Fire place project!

I did my own a few years ago. Good tip before you start digging depending on the flue you have is too drill a hole high up straight through the flue and then push in some reinforcing bar.
The whole flue section could land inside you living room otherwise.
I never did it but with hindsight now I was chancing fate.

I did the entire opening with formwork and poured in a concrete mix. Then painted with emulsion.
I don't like beams embedded into the mortar like that. Too much movement and cracking will take place.

 

All in all it looks similar to my own set up.

 

There's a special heat plaster resisting from purmichos, stoves can throw out a lot of heat and and crack the plaster. Good improvement but though.

 

And the timber will take a real roasting. Especially with a dry stove.
Should probably be a heat deflector below.

 

This is how my project turned out.. and heats 4 rooms in total.

 

The corbels have sliding dovetails to accept the beam.

 

Part J here.. solid fuel starts about page 35 I think...
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_AD_J_2013.pdf

Yes .. did all my self, including skimmimg the walls, laying new wood floor, plumbing and electrics.

The register plate was simplified because the concrete left a level base with the bottom lip of the flue. The vitreaous enamel flue then just pushed up inside and I made a large compression flange on my lathe to make the seal.

 

[QUOTE="g4rfr81, post: 1405671, member: 157509"

had some work done so thought it needs a pro's touch to put in a new lentil!



Can't offer you any sensible advice I'm afraid but I would suggest that you use a "lintel" as opposed to a "lentil"

Don't think that either a red, green or even a Puy would hold up your brickwork ! Good luck though

 

Th only thing I may do different is to do away with the corner angled beads and put in a curved corner instead, will look better. Hard to do as a former will need to be made, maybe a 50mm radius. Oak can react badly to plaster when wet.

 

Try this...
http://www.maxibrite.co.uk/files/8814/1104/1259/Solid_Fuel_Guide.pdf

 

Also try this...
http://www.euroheat.co.uk/ImgShare/1814663025IN1173FlueSystemGuideMFStovesD.pdf

 

This is the compression ring from underneath. It has a 60 degree V so when it tightens the fire rope is compressed against the flue. Bolted on with a plate with an asbestos type gasket for sealing.

 

This was the digging stage.. You can just see the flue sticking out.

 

And this was just after the formwork was stripped out...

 

G4, what are these two pics in your first post? Is one the fireplace you currently have and the other - with the stove - what you are hoping to achieve?

Anyhoo, there are two ways of doing this - one is to hire a Hetas fellow to do the work and t'other is to DIY it but to get local BC supervision - and they will get a Hetas person to check your work (for which you pay, of course).

Hard to tell, but is there a lintel anywhere in that breast? If so, is it where you need it, or do you want to open the fireplace opening further?

Anyhoo, how would a builder approach that project? I suspect they'd buy a pre-stressed concrete lintel of the right size - the required opening span + 150mm (minimum) overlap at each end.

I then suspect they'd install this lintel without bothering with props! They'd simply remove - carefully - a row of bricks to allow the lintel to slip in. All removed one brick at a time by drilling out the mortar (which will likely be soft) around each brick in turn.

The lintel will go along the top of the desired opening.

Brush clean, dampen surrounding brick surfaces, lay a bed of mortar, slip in lintel, and pack further mortar around it until it's neatly filled all around.

Allow to set.

Then cut down the two sides probably using a chisel bit in an SDS drill.

Fit angle beads, and cement render it all smooth and level. Skim with multi-finish.

There is one other major issue - is the current flue lining suitable for solid fuel? It depends on what it's made of - SS is fine, ali possibly not. You may be lucky and be able to use the existing liner, but I suspect a new one will be needed.

The Hetas surveyor will check that this is all done.

Then there are minor issues such as the opening base being heat proof enough (almost certainly not an issue with modern stoves), that there's enough ventilation (especially with over a 5Kw stove), etc etc.