Fire mantle and surround removal

[jimbom]

We have recent moved in to a former cotswold convent, having purchased it from the nuns....

House needs lost of work!

One of our first projects is to get a fireplace operational, before the real work starts next year.

The fireplace has been blocked up and a sheet of wood fixed over a small hole, this I suspect was for a gas fire at some stage. I have had a look inside and concrete blocks have been used to fill the opening with a concrete surround at the base which I assume the old gas fire sat in.

I am looking to fit a cast iron victorian inset into the fireplace, but first I need to remove the existing mantle and surround, can anyone advise on how this would have been fitted?

Is it a case of being screwed in and plugged over the screws or would it have been attached by brackets set into the plaster?

Do I "just" need to chisel the mantle and surround off the wall before stripping it, installing inset and the refitting mantle and surround.

Photograph at

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m101/jimbohkm/DSCF0023sml.jpg

I'm looking for the least messy route of removal, ever the optimist!

Thanks in advance

 

[Moo]

I may well be asking a silly question, but I don't understand why you want to remove the surround. Surely you don't want to replace it?

 

[Penners]

What are the existing mantle/posts made of? If they're wood or stone, then in all probability you are correct. There will be small fixing plates (like mirror plates) sticking out from the sides of the posts, plus one or two along the back of the mantlepiece, screwed to the masonry of the chimney breast. These will be buried in the plaster. The good news is that they shouldn't be difficult to remove. The bad news is that you'll "just" have to keep chipping away the plaster around the periphery of the unit until you find them!

In the final anaysis, however, this isn't difficult to reinstate, once you've positioned your cast iron surround and wish to refit the mantle.

As to the fireplace interior, have the concrete blocks just been used to reduce the size of the firehole? Is the chimney flue still intact and clear? If so, then all you should need to do is "just" remove the concrete blocks and replace them with a prefabricated fireclay fire back. If there's a gap batween the back of the fire back and the chimney itself, fill this with gravel or rubble, topped with an angled capping of fireclay to stop soot falling into it.

 

[mark_j_k]

To locate the fixings in the plaster you could use a magnet (providing the fixings are magnetic!) just move it around the edge and when it is attracted to something then you'll know where to dig!

 

[Penners]

Good idea, Mark! Or a metal pipe/electric wire detector.

 

[jimbom]

Thanks for the responses.

Moo - I need to remove it, as the new inset will be larger than the existing visible hole, thus it needs to be sandwiched between the wall and refitted surround.

Penners, the mantle is wood and I will be using a magnet as Mark suggests on my return from holiday!

I'll be checking with the local sweep prior to commissioning!

Regards

 

[Lime]

I'll be checking with the local sweep prior to commissioning!

Regards

I would have it swept before you remove the fireplace surround if I were you. It is surprising how much brick filler/rubble you may find behind the fireplace and often there is a mountain of soot on top of it.

 

[Penners]

I agree with Lime.