Remodelling fireplace

ILoveSittingDown

My house has a log burner installed and a stone surround. I don’t like it for a few reasons. Mostly because the stone looks pretty naff and the log burner is so tightly packed in that it doesn’t really provide much heat. I want to remove the stone and open up the fireplace around the log burner. Do you think it’s likely there is a bigger opening behind the stone? Is it DIYable for someone of average competence? Thanks

stuart45

A fireplace will normally have a larger opening, known as the builders opening. It's usually made smaller with a fireback and some brickwork, which can normally be removed. 

Bendy_House

There's a log burner in there?!

Chances are, there's a larger opening in the wall. And this will be uncovered if you remove that stonework.

This should be a straight-forward enough DIY task, and carry little risk - you should expose the 'proper' lintel' behind what's there, and obviously don't touch that...

Obviously there's a chance that the whole opening is that visible size, but I think it's unlikely. 

How large is that existing opening? And is that surround built in situ from stone? Or is it a one-piece 'faux'?

FreeBear

My chimney breast is 1400mm wide. There is 200mm of brickwork either side, and (there was) a brick arch ~1200 up from the floor. In the middle was a "builder's opening" approximately 560mm high and 400mm wide. Removing the infill wasn't too difficult, but it did fill a bulk bag originally used to deliver sand/gravel in.

If you are really lucky, you might find a similar sized space in your chimney breast - No guarantees though, so you'll need to do some exploratory demolition. You will need to find another home for the TV - Having it above a stove will subject to high heat and reduce the life span considerably. With small children around, you'll also want a secure fireguard, ideally attached to the wall.

FreeBear

Bendy_House said: This should be a straight-forward enough DIY task, and carry little risk - you should expose the 'proper' lintel' behind what's there, and obviously don't touch that...

My "lintel" was a brick arch, and I did touch it... Well, poked one of the bricks, and the whole lot collapsed (crappy lime mortar) Now got a thick heavy duty concrete lintel in there.

ILoveSittingDown

Bendy_House said:

There's a log burner in there?!

Chances are, there's a larger opening in the wall. And this will be uncovered if you remove that stonework.

This should be a straight-forward enough DIY task, and carry little risk - you should expose the 'proper' lintel' behind what's there, and obviously don't touch that...

Obviously there's a chance that the whole opening is that visible size, but I think it's unlikely. 

How large is that existing opening? And is that surround built in situ from stone? Or is it a one-piece 'faux'?

It is a titchy log burner. I have to chainsaw logs in half to get them to fit inside! I think it would be sufficient to heat the room if the hot air had any space to get out but it's so enclosed that I think it just gets absorbed back into the chimney stack. 

Existing opening is 440m wide 530mm high, the chimney breast itself is about 1800mm wide. 

Pretty sure it isn't a one-piece faux covering, feels like proper stone and mortar to my untrained eye.

ILoveSittingDown

FreeBear said:

My chimney breast is 1400mm wide. There is 200mm of brickwork either side, and (there was) a brick arch ~1200 up from the floor. In the middle was a "builder's opening" approximately 560mm high and 400mm wide. Removing the infill wasn't too difficult, but it did fill a bulk bag originally used to deliver sand/gravel in.

If you are really lucky, you might find a similar sized space in your chimney breast - No guarantees though, so you'll need to do some exploratory demolition. You will need to find another home for the TV - Having it above a stove will subject to high heat and reduce the life span considerably. With small children around, you'll also want a secure fireguard, ideally attached to the wall.

Thanks. Your builders opening is about the same size as the log burner opening we have, so perhaps there isn't a bigger opening behind there. 

We have used the log burner with the TV there and it doesn't get hot at all, but perhaps that's because it's so enclosed at the moment. I've seen a lot of photos on google with TVs wall mounted about log burners, is it always a no-no? Although the thought of moving the telly might make my other half think twice about re-doing the fireplace!

Agreed on the fireguard.

stuart45

If you decide you want to do the job, it's not usually that difficult to make the opening a lot bigger. You have a lot of room each side to work with.
Wood burners need the space around them as per manufurers spec.
You would need to remove the stone and then hack off enough plaster to see what's required. 

ILoveSittingDown

stuart45 said:

If you decide you want to do the job, it's not usually that difficult to make the opening a lot bigger. You have a lot of room each side to work with.
Wood burners need the space around them as per manufurers spec.
You would need to remove the stone and then hack off enough plaster to see what's required. 

Thanks Stuart, decisions decisions!

Bendy_House

ILoveSittingDown said:

Bendy_House said:

There's a log burner in there?!

Chances are, there's a larger opening in the wall. And this will be uncovered if you remove that stonework.

This should be a straight-forward enough DIY task, and carry little risk - you should expose the 'proper' lintel' behind what's there, and obviously don't touch that...

Obviously there's a chance that the whole opening is that visible size, but I think it's unlikely. 

How large is that existing opening? And is that surround built in situ from stone? Or is it a one-piece 'faux'?

It is a titchy log burner. I have to chainsaw logs in half to get them to fit inside! I think it would be sufficient to heat the room if the hot air had any space to get out but it's so enclosed that I think it just gets absorbed back into the chimney stack. 

Existing opening is 440m wide 530mm high, the chimney breast itself is about 1800mm wide. 

Pretty sure it isn't a one-piece faux covering, feels like proper stone and mortar to my untrained eye.

Yes, it looks like real stone, built in situ.

440x530 is tiny! You won't know until you remove the façade, but I'd bet that the lintel-supported opening behind is usefully larger.

Got a crowbar? :-)

Or, Facebook Marketplace - 'buyer removes' (and stand well back... :-(  )

Bendy_House

With such a nice wide 'breast, you have some terrific options for a lovely new fireplace. Built-in log store, that sort of stuff.

Have you Goggle images for ideas?! Pinterest?

I bet you'll see something you love so much you'll skip tea and grab yer 'ammer and bolster...