Will the bricks levitate while we lift lintel?

[Safety First]

Greetings,..

With plan to have woodburner installed...

Just removed old gas fire, fireplace, and bricks to expose 1930's fire place. Extended the hearth base (built up with bricks), new slate hearth, render- plaster made good. All this with regular, obsessive (?), emails with pics and measurements back and forth to wood burner supplier-fitter. This to check that we have or have made a legit i.e., (Heatas) place to house our woodburner.

Day of installation...... It won't fit. Reason: our chosen burner ports nearer the middle of the top, rather than near the back of the top, thus strikes lintel.
We are really angry and disappointed that the company did not look into the project to spot this aspect.

Their offerred solution (given that we don't want a different stove)..

1: Provide piece of glass to rest in front of our slate- achieves Heatas regs, as burner can vomit cinders onto non-combustible area out front. No- thanks
2. Provide (and fit) even larger slate slab. This would be over boards. No- thanks.

Neither appeal, so we are getting lintel raised by 2 bricks so to allow x2 90degree elbows above stove.

A trusted, (and VERY experienced builder) is talking of taking out the lintel without propping the chimney. He says the bricks will *probably just stay there while we remove the lintel and lift it up into its new, higher place.
His greater concern is *if we do have to use an acrow, how we'll be sure not to crack the slate...

I plan to make an lattice of 4x2's so to spread the load out across the slate....

I have never asked bricks to levitate, do they do this?

Any opinions please? Basically if you have seen bricks stay put after a lintel is taken out then I guess I'll believe it. Maybe he is pulling my leg?

Untitled

• Safety First
• 27 Nov 2011
• 1

Untitled

• Safety First
• 27 Nov 2011
• 1

Untitled

• Safety First
• 27 Nov 2011
• 1

Untitled

• Safety First
• 27 Nov 2011
• 1

 

[DAZB]

It is entirely feasible that the bricks will stay put although each job is different and while I have done similar work and all has been well I have also done jobs where the mortar was so old/weak/missing etc that the wall became very loose during the lintel removal and things above dropped. One way of increasing your chances of it staying put is to expose the wall by removing the plaster above the position of the new lintel level and rake out a couple of the vertical joints and then hammer some roof slate into the joints. This will help to tighten up the course but don't overdo it as you may push things out of the reveals. It may be worth getting your builder to agree to foot any extra work if he decides to do it without support and the worst happens.

 

[joe-90]

For heaven's sake stop being a drama queen getting all angry.

All you need do is put a chunk of polystyrene or kingspan or whatever to protect the slate hearth.

Then pull the lintel out. If one or two or three bricks drop out or get loose - so what? You'll probably be removing those anyway won't you?

Then put the lintel back in and any bricks that came loose. Make good and decorate.

It's no big deal. You've been watching too much East Enders.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

If you want to prop it, cover up the hearth in case any thing drops, put a couple of 4 x 2 either side of hearth, they should be higher than hearth, then plank across, couple of small props and strong boys.
Have Hetas said that 2 no 90% bends is ok, how will you access chimney/flue cleaning.

 

[Safety First]

For heaven's sake stop being a drama queen getting all angry.

It's no big deal. You've been watching too much East Enders.

Is that necessary? Where is the anger and the drama? Is it on 'East Enders'? I have no idea, I don't have a TV.

Congratulations on your 17000th post. I hope you made it another corker!