfr's dims.

There is a double socket just to the right of the chimney breast so I'll take a feed off that. We capped the gas off in the ceiling above well away from the chimney.

What's the best way to seal the chimney off?

 

[vinn]

Your flue will need sweeping, and if you do use an elec fire then it will have to be vented.
All flues are to be vented top and bottom.
What you mean by " sealed off" I dont know?

 

[sprite1275]

Your flue will need sweeping, and if you do use an elec fire then it will have to be vented.
All flues are to be vented top and bottom.
What you mean by " sealed off" I dont know?

Underneath the concrete lintel I will want to close off the flue. Is it best a piece of ply with a vent of some sort? Maybe platerboard and plaster over the ply for a neater finish?

Do I need a pepper pot for the top of the chimney?

 

[vinn]

Use whatever suits you just so long as it contains a vent.
Yes, some kind of venting terminal is needed at the top of the flue - if you have chimney pots then use a clay insert. Never use metal, it will quickly rust out.