Opening up a bricked in fireplace advice??

[Y3XOM]

Hi… I’ve recently moved into my house built around 1885. One of the fire places was bricked up which I’ve opened up. There’s a curved arch at the top but there is a piece of slate that is concreted in on either side of the rear of the chimney just below the arch (see pics) Does anyone know of its purpose? Also, is it ok to remove them, I am potentially looking at boxing it in but would want it flush to the brick. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[LizOtul]

Hi - this isn't going to be helpful but I did the same with my 1881 fireplace yesterday. Mine was filled with brick and rubble, original brick hearth. Rest of floor in room appears to be concrete over brick on earth. Be good to know your plans for the brickwork and fireplace.

 

[Y3XOM]

Hi … thank you for your reply. That looks great. Is that a steel lintel in place under the line of bricks? I appear to have arched bricks which I believe act as support but I’m not sure if I need to also install a steel one also. Still undecided on plans yet, not sure whether to just box it in and tile around or install a wood burner and keep bricks. Do you have any firm ideas for yours, I love the bricked hearth.

 

[Cubist]

Hi Both, the 'Project forum is one of the least visited by regular contributors and you would perhaps get more input if your questions were posted in the 'Discussions' section.

@Stevers and @stuart45 are, I think, perhaps the most knowledgeable members regarding your enquiries and be able to offer some help.

However,

I appear to have arched bricks which I believe act as support but I’m not sure if I need to also install a steel one also.

In my view introducing an additional steel support under that arch risks its collapse but I think @Stevers may have done this with a chimney in his basement some time ago - hopefully my memory is correct. In your case and provided the mortar joints in the arch and surrounding brickwork is in good condition and the bricks themselves are not crumbling then the arch should continue to do its job without modification.

 

[Y3XOM]

Hi cubist… thanks for the reply, I’ve just posted it in the other forum… appreciate your help

 

[Kearn]

Given the age of the property, there would have been a grate inserted, not an open fire. What you’re seeing is the builders opening, but this wouldn’t have been the actual visible fireplace. The arch is there simply for structural support, again wouldn’t have been seen and brick infilled below.

The grate would have been built in with supporting brickwork cheeks etc around and infill to pack the voids. I suspect what you have is the remnants of the throat widening above into the main chimney, packed with rubble below. Slate making a nice smooth surface for the smoke to pull over… looks like the grate was quite high, as you can see the spot stained bricks in the rear. There will be other tell tale scars/discolouring which will help you work out what style grate was once there. I’d then scout for a reclaimed one to put back in and do the fireplace justice. A quick google will ring back some of the styles…

I’m not sure what boxing in means, but a bare brick opening like this is isn’t an appropriate for the building.

 

[Kearn]

Hi - this isn't going to be helpful but I did the same with my 1881 fireplace yesterday. Mine was filled with brick and rubble, original brick hearth. Rest of floor in room appears to be concrete over brick on earth. Be good to know your plans for the brickwork and fireplace.

View attachment 18072

View attachment 18073

You can see the horizontal line where the soot starts, this would have been the height of your hob grate. None of this brickwork would have been on show or opened up. If the house / room was high enough status, then there would be a slate / marble / timber surround and mantel, possibly decorative.

 

[stuart45]

Also, is it ok to remove them, I am potentially looking at boxing it in but would want it flush to the brick. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

View attachment 18070

View attachment 18071

There shouldn't be any problem knocking those out. The structural parts of a chimney are mainly the jambs which transfer the loads to the foundations.

 

[Y3XOM]

Given the age of the property, there would have been a grate inserted, not an open fire. What you’re seeing is the builders opening, but this wouldn’t have been the actual visible fireplace. The arch is there simply for structural support, again wouldn’t have been seen and brick infilled below.

The grate would have been built in with supporting brickwork cheeks etc around and infill to pack the voids. I suspect what you have is the remnants of the throat widening above into the main chimney, packed with rubble below. Slate making a nice smooth surface for the smoke to pull over… looks like the grate was quite high, as you can see the spot stained bricks in the rear. There will be other tell tale scars/discolouring which will help you work out what style grate was once there. I’d then scout for a reclaimed one to put back in and do the fireplace justice. A quick google will ring back some of the styles…

I’m not sure what boxing in means, but a bare brick opening like this is isn’t an appropriate for the building.

Thank you for the information, that helps a lot in understanding what was there originally. At some point this was replaced with a gas fire as I found an old disconnected gas pipe under the floorboards into the base via a side brick. I’ll do some research into a potential solution. Thanks again

 

[Y3XOM]

There shouldn't be any problem knocking those out. The structural parts of a chimney are mainly the jambs which transfer the loads to the foundations.

Thank you Stuart, that’s reassuring to know. Depending on what I do with the space, I might not need to remove them but glad to hear they aren’t structural.