danny la rouge
More like *fanny* la rouge!
I knew my panto début wouldn’t go unmentioned.
Opening up a fireplace
- Thread starter TopCat
- Start date
Supine
Newt Member
Ohh no you didn’t!
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
It's behind you
danny la rouge
More like *fanny* la rouge!
We have a well-known Shakespearean actor playing Buttons. The audience shout out “It’s beneath you!”.
nogojones
spelling is overrated
You can also kill your neighbours or any family upstairs with carbon monoxide poisoning
cupid_stunt
Chief seagull hater & farmerbarleymow's nemesis.
And, this is why TopCat needs to get a bloody expert in to check it out.
MickiQ
In My Defence I was left Unsupervised
He is clearly a firm believer in the principle of "Learn By The Doing", he will become the expert assuming he survives the process.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
And if this doesn't succeed, if you're in an urban area you can comfort yourself with the fact that the smoke that makes it out the chimney will aggravate someone's asthma or contribute to some other kind of lung disease.
nogojones
spelling is overrated
Then again, it might be his intention. I don't think he feels great love for one of his neighbours and the feeling a bit chilly might just his alibi.
keybored
Well done. You remember cat good.
Only just got time to do some more on this, so I picked up a lintel, mortar, acrows and strongboys (just in case) and only then decided to remove more plaster...
I can't say I'm very confident in this "brick"work. I was hoping to find a wall mostly of staggered bricks that would have self-corbelled to support the structure but the higher I go, the more stone appears from the sides. The latest plan was to get a lintel in not too far above the existing arch, then remove everything under the lintel, lift the steel former up a course and use that to form a new arch with reclaimed bricks (those half bricks you see in the existing arch do seem to be just that, I dug some mortar out enough to poke around behind them). Then plaster over it all leaving just the arch exposed.
I'm not even sure where best to put the lintel (100 x 65) in that lot, or where to position the props to help stop the lot crashing down. Understand the lintel should be level, resting on complete bricks and should extend at least 100mm over those bricks.
Best way forward from here?
yeah I had to take a booking 45 days hence when I called at the end of September, then I rebooked it and they are coming tomorrow.
Home - Firkins Chimney Sweeps - please turn up the volume when you visit their site or call them.
danski
"vibey"
Do you know what's above and what state that's in? Might be worth a check in case some of your works don't quite pan out the way you intend.
keybored
Well done. You remember cat good.
As in, what's beneath the plaster above what I've exposed already? Or what's above that room?
keybored
Well done. You remember cat good.
Just the two (short ones), can get more if needed.
Above this room is a bedroom, chimney breast plastered over.
And above that is the loft...
danski
"vibey"
Omg, is that a witch, sleeping on the right?!Just the two (short ones), can get more if needed.
Above this room is a bedroom, chimney breast plastered over.
And above that is the loft...
View attachment 353505
danski
"vibey"
I meant above that room and if it is sound and will withstand possible disruption.
I’m probably being over cautious but I’d be inclined to get an engineer to have a look but that’s just me.
danny la rouge
More like *fanny* la rouge!
It’s definitely not attic-mummified corpse.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
If it was me, and I was DIY-ing it, then I reckon I would be thinking about putting the strongboy blades in where the green lines are, with a view to removing the two courses below and the lintel going in where the grey rectangle is.
In theory assuming the brickwork is basically fairly sound, the red bit is the maximum that would collapse and fall out.
I'd probably scratch my head and get nervous before actually doing it though. And go away and watch a bunch of youtube videos and stuff. Don't take my suggestion as expert advice and don't blame me if your house falls down as a result.
But I think I'd want to understand what's happening behind where I've drawn the lintel, make sure that it's still just a single brick thickness at that point, and that there's not something going on with the flue behind, like starting to go diagonally to the side or anything like that.
In theory assuming the brickwork is basically fairly sound, the red bit is the maximum that would collapse and fall out.
I'd probably scratch my head and get nervous before actually doing it though. And go away and watch a bunch of youtube videos and stuff. Don't take my suggestion as expert advice and don't blame me if your house falls down as a result.
But I think I'd want to understand what's happening behind where I've drawn the lintel, make sure that it's still just a single brick thickness at that point, and that there's not something going on with the flue behind, like starting to go diagonally to the side or anything like that.
WouldBe
Dislicksick
I'd want to check those loose 'bricks' that appear to be just bunged in. That could be a hole that goes through to the flue and could cause dangerous gasses to escape into the house.
Even worse is that large diagonal crack at the left. That seriously needs looking at.
WouldBe
Dislicksick
Could be a shadow, seemed a bit dark.
keybored
Well done. You remember cat good.
I'd want to check those loose 'bricks' that appear to be just bunged in. That could be a hole that goes through to the flue and could cause dangerous gasses to escape into the house.
Even worse is that large diagonal crack at the left. That seriously needs looking at.
That's just a haphazard slope. There will be a flue liner going in.
keybored
Well done. You remember cat good.
Thanks. One of the things that bothers me about that level is that the lintel ends might then not be resting on whole bricks. I'll have to have a dig and see if it is an end-on whole brick or just a half brick (wouldn't surprise me in this place).
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Yes, if they are just half bricks then maybe one course down would be better.
Also is the lintel a fixed length or will you cut it to size? Because maybe it could be the full width of the chimneybreast, in the course where I've shown it.
keybored
Well done. You remember cat good.
I can't go lower if I'm to rebuild the arch there. I'll be cutting the lintel to size and it's 1500mm, so wide enough for either. Feels like a bold move to completely remove the whole width though!
I've pulled up some carpet in the room above this evening and discovered a stone hearth, so there was also a fireplace above and likely the downstairs flue will go diagonally to one side at some point.
davesgcr
Reading books
Sort of motivated by this thread , I got a local sweep and all round excellent stove / open fire aficionado for a check out of my beloved Stovax (burns only very clean , seasoned and sustainable (i.e acquired free) wood)
Anyway - he gives the stove a clean bill of health in terms of fire bricks , baffle plate etc , will replace the cord around the door, and has recommended a sweep and another access hatch put in (as well as the back one . which is in what used to be the garage - but is now study no 2)
Chimney not lined - but should be OK.
Cost equals to £70 for a sweep - £30 each for new hatch and cord and about a mornings work. Will issue a certificate when done. So quite pleased all round.
Anyway - he gives the stove a clean bill of health in terms of fire bricks , baffle plate etc , will replace the cord around the door, and has recommended a sweep and another access hatch put in (as well as the back one . which is in what used to be the garage - but is now study no 2)
Chimney not lined - but should be OK.
Cost equals to £70 for a sweep - £30 each for new hatch and cord and about a mornings work. Will issue a certificate when done. So quite pleased all round.
