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dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Jun 27, 20 11:02 am Post subject:
good calls on flues etc, i would use my skills finding a good installer and take advice for that chimney/burner combo

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Sat Jun 27, 20 6:05 pm Post subject:
Thank you both. A liner is just a step to far for me so we will be finding an expert. Anyway, the moment you have all been waiting for.......the finished fireplace. and we love it. Thank you for all your help everyone. We wouldn't have been able to do it without you.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Jun 27, 20 9:43 pm Post subject:
nice. if you are going to leave the bricks on show give it a wash down with sugar soap,(nasty job and try to avoid ingesting or absorbing the muck) let it dry and seal them to avoid the mortar shedding crumbs

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16004

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 7:47 am Post subject:

That looks nice. As Dpack says, it would look good exposed, but as it is old it might do better with a suitable sealant. We haven't coated ours at all, but it is new, so the brick is in good condition and has never had plaster on it.

I would suggest rubber gloves, overalls and eye or ideally face protection while washing with sugar soap. Follow the instructions on the packet, and if you get any on you, wash immediately. Don't splash it around if you can avoid it.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 9:00 am Post subject:

the sugar soap is less of a problem than the tars, phenolics, dioxins etc from years of coal smoke on the brickwork

a wire brush and paraffin can help loosen stubborn stains

if you do decide to render it the modern additives for that purpose and 3 coat work will prevent bleed through falling off etc

line with rockwool and fireproof board at the back and render the sides can work well

whichever way you go it needs a bit of a scrub first so do that and see if it looks good enough to keep as bare brick

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 10:01 am Post subject:
The righthand side doesn't look coal burned making me think there might have been a hob grate insert, 2 photo`s of the left and right sides would determine that idea,and a close up of the back.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 11:41 am Post subject:
looks great - Sgt C - well done. What do you plan for a hearth?

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 1:07 pm Post subject:

Thank you for the cleaning tips peeps.

We have decided that we are going to plaster the breast but leave the brick on display in the fireplace itself.

Ty, here are the pictures you asked for.

Also, I take it this brick is supporting the arch? If that the case, would I be okay to remove the brick to reset it at a straight?

Nicky, because we are leaving the brick exposed we are either going to go with a plain tile or Mrs C said she has seen some sort of concrete hearth. Which I've not seen yet.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 1:37 pm Post subject:

that does look like it might have had a hob hearth and maybe a small side oven as the original

next thought, is the floor slab

A sound
and
B big enough?

the latter make a lot of difference when messing about with logs, embers or ashes
a couple of feet deeper than the door would my minimum

if the structure is sound a decent sized "hearth stone" can go on that

i had to excavate, concrete and add a nice slice of marble to what was the parlour fireplace hearth. the one that had been the kitchen range and is now ready for a burner just needed loads of proper concrete

original hearths are often a little shallow in both size and structure,
burners need a solid base and space in front of the door to fiddle with them, spill soup etc

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 2:20 pm Post subject:
Thanks for that DPack. I need to have a look at what Mrs C has found. Dropping something solid in there will be easier that tiling and possible easier to keep clean. Did you see the photo with the sticking out brick in? What are your thoughts please on me removing the bricks and straightening it or even removing them if they are not needed. Thanks.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 2:38 pm Post subject:

Regarding them stepped bricks that support the arch,if you want to remove the stepped support,the correct way
would be to replace with a flat steel band,bend to the radius of the arch,easy enough when building it,but not so to match existing arch,beings your plastering the face you could drop the lower part of arch,fit flat band and replace bricks,
But thinking again,you could make a template with the correct radius and get one made with a blacksmith.

Just a suggestion, of what I`ve done on an ongoing installation,for an hearth,is a piece of slate,5ft by 18ins set on a course of Staffordshire blue bricks with a Flemish bond,header ,stretcher etc.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28239
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 3:12 pm Post subject:
That is an impressive transformation

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 3:17 pm Post subject:
i might work with the stepped bricks, make them an interesting feature not a problem at this stage doing metalwork seems unnecessary

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 20 4:08 pm Post subject:
I expect you know, or maybe someone has already said, but there are rules about the size of the hearth - it has to stick out so much further than the woodburner etc. we made one with reclaimed granite paving stones bedded in limecrete, and the kitchen one has the original hearth stone at the front and we just laid cement on the back. Both have time capsules underneath...

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 20 9:32 am Post subject:
I'm now wanting to start laying the hearth. We are using tiles and I've been looking online about what sort of adhesive to use. Places like Topps tiles say to use a heat resistant adhesive, where as people on forums say about using just a flexible tile adhesive. So I thought I'd ask what you guys thought? Thanks

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