Fireplace help...

[MCC]

Hello Old building Oracles,

Might you be able to give me some advice on this?
We have been gently taking off the rather garish blue paint on this fireplace, and had hoped to find a red brick fireplace underneath.
There is a dusty yellow layer, which we are still removing, and a fair bit of filler at the top, but it seems to be that the bricks are grey???
Is that a thing? Might they have reacted to to the dusty yellow over the years, and be able to be brought back to a better colour? I don't want to be too violent to them incase that is just wishful thinking (brick acid? sanding?)
If that's it, and they are grey, does that mean that they're a weird modern addition? Our lovely builder thought the fireplace was about 100 years old and said the bricks are imperial measurements, so thought they would be old.
If they are grey plus filler and nothing can be done for them, any advice on what to do about them? Paint I suppose... but I had so hoped for old red bricks.

Thank you so much yet again!!

Minna

 

[Stevers]

Given your location those are likely to be 'Beacon Hill Whites'. Probably calcium silicate, though the use of a white clay is mentioned too.

There's a bit of history about a third of the way down the page.
https://www.brocross.com/Bricks/Penmorfa/Pages/england4-3.htm

That is the natural colour, and very neatly laid with nice tight joints. Also available dyed in a dreadful mix of pink and grey, as seen all over the Bournemouth area.

 

[Cubist]

Common Contrete bricks have, and still are, - forgive the pun - fairly common too.

 

[MCC]

Common Contrete bricks have, and still are, - forgive the pun - fairly common too.

Yes might well be!!

 

[MCC]

Given your location those are likely to be 'Beacon Hill Whites'. Probably calcium silicate, though the use of a white clay is mentioned too.

There's a bit of history about a third of the way down the page.
https://www.brocross.com/Bricks/Penmorfa/Pages/england4-3.htm

That is the natural colour, and very neatly laid with nice tight joints. Also available dyed in a dreadful mix of pink and grey, as seen all over the Bournemouth area.

Thank you I hope they might be... we'll keep cleaning and take a look. Thank you!

 

[LadyArowana]

Could it be that the brick is a later addition? Squinting at the tiny bit of wall on the screen it doesn’t look like it’s the same, just idle curiosity really!