Playing JENGA with a Chimney Stack

[agbagb]

So far I'm winning

Many hours and buckets of HNL and sharp sand later, its (almost) fully fixed and solid with many of the mortar joints fully replaced.

But I did use two hands

 

[MdB]

Well done. That looks like quite a save though I think I would keep an eye on it to make sure it has stopped moving.
Have you identified why it shifted so much in the first place?

 

[tycarregydwr]

wow that is some impressive work! my parents' chimney is like that but it hasnt moved further in about 100 years so fingers crossed :lol:

 

[middi]

Looking at the second picture it appears that the chimney stack has been " dragged over" by the roof, the wall or both.

Whilst you appear to be making good repairs you must also make sure that any other house movement is stabilized.

Middi

 

[agbagb]

Your concerns are exactly the same as mine where when I first saw the extent of the movement.

It was originally lime plastered over all the cracks, the cracks didn't show, then it had been boxed in with riven lath and plaster so I'm thinking it's not moved in over 100-200+ years. It was probably the bessemer that sank a little with the extra weight of this (early Georgian?) double flue stack so it leaned away from the wall.

I've keyed it to the wall to stop vertical movement and transfer loading to the wall without giving it much horizontal restaint so if it pulls away it'll show and not pull the wall with it. I'll be keying it in similar way on the first floor as well. There is also a fireplace under the stack now, not just a smoke hood so there's less load on the bessemer. I'm confident it'll be much more stable than it has been for many years.

 

[Penners]

Well done, agbagb. And I'm glad to see that you've got plenty of ventilation in that gable wall.