Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

Hi - I was thinking of opening up this fireplace. The flue is a bit
suspect, but the cavity would be a nice feature.

I removed the plaster to have a look, and two things became apparent.
One was someone has laid the ringmain across the opening (annoying but
solvable)

The other is the reason for this post. The cavity has a lintel, as can
be seen through the old vent hole, and the cavity seems in quite good
nick. The width of the cavity is the same as the width of the new
bricked in section save for two little "tabs" half way down. If I were
to remove these tabs it would seem to leave some unsuported brickwork
- I've stopped for the mo and someone is having a look next week, but
does anyone here have any thoughts?

Photos are he

http://www.bbarker.co.uk/pages/albums/fireplace

You can see the ringmain, and above it the two "tabs" sticking out.
They are wider than the cavity behind, but if I were to remove the
infilling bricks it would seem to leave some unsupported original
brickwork...


Ben

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

"Ben" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi - I was thinking of opening up this fireplace. The flue is a bit
suspect, but the cavity would be a nice feature.

I removed the plaster to have a look, and two things became apparent.
One was someone has laid the ringmain across the opening (annoying but
solvable)

The other is the reason for this post. The cavity has a lintel, as can
be seen through the old vent hole, and the cavity seems in quite good
nick. The width of the cavity is the same as the width of the new
bricked in section save for two little "tabs" half way down. If I were
to remove these tabs it would seem to leave some unsuported brickwork
- I've stopped for the mo and someone is having a look next week, but
does anyone here have any thoughts?

Photos are he

http://www.bbarker.co.uk/pages/albums/fireplace

You can see the ringmain, and above it the two "tabs" sticking out.
They are wider than the cavity behind, but if I were to remove the
infilling bricks it would seem to leave some unsupported original
brickwork...

I'd remove more plaster to see if there is a brick arch above the lintel.
I'd remove all the bricks under the lintel as well. Fireplace may have been
reduced in size at some point. Was it a kitchen fireplace? Bricks that were
keyed in might have been damaged during removal of cast iron range? Or some
other built-in feature.

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

On 10 Mar, 22:49, "tiscali" wrote:
"Ben" wrote in message

oups.com...



Hi - I was thinking of opening up this fireplace. The flue is a bit
suspect, but the cavity would be a nice feature.

I removed the plaster to have a look, and two things became apparent.
One was someone has laid the ringmain across the opening (annoying but
solvable)

The other is the reason for this post. The cavity has a lintel, as can
be seen through the old vent hole, and the cavity seems in quite good
nick. The width of the cavity is the same as the width of the new
bricked in section save for two little "tabs" half way down. If I were
to remove these tabs it would seem to leave some unsuported brickwork
- I've stopped for the mo and someone is having a look next week, but
does anyone here have any thoughts?

Photos are he

http://www.bbarker.co.uk/pages/albums/fireplace

You can see the ringmain, and above it the two "tabs" sticking out.
They are wider than the cavity behind, but if I were to remove the
infilling bricks it would seem to leave some unsupported original
brickwork...

I'd remove more plaster to see if there is a brick arch above the lintel.
I'd remove all the bricks under the lintel as well. Fireplace may have been
reduced in size at some point. Was it a kitchen fireplace? Bricks that were
keyed in might have been damaged during removal of cast iron range? Or some
other built-in feature.

The building is 1920's, but I don't know what it has previously been
used for. The time it was built would seem to suggest a large kitchen
fire is unlikely though. Unfortunately, other than the area shown, the
brickwork is covered in a concrete render, making removal difficult.
However, there is no indication looking into the cavity of any
modifications.

I can remove all the bricks under the lintel, but the problem is that
would also involve removing the bricks filling in the "tabs" (unless I
split the bricks) which I am loathe to do until I can work out if they
are supporting anything. The strange thing is that the cavity is only
as wide as the inner shape.

I suspect you may be right about the tabs being the remnant of the
fixing points for whatever previously covered the cavity.

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

"Ben" wrote in message
oups.com...


I can remove all the bricks under the lintel, but the problem is that
would also involve removing the bricks filling in the "tabs" (unless I
split the bricks) which I am loathe to do until I can work out if they
are supporting anything. The strange thing is that the cavity is only
as wide as the inner shape.


Knock em all out, self corbelling saves the day.

--
Mike W

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

On 3ÔÂ11ÈÕ, ÉÏÎç6ʱ28·Ö, "Ben" wrote:
Hi - I was thinking of opening up this fireplace. The flue is a bit
suspect, but the cavity would be a nice feature.

I removed the plaster to have a look, and two things became apparent.
One was someone has laid the ringmain across the opening (annoying but
solvable)

The other is the reason for this post. The cavity has a lintel, as can
be seen through the old vent hole, and the cavity seems in quite good
nick. The width of the cavity is the same as the width of the new
bricked in section save for two little "tabs" half way down. If I were
to remove these tabs it would seem to leave some unsuported brickwork
- I've stopped for the mo and someone is having a look next week, but
does anyone here have any thoughts?

Photos are he

http://www.bbarker.co.uk/pages/albums/fireplace

You can see the ringmain, and above it the two "tabs" sticking out.
They are wider than the cavity behind, but if I were to remove the
infilling bricks it would seem to leave some unsupported original
brickwork...

Ben

http://www.fy4.net/03.htm

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

Ben wrote:
Hi - I was thinking of opening up this fireplace. The flue is a bit
suspect, but the cavity would be a nice feature.

