Open up boarded fireplace - lintel advice

[ferndale1793]

Hi

I have looked around the net and not been able to find an example of the situation I am in and would appreciate some advice.

We decided to expose a boarded up fireplace in our house (Victorian terrace). Started by removing the skirting board and plaster in the (assumed) centre of the hole, working outwards to the edges until we found the walls of the hole.

We can see what we think is a lintel...but it's wonky and very very thin. See picture attached. My question is - do we just get a new lintel fitted, or shall we continue to take plaster off further up the wall? Is there likely to be a bigger lintel above this one...?

Thanks in advance

 

[jj4091]

There is only one way to find out if there is a bigger lintel above that one & that is to take a band of plaster off up the centre of the breast. Personally I doubt there will be. What are you intending the opening to be when you have finished? It would need to be bigger for a wood burner etc. which would mean fitting a lintel higher & wider than your current one.

 

[ferndale1793]

Hi, thanks for prompt reply.

It's not for a burner (we would like to do this eventually in a different room), we plan to put a decorative cast iron fireplace in. In which case, do you think the best course of action would be to fill the hole to the size of the fireplace insert and plaster around it? Or should we reinforce/replace the lintel prior to doing this?

Thanks again

 

[jj4091]

Your lintel has been OK all these years & does not look as though it is broken so I cannot see why it should need replacing. You need to find out the opening size required for what ever you are going to put in it before doing anything else.