Widening Fireplace - Safe to Remove Brick?

[robertd275]

Evening all, first request for advice! 
 

I’m opening up our fireplace which was previously an open fire and have already placed a lintel for support. 
 

I’ve hit a bit of a roadblock in that the bricks inside the chimney angling up to the right do not seem to be supported by anything. On the left side they look to be resting on the one course of bricks, which I would like to remove, on the right, they sit across 3 courses of brick, 2 of which I’m looking to remove. further up, they do not seem to be interlocking with the front or back wall, just mortared to each other almost floating in the middle if I remove some of the legs. 
 

Am I safe to remove the bricks in the feet or am I in danger of causing some damage to the chimney? 
 

TIA for any comments,

 

Rob

[tonyshouse]

CAREFULLY Take it out to the size you want don’t lean in to I ? -  see what falls down 

 

if you are worried drill through on top of your lintel and 350mm and leave the drill bit in the hole under the end of the corbelled brick or fit a metal plate 270mm long 100 wide 6mm thick 

 

without liability - sorry 

[Temp]

I think I would find a local Structural Engineer to come take a look. Ask him to quote for a visit and verbal opinion.

[robertd275]

Thank you both for the messages. I was thinking similar to the drill bit idea with some of the steel rod previously used as a lintel, setting this in as a permanent support.  I’ve taken a step back for now though whilst I wait for a local structural engineer. 
 

I’d definitely rather be safe than sorry with this one.

[Big Jimbo]

Look, who cares about you chimney. What i want to know is which one of the purple colours are you going with. I love a bit of purple. P.s.good luck with the chimney

[robertd275]

14 hours ago, Big Jimbo said:

Look, who cares about you chimney. What i want to know is which one of the purple colours are you going with. I love a bit of purple. P.s.good luck with the chimney

We’ll upload a picture once it’s all finished up and painted for your closure! We discovered parquet flooring under the carpet too so looking to revitalise that 

[Big Jimbo]

58 minutes ago, robertd275 said:

We’ll upload a picture once it’s all finished up and painted for your closure! We discovered parquet flooring under the carpet too so looking to revitalise that 

Nice, parquet flooring, and purple.Going to look stunning.

[Carrerahill]

On 10/11/2020 at 21:23, robertd275 said:

Thank you both for the messages. I was thinking similar to the drill bit idea with some of the steel rod previously used as a lintel, setting this in as a permanent support.  I’ve taken a step back for now though whilst I wait for a local structural engineer. 
 

I’d definitely rather be safe than sorry with this one.

It is a fireplace not a garage door opening, the brick work looks OK so just remove things carefully and away you go.

 

I have skim read this post, I am not actually really sure what you are trying to do, are you trying to widen the fireplace to get a stove in or such?

 

I think you want to remove the first few corbelled bricks, in which case I would either, simply remove them all carefully, or prop the row 2 up, and remove the courses you want, then fit an angle iron lintel type affair. If I was doing it I would have probably put in 3 lintels, on 2 running back to front, then the main one running across. However, heavy angle steel is your friend!

 

This is a mornings work with a couple of cups of tea.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by Carrerahill

[Mr Punter]

You could make a hole either side above your new lintel and slide in 2 new supports going into the back wall.  Actually what @Carrerahill said.

[robertd275]

On 18/11/2020 at 14:02, Carrerahill said:

It is a fireplace not a garage door opening, the brick work looks OK so just remove things carefully and away you go.

 

I have skim read this post, I am not actually really sure what you are trying to do, are you trying to widen the fireplace to get a stove in or such?

 

I think you want to remove the first few corbelled bricks, in which case I would either, simply remove them all carefully, or prop the row 2 up, and remove the courses you want, then fit an angle iron lintel type affair. If I was doing it I would have probably put in 3 lintels, on 2 running back to front, then the main one running across. However, heavy angle steel is your friend!

 

This is a mornings work with a couple of cups of tea.

 

 

Yeah we’re trying to widen to put a stove in, i like the idea of the angle steel lintels, will see what I can get up to next weekend, currently trying to get our bathroom ready for tiling! 
 

Thank you for the detailed response  

[robertd275]

For anyone who wanted to see end results - here it is (minus the fire cement between bricks)! We ended up paying the stove fitters to widen the fireplace to shift liability. I added steel L bar from front to back as suggested.
 

Very pleased with the results.

[joe90]

Very nice, not sure you need fire cement to point up the bricks, it’s far enough away from the stove (IMO).

 

.....WOT NO PURPLE @Big Jimbo will be miffed ?

[Big Jimbo]

The very light shade needs to be way more Prince. Other than that, looking good.

[robertd275]

On 15/05/2021 at 16:53, joe90 said:

Very nice, not sure you need fire cement to point up the bricks, it’s far enough away from the stove (IMO).

 

.....WOT NO PURPLE @Big Jimbo will be miffed ?

That colour is actually the second from the left in the picture of the swatches, they all came out so differently, we ended up going through 3 colours!!