I removed the plaster to have a look, and two things became apparent.
One was someone has laid the ringmain across the opening (annoying but
solvable)

The other is the reason for this post. The cavity has a lintel, as can
be seen through the old vent hole, and the cavity seems in quite good
nick. The width of the cavity is the same as the width of the new
bricked in section save for two little "tabs" half way down. If I were
to remove these tabs it would seem to leave some unsuported brickwork
- I've stopped for the mo and someone is having a look next week, but
does anyone here have any thoughts?

Photos are he

http://www.bbarker.co.uk/pages/albums/fireplace

You can see the ringmain, and above it the two "tabs" sticking out.
They are wider than the cavity behind, but if I were to remove the
infilling bricks it would seem to leave some unsupported original
brickwork...


Ben

I've looked at those pictures til I'm blue in the face, but cannot find any
'tabs', nor can I see a lintel.

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

"Ben" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 10 Mar, 22:49, "tiscali" wrote:
"Ben" wrote in message

oups.com...



Hi - I was thinking of opening up this fireplace. The flue is a bit
suspect, but the cavity would be a nice feature.

I removed the plaster to have a look, and two things became apparent.
One was someone has laid the ringmain across the opening (annoying but
solvable)

The other is the reason for this post. The cavity has a lintel, as can
be seen through the old vent hole, and the cavity seems in quite good
nick. The width of the cavity is the same as the width of the new
bricked in section save for two little "tabs" half way down. If I were
to remove these tabs it would seem to leave some unsuported brickwork
- I've stopped for the mo and someone is having a look next week, but
does anyone here have any thoughts?

Photos are he

http://www.bbarker.co.uk/pages/albums/fireplace

You can see the ringmain, and above it the two "tabs" sticking out.
They are wider than the cavity behind, but if I were to remove the
infilling bricks it would seem to leave some unsupported original
brickwork...

I'd remove more plaster to see if there is a brick arch above the lintel.
I'd remove all the bricks under the lintel as well. Fireplace may have
been
reduced in size at some point. Was it a kitchen fireplace? Bricks that
were
keyed in might have been damaged during removal of cast iron range? Or
some
other built-in feature.

The building is 1920's, but I don't know what it has previously been
used for. The time it was built would seem to suggest a large kitchen
fire is unlikely though. Unfortunately, other than the area shown, the
brickwork is covered in a concrete render, making removal difficult.
However, there is no indication looking into the cavity of any
modifications.

I can remove all the bricks under the lintel, but the problem is that
would also involve removing the bricks filling in the "tabs" (unless I
split the bricks) which I am loathe to do until I can work out if they
are supporting anything. The strange thing is that the cavity is only
as wide as the inner shape.

I suspect you may be right about the tabs being the remnant of the
fixing points for whatever previously covered the cavity.

I doubt removing the keyed in bricks will cause any problems. Fireplaces can
be funny things. sometimes they brick up the inside of the fireplace to form
a smaller flue for a later gas fire. You really need to get all the render
off the chimney breast to see the extent of it. Use a 1" cold chisel and a
4lb hammer on the concrete render. Good exercise, I just diid mine in the
kitchen and found they built the top half of the chimney breast from rocks.
1906 Victorian kitchen. I just had it swept and filled four large rubble
sacks with soot, twigs, half-bricks, birds nest, and old aerial fittings.

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

In message , Phil L
writes
I've looked at those pictures til I'm blue in the face, but cannot find
any 'tabs', nor can I see a lintel.

See? Someone's got carbon monoxide poisoning already, and they've only
just opened the fireplace. That's how dangerous they are. :)

--
Clive Mitchell
http://www.bigclive.com

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

Sorry - my fault. The lintel is there, but the brickwork above the
opening has been rendered with mortar making it hard to remove.
However, by putting a mirror through the hole I can look from behind
and there is certainly a lintel following the line where I have
stopped removing plaster. I'll see if I can get a photo of it...

By "tabs" I was referring to the keyed in bricks at either side of the
opening, just above the ringmain.

On 11 Mar, 19:46, Owain wrote:
Clive Mitchell wrote:
Phil L writes
I've looked at those pictures til I'm blue in the face, but cannot
find any 'tabs', nor can I see a lintel.
See? Someone's got carbon monoxide poisoning already, and they've only
just opened the fireplace. That's how dangerous they are. :)

With CO poisoning wouldn't he be red in the face?

Owain

Opening bricked up fireplace - question
 

On 12 Mar, 18:45, "Ben" wrote:
Sorry - my fault. The lintel is there, but the brickwork above the
opening has been rendered with mortar making it hard to remove.
However, by putting a mirror through the hole I can look from behind
and there is certainly a lintel following the line where I have
stopped removing plaster. I'll see if I can get a photo of it...

By "tabs" I was referring to the keyed in bricks at either side of the
opening, just above the ringmain.

On 11 Mar, 19:46, Owain wrote:

Clive Mitchell wrote:
Phil L writes
I've looked at those pictures til I'm blue in the face, but cannot
find any 'tabs', nor can I see a lintel.
See? Someone's got carbon monoxide poisoning already, and they've only
just opened the fireplace. That's how dangerous they are. :)

With CO poisoning wouldn't he be red in the face?

Owain

I've put up a couple more photos. They're not great... one shows the
old opening (were a vent was) behind which can be seen the clay
fireback. The other shows all that can be of the lintel at present, at
least with a camera...

as before they are at:

http://www.bbarker.co.uk/pages/albums/fireplace

Ben