Fire place cracked plaster

Skinny87

I recently had my old fireplace replaced. They ripped it out, replastered the chimney breast and put in a gas fire that's inside the chimney. It looks lovely, and I was told not to use it for 4 weeks to allow the plaster to dry.

It was finished on the 17th december, and last week I noticed that the plaser had already cracked. I have not yet switched it on either - as it was still inside the 4 weeks.

I phoned the company and sent them some pictures of the cracks. I just wondered where I stand? The whole thing cost me £3800 - should I just accept that plaster sometimes cracks or should I be taking a firmer stance and asking them to replaster it? I will be ringing them next week.

I was considering getting it tiled instead as the contract says that 30% of plastered fireplaces crack once they have been used. Tiles are slightly more durable. And I may end up with more cracks once I start using it.

Skinny87

I should add that my wife and I are complete novices. It is our first home, this year has been a bit of a learning curve with buying, moving and decorating! Thanks for any advice!

McKneff

If you phoned the company, what did they say.....

Skinny87

Oh, they asked to send the pictures and they would get someone to look at them. I'm giving them a few days to have a look before I phone back. I'm not sure what they are going to say - if they offer to replaster I'll obviously say yes please.
My question was if they try to make an excuse, as plaster does crack - should I be taking a firm stance to try and get them to replaster. Am I in the right to do this is what im asking I suppose, I'm not great at arguing my side if I know very little about what I'm talking about.

tony6403

Ask if the area to be plastered was sealed with PVA before the work was carried out. Without this the plaster may be prone to cracking.

rustyboy21

Every house and every flue are different, some flues can be set quite a way back in the chamber and have a decent thickness of blockwork and plaster in between them and the outside plaster work on the chimney breast.


You normally find cracking of plaster with a new fireplace, when the flue is a precast or prefabricated flue and the fire is a glass fronted fire. They are very efficient, but can heat the flue up just above the fireplace more than an open fronted fire.


There are a couple of ways around this issue. One would be with tiles as you have already suggested. Another, which is a lot better, would be by using a heat resistant, fibreglass wallpaper in the vicinity of the fireplace, say on the chimney breast. Fitted correctly, this sets to a hard concrete construction, which is flame retardant and solid, Whatever goes on behind it, will never be seen.


It does happen, is not really the installers fault, it can be something like I have said above, which the installer has no option over. He wouldn't know until it starts doing what has already happened. You could also have a little bit of settling of the masonery which has been worked on, which would also cause small hairline cracks, before the fire has been under fire.


IMO, the best way to go, would be Fibreglass wallpaper. It is used in lots of commercial properties and I use it (or my fitters do) when we install large feature fireplaces, where you have to build a false chimney breast. The price you paid, sounds like it is either one of these, or a large landscape type of fire, set into the wall and plastered up to. Any Pics?


Fibreglass wallpaper can be bought on Ebay, but here is a link to a site that shows a lot of designs.


http://www.eclipse-wallcoverings.co.uk/glasstex/why-choose-glasstex/

Plasterer

Hi skinny
Your fire fitting company is talking rubbish about four week drying time. What they've done is used a gypsum based product which is not good for fire resistance. They should have used a fire resistant plaster like victas.
I would suggest they didn't use victas as it is s lot more expensive than normal plaster. Also it takes a lot more skill to apply and control to give a nice finish than normal gypsum based plaster (multi/board finish)
Give them a call and tell them what I've said then listen to the hmmmms and arrrs as they come up with another rubbish excuse. Also if it a (cassette) type fire inserted they are contravening building regs.
Below is what should have been used.
All the best
P
http://shop.vitcas.com/vitcas-heat-resistant-plaster-16-p.asp

Gloomendoom

I hope my chimney breast never reaches 650 ºC.

Skinny87

I will post some pictures of the fireplace below, as I'm not sure without looking at the paperwork what the exact type is. I will also put a picture of the biggest crack (so far). Don't know if it's relevant but we live in the South-East, so unsure if that affects the prices.

We have never turned it on or used it yet, all the cracks are around the actual fireplace itself. We are now waiting to see what the company says/suggests, but will definitely mention the victas plaster and using the specialist wallpaper. I do remember that the plasterer was a subcontractor.

Skinny87

As a new poster, it won't let me post any links, which is a problem!

There seems to be some difference of opinion in the posts above as to whether this is acceptable (cracks in plaster, which can just be covered with wallpaper/tiles) or is a result of incorrect plaster. As such, what kind of angle should I take with the company when they get back to me - ask for replastering with the plaster mentioned above, or ask them to wallpaper it?

Skinny87

I've been advised that I can post links with spaces in - you just need to remove the spaces and copy and paste them into your browser to see them:

Fireplace
http /i2 .photobucket.com /albums/y12/Skinny87/IMAG0366.jpg

Largest crack in plaster
http /i2. photobucket.com /albums/y12/Skinny87/IMAG0352.jpg