Rendering a brick firelace.

[Daf]

Please forgive me if my technical language isn't quite correct - so here goes anyway.

I have a wood burner which is set into a fireplace that's made out of bricks. It consists of two brick columns that supports a steel arch which in turn supports some 'end on bricks'. The brick arch sticks out over the two brick columns by about and inch.

I'm thinking of rendering the whole thing using a mix of 5 sand 1 cement and 1 lime (read it in another post). Then I'll get a carpenter in to build me a surround out wood (oak probably) My questions are:

(1) Would the heat from the wood burner crack the render especially as it will vary in thickness due to the depth of the overhanging arch?

(2) I assume that I'll need to use some corner beads. How do I bend the one for the arch? Do I just snip it every inch?

(3) If I wanted a more rustic look could I leave out the beads and just curve the render around the courners making them rounded?

(4) If I do use beads how do I attach the bead to the arch after I've bent it into shape? I suppose I could screw it into the bricks or attach it with some cement but what about the steel arch? How do I secure it to that?

Please be gentle with me

 

[noseall]

rendering it quite a skill.
form rendering is even trickier.
you are best off leaving corner beads out of the equation, and form any curves with the render. this needs to be done carefully and with patience.
a two or even three coat build up may be necessary. use a smaller tool, say a pointing trowel to form the stop curve and a firm sponge to "rub up" the finish.
any cement based product or otherwise will be susceptible to heat, and therefore, expansion and contraction.
to try and make the render less brittle, it may be wise to make the mix heavier on lime and less on cement. say a five sand, half cement and one lime.