Update on precarious chimney breast lintel (pics)

[inwood]

Just thought I'd update on my dodgy chimney breast lintel for those that are interested.

During work to what will (eventually!) be the dining room we looked carefully at the fireplace. The chimney on the roof had been rebuilt when the new roof (slate) was fitted and the capping removed to allow the fireplace to be used once again.

Clearly the fireplace was a later addition, didn't fit well with the rest of the room and had reduced the original opening significantly. So with LBC we decided to replace it with a stone fireplace, something which (according to a previous owner) had been removed some time ago and replaced with this monstrosity:

The tiles on the hearth were original, as the brickwork (cement mortared) was built directly ontop. It was my intention to reuse the tiles for the new hearth but despite very careful removal we lost too many to be reused.

On dismantling the fireplace we were left with this:

which became the subject of a previous post as I was particularly concerned about the tiny bearings supporting the massive stone lintel above the fireplace opening.

So after consulting the building control officer it was agreed that some additional support was needed. So the brickwork was removed and a concrete lintel inserted. Not strictly historic but safety took precedence!. It was unnerving to say the least seeing the large stone lintel 'floating' for a short point before the lintel was inserted, the bearings either side rebuilt and support put in between the stone and concrete lintel:

Once in place and with sufficient time to set I was then able to fit the new fireplace and hearth:

Many thanks to GeoffP for letting me use his stone fireplace design and for his contacts to get it made.

Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Nemesis]

A slight improvement

Hope you can sleep at nights now too.

Actually, apart from the shelf, it's not unlike our original 200 year old one.

 

[MdB]

It looks great. You must be pleased so I hate to say this. Does it meet building regs? The hearth to me looks like it doesn't come 500mm away from the wall as Approved Doc J Diag 25 states. I've only read the regs and I'm certainly not an expert so I hope I'm wrong.

 

[inwood]

You're right the hearth doesn't come away from the wall by 500mm (actually about 400mm) but does replace the old hearth exactly which the BCO appeared happy with as he was involved in the reconstruction throughout. I will contact him again though to make sure.

The only other concern I have is that the fireplace draws sufficiently. Although we've opened the fireplace to its original dimensions it makes you wonder why someone would build such a smaller opening in the first place. That will have to wait until the flue is swept and tested though.

 

[skier-hughes]

I guess that when fires were used less the draft was too much so they filled them in, smaller hole, smaller draft?????

We have several that I am finding that have been made smaller,
Here's one
http://www.myvideoproblems.com/testfiles/personal/kitchen/28-09-07_1959.jpg

 

[inwood]

Wow and I thought my stone lintel was impressive! At least the original bearings on yours seem sound, I wouldn't fancy rebuilding the support for those

 

[Nemesis]

I recommend for anyone with an interest this:

http://www.shirebooks.co.uk/

http://www.shirebooks.co.uk/Antiques/household-bl.htm#firkit


Firegrates and Kitchen Ranges Shire Album 99 - David J Eveleigh - a short and inexpensive potted history of how grates developed.

 

[Ian Bond]

It looks great!!!

A subject close to my heart at the moment, having just been working on a similar project, although far plainer.

Was GeoffP's design a copy of an existing historic surround? I like the stopped chamfers, by the way.

When you've plastered the wall, it will really show off the fine masonry of the fireplace.

 

[Penners]

I guess that when fires were used less the draft was too much so they filled them in, smaller hole, smaller draft?????

Oooh, no! If you make the throat smaller you can, in fact, increase the speed of the draught air, due to the Venturi effect. Depending where you're sitting this can make the room seem chillier.

 

[GeoffP]

Hey Daron, that looks great. And thanks for the plug.

Just one question, what sort of tiles have you used for the hearth and are they laid on top of a stone hearth?

To Ian Bond.

“Was GeoffP's design a copy of an existing historic surround?”

Not exactly. I just needed a plain (ish) surround for my refurbished dining room and that’s what I thought would be suitable for a Georgian farmhouse.

Geoff

 

[Ian Bond]

Thanks Geoff

A definite success, with or without the shelf (prefer with).

Designing a suitable stone surround from scratch is not easy, as I discovered when I looked at the standard offerings. Not one came close to the simple vernacular that I was looking for - just not elaborate enough for a modern suburban makeover.

(slight damp problem in a West Yorkshire farmhouse, circa 1800)

 

[Penners]

slight damp problem in a West Yorkshire farmhouse

Slight?! It looks as though it's been under water for a few years!

 

[Ian Bond]

Yes - pity really, such a lovely building. Nice example of a simple fireplace though.

 

[inwood]

Geoff. The tiles are stone tiles laid into an NHL5 Screed on a limecrete constructional hearth. I did think about a thick stone hearth but with walls that aren't exactly the definition of plumb & square I thought tiles would be easier to cut around the various wobbles in the wall.

Ian. I thought I had damp problems! Looks like a picture from a stateroom in the Titanic.

 

[Ian Bond]

Aye - another couple of winters and it will be not much more than a pile of rubble - what a waste!!!!

I risked life and limb going in to take the photos, but it was worth it to record a beautiful vernacular building, that someone took a lot of trouble to build. Far more trouble than was necessary to make it functional.

Like your hearth tiles by the way - I hope you're going to post more pics when the grate's in and the plastering's done!!!!!