Hey all,
I'm in the process of removing and blocking up an old open fireplace in my 1960s timber framed bungalow. Single skin brick exterior, suspended timber floors.
Having dug out the fireplace, back boiler, hearth and fireback, we removed what turned out to be a 'modern' combined throat lintel. It was sat at a jaunty 45 degree angle into the room, so was sitting proud of the plasterboard around it. It was more hung in place by cement and supported by crumbly firebrick. No red brick below it.
More investigating revealed the steps in red brickwork to the sides of where the lintel sat, much wider, but not in use. Removing the plasterboard revealed two courses of brick before returning to the standard timber framing.
Should I be getting a proper lintel and fitting it in there, or would small timber frame from under the two course of bricks at the top to the ash pit suffice? Does it even need a lintel if it's only timber frame above it? I have a desire to gut the brickwork above that crumpled back boiler box, but not sure if it's supporting anything at the sides. It has a little pull out tab that opens up the flue behind it for the hot gases to flow under the box.
Thoughts appreciated!
I'm in the process of removing and blocking up an old open fireplace in my 1960s timber framed bungalow. Single skin brick exterior, suspended timber floors.
Having dug out the fireplace, back boiler, hearth and fireback, we removed what turned out to be a 'modern' combined throat lintel. It was sat at a jaunty 45 degree angle into the room, so was sitting proud of the plasterboard around it. It was more hung in place by cement and supported by crumbly firebrick. No red brick below it.
More investigating revealed the steps in red brickwork to the sides of where the lintel sat, much wider, but not in use. Removing the plasterboard revealed two courses of brick before returning to the standard timber framing.
Should I be getting a proper lintel and fitting it in there, or would small timber frame from under the two course of bricks at the top to the ash pit suffice? Does it even need a lintel if it's only timber frame above it? I have a desire to gut the brickwork above that crumpled back boiler box, but not sure if it's supporting anything at the sides. It has a little pull out tab that opens up the flue behind it for the hot gases to flow under the box.
Thoughts appreciated!
