Advise: open fire to log burner process w/photos

[flyinghamster]

Hi all,

**Scroll down for photos**


I’m mid renovating my living room. I’ve ripped out old floor, skirting, and out-of-character fireplace surround. Now looking to install log burner with characterful fireplace surround. Would really appreciate any feedback on what I believe is the correct flow of work here. I won't be DIYing it - job for the pros.

1. Get the lower stack rebuilt, fully secured - looks like it needs a dam good rebuild to me
   1. Job for a joe bloggs builder or specialist builder?​
   2. Basically how do i determine the opening size? Perhaps i can go as far as the perpendicular internal side wall (see 2nd photo then the 3rd photo with orange outline). Then add a lintel above. It's a 46m3 room so probably needs sizeable log burner.
   3. Does this 'stack building work' require any building regs notifications or other certificates of compliance?
2. Make good the building work e.g. plaster and touch up where needed around the opening
3. Installation of hearth and then log burner
   1. Perhaps the floor could go on first up until the opening (see green line on first photo?) and then lay hearth over floor? (will look neater imo)
   2. log burner will be installed by properly certified company with all regs notifications etc.
   3. Who should i expect to cut and install the hearth? Same people who install the log burner or someone else e.g. joe bloggs builder?
4. Fit new flooring
5. Fit fireplace surround (i'm guessing i need to ensure i don't create an opening size that requires a bespoke surround to be built? ideally id get reclaimed)
6. Fit skirting boards

Thanks!

 

[paulc]

Stick your head up inside the opening. I would expect to see either a lintel or brick arch a little further up. If there is, you can safely remove the abomination that you have there (Dexion really isn't appropriate for structural support). If there is no sign of an arch or lintel, I'd suggest inserting a concrete beam just below the gather - That should give you plenty of height to install a free standing stove. If you prefer an inset type, a lightweight beam can be fitted across the top of the stove (in addition to the main lintel higher up).
A HETAS registered fitter should be able to install a lintel, hearth, and stove and sort out the appropriate approvals for you. Just don't let them use gypsum plaster anywhere near the stove. Either a heat resistant plaster from someone like Vitcas or a pure lime finish. The chimney breast can get surprisingly hot (I regularly see mine over 100°C), and gypsum will just crack and flake off above 50°C.

 

[Cubist]

Hi There and welcome,
You do indeed need a viable plan of attack for this job and you clearly have a vision of the outcome you want, but before you go any further:

1. In the last few years there have been many legislative changes concerning the use of log burners and particularly in built up areas. Have you checked to make sure that your aims are compliant with these?
2. The legislation also impacts what fuels you may use, the specific characteristics of those fuels and and where, geographically in some instances, those fuels may be used. Have you researched these constraints for your property?
3. Have you considered;
   1. How and from where you will source the fuel you will use?
   2. How much fuel you will be likely to use? (Weight and volume)
   3. Whether you have adequate and suitable facilities to store an appropriate volume/weight of that fuel near to the house?
   4. The labour, fuss and mess involved in transporting the fuel to the burner when its needed and also removing and safely disposing of the ashes afterwards?
4. Have you determined whether the chimney stack is open along its full height to the chimney pot and is wide enough to accommodate a stainless steel flexible flue?
5. From the perspective of the final design of your vision;
   1. Most small log-burners use a flue that exits from the top or rear of the fire-box and are connected to a steel flue installed in the chimney via one or more right angle pipes. The final placement of these will determine the 'stand-off depth between the rear wall of the chimney stack and therefore how far into the room the front face of the stove must project and also the final height of the stove (including and top exit flue).
   2. You will need to understand all these dimensions before you finalise the design.
6. On the assumption that your desire for a log burner is to use it as a secondary source of heating in a single room in the house rather than a rather expensive ornament is it really worth all the expense and hassle you may face just to get one installed?

 

[malcolm]

That stuff in the middle sitting on a couple of concrete blocks can go. It's nice to have a fairly big opening for a woodburner and most people go back to the builders opening and work from there or just use that for the fireplace. The builders opening is the fireplace hole in the chimney that supports itself and is intended as somewhere where you can build your prefeferred style of fireplace inside.

There ought to be some sort of lintel or arch supporting the builders opening. Worth checking what you have that will be above the wallpaper currently removed. Nice to get a feeling of safety before you get rid of the concrete blocks and the silly metal thing. Some bricks look like they have been cut away beside the concrete blocks and they might well need rebuilding as they were likely part of the original builders opening structure.

 

[Stonehouse]

Good evening

With a concrete lintel can you use cement mortar?