Cleaning up the back of the fireplace

[cnoubrinn]

Hi Everyone,
Trying to stay focused on stonework repairs and ceilings, but in the meantime (to keep me sane and remind me that one day I will get to think about interior design) a question for any lime experts, or tinkerers out there... We've removed a small Victorian fireplace that had been sitting inside an older, much bigger fireplace that we think housed a water boiler and cooker type affair, hopefully there are some pictures lurking on this post. The bottom photo should be of what is still in place next door, just for anyone who likes such things The damp at the bottom of the opened fireplace is just from me trying to figure out what the heart stone is, I haven't uncovered a well!





There will eventually be a wood burning stove installed but before that happens I need to come up with a plan to make it look good. The Stone surround is starting to come up well after a tub of PeelAway and lots of work getting rid of the yucky black gunk that was once vigilantly applied and buffed up (black stuff too dark and oppressive for my liking although I may admit defeat in a couple of the other rooms!) We've started to remove the loose top layer of pointing/mortar within the fireplace itself so it already looks a whole lot better than in the picture - but the black sooty burnt brick section is my next bit to tackle.

I know if I'm going to cover it with lime plaster I need to clean it up. But to what extent? Will the lime adhere to the heavily sooted area if I give it a good brush? Or do I need to do something a bit more aggressive like a sand blast? Should add the 30 year old compressor only lends itself to a gentle blast nowadays, and the brick is very solid. Solid brick is a novelty to me these days, a toad popped out from a wall today... the kitchen wall... must get round to doing the kitchen

Please can anyone help with liming old fireplace top tips?

 

[plasticpigeon]

I'm fascinated by the room next door. That's an old copper for making hot water for the house isn't it??? Is your place the same as next door, with the room in your house being a mirror of the one next door, or is the room that your fireplace in a different part of the house?

 

[cnoubrinn]

Hiya, I love the origional version too, hopefully it'll be restored soon as it's getting soaked (leaky roof above) The fireplace I've shown is in a different part of the house - but I do have the rest of the house that mirrors/adjoins that bit too, sadly the old copper is long gone and the fireplace is no longer in use. The building the origional fireplace is in is currently for sale (not by me, by the lovely family next door) but it needs lots of work - a nice 'little' project! If you fancy a nose...
http://www.cumbrian-properties.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/thebarnsknorrenlodgewaltonbramptonAUCTION.pdf

 

[plasticpigeon]

Pretty! I wonder if perhaps all the infill in your fireplace was actually original and there was always a smaller fireplace in there. From what I know of older buildings (near me most are Victorian or Edwardian) is that the houses usually had quite a large structural opening for a fireplace which was built as the house was being built. In my area these are often rather nice semi circular brick arches with a height of around 5ft. When the house was built this big opening would then have been filled in to fit whatever fireplace the builders fancied, so the the rather nice arch was never meant to be seen. I wonder if that could also be the case in your property, that the stonework was never meant to be exposed and that the brick infill was original and just missing its cast iron insert.

 

[cnoubrinn]

Mmm possibly, but it matches 3 other fireplaces that didn't have smaller fires inside - so I don't think that's likely. There's also various notches out of the inside of the fireplace that suggested it had something fitted (within the larger one... v.confusing ) The lime mortar used to build the fireplace is a different colour to the bricks used to fill the space - pink rather than pale grey. A few of the doors that have been filled in around the house use a pale grey lime mortar so this fits with the fireplace... The stone surround wasn't covered by the brick it was just hidden under wall paper, and black polished under that (big one and small one!)

We've scratched our heads for many hours over this house, it's such a rabbit warren of brick and stones parts - and so many blocked off doorways, bits added etc. usual stuff for buildings that served a Lodge I guess. Either way, the small fireplace was pretty useless, the chimney needed lined and oil heating costs me a fortune. So making it better looking and log burner is definitely on the list!

 

[plasticpigeon]

Well it sounds like you've done plenty of detective work! Is your house on the picture with the auction details??

 

[Moo]

I'm finding it difficult to match the photographs with your description of your problem. I think I've looked very carefully, but try as I might I can't see any chimneys!

 

[cnoubrinn]

My Cottage is sort of attached to these, its the section that is between these buildings and the Lodge so no, its just out if sight.
The chimneys are sorted, its the back of the fireplace I need to clean up (middle picture) the other pics were just for a bit of context, sorry if I've confused the matter

This fireplace is to have a log burner in it, I could put up with the bricks but would be nice to plaster it. I really just need to know how much I need to clean the bricks up so I can lime plaster inside the fireplace, will the lime adhere to the burnt bricks?

 

[Zebra]

If you got the worst off with a wire brush, then I reckon lime plaster would stick to sooty bricks, although perhaps there is a possibility of it staining through. Will you limewash the lime plaster?
You could try a small patch and see what happens.
I reckon the plaster would probably be quite prone to cracking in behind the fire.

 

[cnoubrinn]

Thanks for the reply.
Experimenting has begun. I had it in mind that lime plaster was much more capable of handling the heat than modern stuff - but I can imagine if we don't scrub it up well it will stain! Lime supplier chap assumed we'd be plastering it and commented 'it'll need a reet good clean first'. May go back to him and interrogate further. Got mi' Ma on the case now, she's well good at scrubbing fireplaces (labour is expensive these days, and she comes with her own tools )

Just curious... Do you know if it was usual to lay brick walls on top of stone footings (in some cases 18" of stone walling) from new, or is it more likely the brick bits are built on top of older stone walls? In a few places, this fireplace included, the lower section is random stone and just curious as to whether its an old bit of building or if its built as 'new'.

 

[Zebra]

Oh yes, I'm sure that modern plaster would crack much worse. In fact I know that to be the case, from looking at my sister's fireplace. Come to think of it, my lime pointing hasn't cracked in behind the fire, so perhaps if you give it enough time to dry without lighting the fire too soon, it'll be fine.
Yes, I find Mums are good at many things, mixing concrete, chopping firewood. Mine even comes with her own chainsaw!