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sgt.colon

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

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 7:55 am Post subject: Fireplace
I'm wanting to take a fireplace out and thought I would ask you guys for some help please. Am I okay to knock out the black fire back bit? Also the metal bar that is going across the top, does that need to stay. Then lastly the bricks that run up toward the chimney, can they come out as well? Please see photos. Thanks Hmmm I'm not sure why it has rotated the first two pictures.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 8:10 am Post subject:
is this a chimney brrreast that projects into the room?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28238
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 8:10 am Post subject:
I'm guessing people will want a wider angle view.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 8:28 am Post subject:

that bit of metal should/could be supporting a lot of load and transferring it to the sides like a bridge

you could needle and slot to install a new one higher up to give a higher opening but it probably slopes in from the sides a couple of bricks above the metal which limits the gains

just pulling it out might be a very bad idea

please don't, tis dangeroos and expensive to fix if done wrong.

what do you want to make it bigger for?ed for bold

taking out the old fire back is not problem, they can often be removed with a few decent wiggles with a wreaking bar and a pull, if not break it up and take it out a lump at a time(they do have a small second hand value if they are not damaged but that seems to be cracked so brutalize if it is not loose

but leave the metal for the mo, that sort of thing needs doing right

Last edited by dpack on Sun Jun 21, 20 10:51 am; edited 1 time in total

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 10:39 am Post subject:
Personally I would get a professional in to sort it out, or at least give you detailed advice. And there must be building regulations. From my limited knowledge there are all sorts of requirements about angles and widths of chimneys, and getting it wrong runs the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, as well as loss of efficiency. Take care, whatever you do. Henry

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 10:44 am Post subject:
" or at least give you detailed advice" hi Last edited by dpack on Sun Jun 21, 20 10:49 am; edited 1 time in total

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 10:48 am Post subject:
ps the rubble behind the fire back can go as well, get back to brick and we can take it from there pps i got about 150 of 16th and 17th C bricks from behind the last one i did bomb damage bulk rubble is usually carp, that was treasure

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 11:14 am Post subject:
Definitely need more context. What's the end goal? Is there a reason why not just bricking up the opening and pretending it was never there? Or do you want that to be usable one day?

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 1:10 pm Post subject:
Sounds like preparation for a wood burner installation?

sgt.colon

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

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 1:44 pm Post subject:

Thank you all for your replies.

I thought the metal might be important and didn't want to just whip it out, so asked the question. It's not a problem leaving it there.

It was more for the black fire back. That needs to come out as Ty is correct, a wood burner is going in there.

We have a plasterer coming on Friday to plaster the room and I just wanted to have around the fire sorted so there is little disruption once the plastering is done.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 4:22 pm Post subject:
Are you making the opening bigger as you inquired about taking the steel support out?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 5:06 pm Post subject:
Is this a breast you’re removing? Or are you leaving the breast intact and putting a wood burner where the fire used to be?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 5:26 pm Post subject:
ppe for removing the fire back should include gloves and at least a dust mask+eye protection. mucky beasts, even if they can be got out easily

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 5:28 pm Post subject:
ps no matter how old they are the deposits are toxic long and short term, ppe and hygiene

sgt.colon

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

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 20 6:26 pm Post subject:

I'm just trying to get it ready for the whole room plastering on Friday, so I was just going to remove the back bit. I just thought I'd ask about the piece of metal going across.

The breast is staying and we will only be using the hole that is already there. Mrs C has measured and with the back bit out the hole is big enough to put the wood burner in. It's not a very big burner, as we only need it to warm the living room when we don't really need to CH on heating the whole house.

I've got my glasses, mask, gloves and ear defenders all at the ready.

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