widening fireplace

[topgun]

I am going to have a multifuel burner insalled but the fireplace needs widening, would I need to use acrow props with strongboys to fit a new lintel?
The chimney breast is around 170cm wide I intend opening the fireplace to 100cm wide

 

[regsmyth]

Do you live in a dolls house?

 

[dpsservices]

 

[regsmyth]

As long as the breast doesn't look to be sagging or loose, you would probably be ok to just pin it in the middle a few courses above where you want to enlarge it. The load will then be taken off the bricks lower down in a spreading out sort of pattern. If you know what I mean.
Take out a brick, slot a timber through, and prop this inside and outside of the breast wall while you do the work.
You shouldn't need acrows.

 

[cmother1]

Your plan sounds Ok , but would you have enough room to manoeuvre the lintel between the props and the brickwork? I'd also do a reccy up the flue to make sure you won't have a major internal collapse on one side when you take out the bricks in the sides of the opening below. There's a surprising weight of material lurking up there.
Alternatively you could wing it and hope that the triangle of bricks supported by the lintel doesn't collapse before you can get the new one in. Only for the young and athletic this one..